# trolling yozuri bonitas for wahoo?



## LRAD

Getting pumped for warm weather and warm water offshore. The last couple of seasons we have had good luck getting strikes trolling yozuri bonita style lures for wahoo at 12-14 knots. Notice I said strikes, not landed fish. Our hook-up ratio has been pretty dismal. Any thoughts or suggestions about how to increase the chances of a solid hook set? Our rig is holding up, but after ten or twenty seconds peeling drag the fish are coming off and all we are left with is a new set of teeth marks. 

You would think the speed of the lure would almost ensure a hookup, but apparently that is not the case. Should we be setting the hook hard by hand as soon as we get a strike? Any other tricks we could try? Maybe we have just been unlucky, but it is frustrating to have fish hit only to somehow avoid the hooks. 

We are pulling a variety of different colors, with the two single J hooks that come from Yozuri. 

Any thoughts or advice much appreciated.


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## lobsterman

If all else fails replace with 6 X trebles.


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## Chris V

The best way I can explain why you get poor hookup to land ratios while high speed trolling is to first look at the anatomy of a wahoo. His eyes are on the sides of his head and when striking a bait, you can watch any fish do the side-to-side head sweeping motion as they zero in on a bait. At higher speed, the fish has less time to zero in and usually makes a barreling charge at a bait only to hit it poorly or miss altogether. A bigger bait with bigger hooks actually makes your hook up-to-land rate even worse when high speeding (IMO) and after using the larger bonitos and heavier, longer skirted baits, I have sized down to the 6-8 inch sized bonitos and 9-12 inch skirts. We have a much better landing ratio with the smaller baits and my theory is that you have more "bite sized" object and unlike a bigger bait where you have more lure and less hook, the fish can get a better hold on something smaller meaning a better shot at hooking the fish in the jaw rather than the outside of the mouth, head, throat, etc.

my advice, size down or get your baits deeper if possible to give the fish a better bead on it.


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## LRAD

Thanks Chris, that makes a lot of sense. We seem to get more strikes on the yozuri lures than skirted lures at high speeds, but better hookup ratio on the skirted lures (which are smaller). I will pick up a couple of smaller bonitas and see if they result in more fish.


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## younghooker

we keep the lines " rubber banded " to the transom cleats.. just above the water line... allows the lure to run alittle deeper and provides a hook set with some line strech... set drag just tight enough to hold lure.. not more than 100ft. back.. 8 to 10 knots.. 8 " bonitas.. purple and orange colors.. top 2 colors


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## d-a

LRAD said:


> Getting pumped for warm weather and warm water offshore. The last couple of seasons we have had good luck getting strikes trolling yozuri bonita style lures for wahoo at 12-14 knots. Notice I said strikes, not landed fish. Our hook-up ratio has been pretty dismal. Any thoughts or suggestions about how to increase the chances of a solid hook set? Our rig is holding up, but after ten or twenty seconds peeling drag the fish are coming off and all we are left with is a new set of teeth marks.
> 
> You would think the speed of the lure would almost ensure a hookup, but apparently that is not the case. Should we be setting the hook hard by hand as soon as we get a strike? Any other tricks we could try? Maybe we have just been unlucky, but it is frustrating to have fish hit only to somehow avoid the hooks.
> 
> We are pulling a variety of different colors, with the two single J hooks that come from Yozuri.
> 
> Any thoughts or advice much appreciated.


 
Are you slowing down and stopping once you get the strike? At the speed your going, the hooks make one large hole in the wahoo's mouth. If you slow down and take the pressure off the wahoo its very easy for them to throw the lure. Wahoo love to head shake and with a 8-10oz lure they get plenty of leverage to throw the lure. We never stop completly and always stay above 5 knots while getting the wahoo in.

d-a


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## LRAD

We had actually debated on the best action to take regarding boat speed after a strike. Obviously, going 12-14 knots you have to slow down at least some. In the excitement maybe we have been slowing down too quickly. We have discussed employing a more gradual reduction in speed this season and will see if it helps.


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## younghooker

we run 2 bonitas off the transom cleats .. close, less than 100 ft... then an ilander/ballyhoo.. way back... if I have an experienced crew I'll run 1 or 2 more off the T Top rod holders.. maybe a Braid Speedster.. or a Rapala magnum.. or another ilander


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## Magic236

I maintain speed allowing about a third of the line to come off the reel, then slow down gradually to idle speed and maintain forward motion. My hooks are kept very sharp. I too have had no luck with the large Yozuri, you want to buy mine. It too has some impressive scares but never caught a fish. The 5" and 8" Bonitas work well. Good luck


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## matttheboatman

Here is my 2 cents worth:

I prefer heavy headed bullett-style lures for exactly the same reason - hook up ratio much better than swimming plugs at high speeds. My favorite is the Red/Black Wahooo Whacker XL by C&H Lures. I have rigged with tandem hooks pulled up tight to the head. I have so much line out that by the time the stretch comes out of the line to pop my rubber bands, the fish is very much connected to the end of the line. The Wahoo Whacker XL has a long skirt whiich I trim back 3 inches. 

If I'm slow trolling around the rigs, I prefer a swimming plug such as a Hot Pink Stretch 30 and hook up ratio seems fine. 

Matt


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## Buche

We trolled for wahoo 3 weekends ago using Yozuri bonitas out by the rigs and got slammed by a monster.


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## wanna be tuna slayer

A funny thing to me...Our best hookup ratios are on the bonitas. That may say something about how poor our other hookup ratios but usually if something hits the bonita its definitely gonna get the gaff to the head. I don't know if I can even remember more than a few fish coming off of it.


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## Island24

Did it crack the lure in half?


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