# Mid-March Chance at a Wahoo?



## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

Hello Everybody,

I would like to get some input on the chances of boating a wahoo in mid-March. I will be fishing from a single engine CC, and have the rods and reels for a 4 line spread.

I would like to work the east Edge past the Oriskany so I can save the day with some amberjack and mingos if the trolling proves unproductive. 

With a four line spread, how would you all rig up? And will the east Edge be a good place to start or should I be somewhere else?

Thanks


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

This was mid-march last year near the nipple, caught on an ilander/ballyhoo combo. We were trolling two Ilander/ballyhoo combos on trolling leads and two ilander ballyhoo's on the riggers with a bird on the shotgun and pulling bowling pin teasers. Caught 3 that day and back at the dock by 2pm. Where you troll really depends on what the water looks like, get you a subscription to ripcharts or hilton's to make the best decision about where to go.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

One thing that has to be taken into consideration is that this yr the water is cooler on average in the same spots that were producing wahoo last year. That being said, the temps are still high enough that wahoo should be around. I'd pull ilander ballyhoo combos on your longer two lines and a yo zuri bonito on one transom line and an iland express w/ horse ballyhoo on the other transom line. That's a very easy four line spread


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## aquaholic (Oct 31, 2007)

pink stretch 30's...:thumbup:


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

I have seen a lot of videos of Venice, LA captains pulling pink stretches. Seems like that would be a lot easier to rig than ilander/ballyhoo combos, but how would the productivity compare between the two?


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

PorknBeans said:


> I have seen a lot of videos of Venice, LA captains pulling pink stretches. Seems like that would be a lot easier to rig than ilander/ballyhoo combos, but how would the productivity compare between the two?


They work great as well but I would recommend replacing the rings and hooks that come on them


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## GWally (May 16, 2009)

sniperpeeps said:


> They work great as well but I would recommend replacing the rings and hooks that come on them


How would you recommend running them in the spread?
I'm looking to set up a spread to primarily target Wahoo and Dolphin.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

GWally said:


> How would you recommend running them in the spread?
> I'm looking to set up a spread to primarily target Wahoo and Dolphin.


Run them off your transom/flat lines.


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## GASeminole (Aug 15, 2011)

sniperpeeps said:


> This was mid-march last year near the nipple, caught on an ilander/ballyhoo combo. We were trolling two Ilander/ballyhoo combos on trolling leads and two ilander ballyhoo's on the riggers with a bird on the shotgun and pulling bowling pin teasers. Caught 3 that day and back at the dock by 2pm. Where you troll really depends on what the water looks like, get you a subscription to ripcharts or hilton's to make the best decision about where to go.


I feasted on this fish's flesh. And it was good


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

Does anyone troll rigged hardtails, mullet, ladyfish, or spanish macks? I am guessing that ballyhoo are so popular because of their shape. I feel like small ladyfish have that same tubular profile, and they definitely have a shimmer in the water. Mid-March might be early to find lots of them, but I couldn't believe how easy it was to load up on them off Ft. McCree in the summer.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

PorknBeans said:


> Does anyone troll rigged hardtails, mullet, ladyfish, or spanish macks? I am guessing that ballyhoo are so popular because of their shape. I feel like small ladyfish have that same tubular profile, and they definitely have a shimmer in the water. Mid-March might be early to find lots of them, but I couldn't believe how easy it was to load up on them off Ft. McCree in the summer.



Shoot man save yourself the trouble and just put some big live hardtails out there on wire


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I pull Spanish and ladyfish pretty often. You can run a Spanish bone-in but you pretty much have to debone a ladyfish


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Chris V said:


> you pretty much have to debone a ladyfish


How technical is that rigging?


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

Speaking of deboning trolling baits, I wonder if you could rig a second hook and leader attachment through the hole that is created when the spine is removed. Could anyone tell me why J hooks are used in trolling and not big trebles?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Adam, deboning is easy. If frenchy gets back with me on the rigging deal we will be doing that too.

P&B, I have rigged Spanish with a two-hook rig before for wahoo. It's just one extra step in the rigging. I attach a short length of cable to the second hook and it runs through the body. When I stitch the bait together, it will stay put.

Trebles have smaller gaps and shorter shanks, which leads to shallower hooksets. You won't hook as deep with trebles and they can be a royal pain to remove. I certainly wouldn't want to rig a Spanish with one in the case a blue grabs it and gets that stinger hook in its eye. It's been done, but I don't advise rigging with them


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## GWally (May 16, 2009)

We used to debone mullet for AJ's off Mayport. Shove that deboning tube in through the mouth, twist it along as it enclosed the backbone to near the tail, quick bend to break it(backbone) and when removed, the stainless tube had the backbone captured and the swimming action was intense. I'd guess it would be similar with a Ladyfish. Quick and easy and the difference in action when pulled through the water is significant.

We'd usually single hook them on wire by shoving the wire through the lower jaw, hook eye and up the top usually setting an egg sinker on the nose before doing a haywire.


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

Thanks for all of the advice gentlemen. I heard someone on here say that when they swordfish they expect one bite per trip, and when they troll for blues they expect one knock down per three trips. In a dedicated wahoo trip, how do you all assume that you will do?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

You never know. Ive caught 23 in a day before and of course came back hoo-less on more than one occasion. I will say with total confidence though, that most trolling specific trips I do to the SE around the Nipple/Elbow/etc will yield at least a couple wahoo strikes from May-October.


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

Will there be bigger mahi around that early? If I rig with 7-strand for wahoo, is that going to limit me to catching wahoo?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

PorknBeans said:


> Will there be bigger mahi around that early? If I rig with 7-strand for wahoo, is that going to limit me to catching wahoo?


You usually don't see big mahi until may. Using wire shouldn't limit you to only wahoo. I've caught plenty of dolphin on wire as well.


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## GWally (May 16, 2009)

Chris V said:


> You usually don't see big mahi until may.QUOTE]
> 
> When do the schoolies/chickens start showing up?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I've caught them in march before within 10 miles. Watch water temps. Once they reach 70 and above, a mahi run-in is always possible


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

Can anyone comment on anchor-and-chum wahoo fishing? I would love to get a good slick going in 300ft of water. I imagine that that would bring some mahi to the boat for sure, and maybe some bigger creatures following them?


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## ashcreek (Oct 4, 2007)

Lots of people use a sea anchor and drift chum\chunk...
Keeps you from having to anchor in 300 feet of water which would require close to 600 feet of rope and break someones back when pulling in the rope....
Chunks of Bonita or start with pogeys until you start catching bonita then chunking bonita.
It's expensive but I have heard of some people using Ballyhoo to chunk as well.
I know on a good weed line the chick dolphin go crazy when we start throwing chunks of ballyhoo
Then setup a mix between live and dead bait and vary depth from just up off the bottom to the top of the water column. I have seen some people that use a balloon on a couple lines after dropping to the depth they want tie the balloon using a rubber band and the farther from the transom you let the balloon go the farther back that bait will drift. You can put out a lot of different baits that way until you find what the fish are hitting on then switch over to the bait of the day.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Everybody has a different way of skinning the same cat but for Wahoo trolling, I would just stick to trolling lures without the dead bait. Dead bait/lure combos are big around here because they are so effective on sailfish, white marlin and big Dorados. I mean, everything will eat them, including wahoo but when wahoo are feeding on troll baits they will take a Yo-Zuri Bonita or a big Marlin plunger as soon as they will a rigged dead bait. Also, high speed metal Jet Heads are good for moving from one area to another and can be pulled at 14 knots. The thing I like about lures is that you cover a lot of ground. If you find the fish concentrated you can try the dead baits if you like them. I prefer the most bang for the buck which, I think, is bare lures. I like your idea of chunking and drifting dead baits though. One of my favorites ways of hooking em up. The sea anchor is a great idea but it is great if you can stay near the ledges, grass or structure.


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

PHSlim is dead on. 

Yozuri Bonita's pulled at 8 mph one close in transom - I mean like 20' one at 40' off the other transom. Your spread will work but you have to limit it to how many men on board - 2 (Capt and fisherman) 4-5 lines max and PRACTICE before a strike. 

I take it you know the basics after a strike, keep the boat in gear for steerage while clearing line, do not touch the drag, bring the fish on the upwind side etc.. 

Also - there are two schools but don't run wire for hoo's. Use fish beads between the hook and skirt on your jetheads and bubblers and tie directly to your yozuri. Lots more strikes - few if any cut offs. I nod to Downtime and Dave Woodly on this. Also woo's will usually run at the boat after the first run, no slack lost more then a couple when the hook wears a hole in their mouth and pops loose. 

I will probably see you out there when the wind dies down.

Stressless


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

You going out to the edge this weekend . From what I read water is probably around 65 to 67 out there. I may go out there. I have never been that way from orange beach. But the water will be to nice not to venture out.
Have you found bait yet


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

I will be going out Friday all day. I am still trying to figure out what I want to do. I should be picking up ~50 lbs of fish guts / trimings / etc. this evening, but I do not think it will be the red meat chum I am hoping for. I would love to have bonito start to come up in the slick so I can transfer over to chunking as the day goes on. If anyone is out there today and brings back a bonito that you have no intention of using, I would gladly take them off your hands!

As far as trolling, I am going to be the most experienced fisherman on the boat and I am not going to have a lot of help. I foresee a cluster whether we hook fish or not. This is probably going to be more of a mingo, aj, and whatever wants to hit the flat line type of trip. I might want to poke around a little bit beyond the depths where I already have numbers just to try to pick up some new ones, so if anyone is feeling generous with past mingo haunts, I would greatly appreciate it. I am not looking for honey holes, just any generally known locations that have produced in the past.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

What depth is the oriskany. Are there aj's there this time of year. The only way I can make the trip worth the ride is if I have a tank of live bait. Then I should be able to find fish. Bait is the key. Any help would be great. Water will be really ice the next two days


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

Hi Stressless...

Could you explain what you were saying about "fish beads"? I like the idea of more strikes, but I do not understand your rigging.

It looks like it is going to be a nice day tomorrow, will you be out there?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Plastic or rubber-like beads. Some are round, oval or tri-beads.


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

Chris V said:


> Plastic or rubber-like beads. Some are round, oval or tri-beads.



the tri beads seem to work the best.

Nope working... which in todays economy is a good thing.


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## ltsheets (Mar 31, 2009)

Chapman5011 said:


> What depth is the oriskany. Are there aj's there this time of year. The only way I can make the trip worth the ride is if I have a tank of live bait. Then I should be able to find fish. Bait is the key. Any help would be great. Water will be really ice the next two days


Check out the spur report in the blue water section from last thurs fri to see what we caught at the oriskany. Everything we caught was on vertical jigs. There's plenty there biting right now.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

We stopped off at some I10 bridge rubble 10 miles out of pensacola pass and dropped sabiki's baited with little cut squid on the hooks. There are plenty of good size ruby reds down there. We caught our aj's at the cheveron rig. We went over to the oriskany and did not catch anything so we went back to the chevron rig and caught more aj's. the oriskany is about 210 feet with the top of the oat about about 135 foot.


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