My first wahoo weighed in at 36 pounds. (Check out those seas behind me). Photo: Shayne Ellis
BY KELLY GROCE
I was lucky enough to tag along with Team Pay Czech as they went searching for wahoo out of Freeport Marina for the 2019 Winter Wahoo Championship. Despite the howling winds and 4-6’ seas, we caught wahoo, blackfin tuna, amberjack and barracuda and had an absolute blast while doing so. Huge thanks again to Joe Schiller, Joey Schiller, Shayne Ellis and Collin Ferrera for inviting me along my first overnight offshore trip as well as my first wahoo. Go Team Pay Czech!
Collin Ferrera stuck this beautiful wahoo. Photo: Kelly Groce
We run a split of Yo-Zuri Bonitas in purple/black and orange/black on the corners short and Ilander Heavy-Weights in black/red, black/purple and blue/white with ballyhoo long on the outriggers.The Bonitas are rigged on 275# 49-strand cable and the Ilanders are rigged on 175# cable with 9/0 needle eye hooks like the Mustad 7731AD or equivalent. This is not a live bait fishery, as the sharks are too thick.
Tackle
Stand up gear in the 30-pound class is the perfect tackle in our opinion. These rigs are light and fun, but still have enough strength for the occasional monster roaming out there. But, we do take the 50-pound gear along too, as they are appreciated when the wahoo are running big and for pulling bonitas on the shorts.
Tactics
Target the edge of the drop off, usually 160-200 ft. depths, but move around until you mark fish on the sounder and then stay on them. If you’re not marking well, don’t be afraid to troll wide and deeper looking for them.Every once in a while the wahoo will be shallower, but most of the time kingfish and barracuda are thick shallow on top of the reef.
Also to Note:
When you get a bite, keep the rest of the spread out. Many times you will get multiple hook-ups as the lures sink while you fight the fish.
The best bite is usually very early in the morning but can be good in the evening too towards the later part of the day.
Although you are mainly targeting wahoo in January, be prepared to catch other species as well. We have caught dorado, tuna and sailfish while trolling for wahoo.
Yo-Zuri Bonita™ in Purple/Black and Orange/Black.
PATRON
Capt. Darrell Weigelt
I’ve always had my best results with Yo-Zuri Bonitas in purple/black or orange/black. Troll them fast at 10-12 knots. If fish are present they will be chasing bait. At the Flower Garden Banks, fish the up current side of the bank. The wahoo move through the current upwellings. Rig the Bonitas on six feet of multi-strand cable.
Ilander in Pink/White.
LEGACY FISHING TEAM
Capt. Kevin Deerman
On the Legacy we always pullYo-Zuri Bonitas on the flat lines and drop one of them on the down rigger when the bite is slower. Orange/black and purple/black have always worked the best for me.
We pull weighted jet heads (not any particular brand) on the left and right riggers with an Ilander/ballyhoo on the center rigger. We pull mostly blue/white or pink/white Ilanders.
We also keep a couple of spinning rods with large spoons ready to cast after we are hooked up. We have tried pitching live blue runners out after missing a bite or marking fish but sometimes ended up with big amberjack that are mixed in with the wahoo.
When the bite is really on we try to keep it as simple as possible.
Chasin’ speed demons! Flower Garden Banks wahoo photography and GoPro video from onboard Bad Intentions, a 64′ Viking Sportfisher out of Galveston, TX.
A winter wahoo, one of the fastest fish in the sea, about to come to a complete stop.
The battle comes to an end. Ron McDowell watches his wahoo hit the deck.
A wahoo bares its teeth as the gaff moves into position. Skirted ballyhoo was a productive bait on this trip.
Debbie Conway reels in an early morning wahoo at the Flower Garden Banks on Feb. 9, 2015. David Weiss Jr. waits with the gaff, deckhand Tatum Frey clears the cockpit while Ron McDowell observes the fight and Capt. Billy Wright maneuvers the boat.
A hefty wahoo ascends into the boat. This fish bit a dark colored Braid Marauder.
Buggy Whippin: Galveston sight casting with Capt. Clay Sheward
The water is still and so am I. The redfish swims along a flat, that is painted with a palette of green sea grass and dull colored sand, unaware of ou...
Have you ever been fishing with friends and either you or they were catching fish while the other person was not? Well, if you were using artificial ...
Capt. Darrell Weigelt
Capt. Kevin Deerman
