Thread: You guys get Wahoo?

Other than tuna, wahoo is one of my favorite species to target. Nothing like casting out, doing a fast retrieve when suddenly the reel won't turn, but you KNOW you have to keep cranking. The fish opens its jaws to release the bomb you threw, and your non-stop cranking pays off as the jig pulls into the jaw.

Then your reel goes off like like you're hooked on a reef and the boat's going 50 kts.

If I go on a long range trip, and everyone else is targeting tuna, which is my favorite as well, I keep 2 backup rigs handy with wire leaders. If I see someone throwing live bait get snipped off, I pull my tuna rig and run for a wahoo rig. Last trip I had 22 wahoo. The next closest person had 9. Little known fact, wahoo meat freezes well when vacuum-packed for YEARS! I've had wahoo (and I don't recommend doing this as a rule) that I forgot about in the chest freezer, defrosted after 7 years. I'm an amateur "chef" and am picky about meat quality. This was really really good. Tuna doesn't fare well when frozen, but wahoo, all I can say is to give it a shot.

I'm so into wahoo that on these long range trips, I make my own bombs. The last 5 trips over the years, both the crew and other dudes fishing have asked me to make them bombs.

About 12 years ago, I went on a 10 day trip. The rule on most long range boats is, 4 ppl troll, when in international waters. If one hooks up, the next 4 are on troll duty. On day 3 of the 4 days it would take to get to the target location, I was up for troll duty. In the previous trolling rotation, one of the guys hooked up on a 25lb skipjack. Terrible luck, as we use those for lobster bait. So, I picked a purple and black Marauder, and took my place next to the starboard corner. I watch how far the corner locked his drag at, and sent mine a couple yards further.

We trolled through the f@ckin desert for HOURS. My brother brought me lunch at the stern. At about 2 p.m. I was ready to leave, but you're supposed to be a soldier when on troll rotation. I was talking with a deckhand at the baitwells when someone's reel went off. The corner guy yelled "hookup!" and the captain cut the engines.
My brother's like dude, it's yours! I ran back, unclipped the trolling strap, and slowly locked in the drag. This was a Penn 50 narrow 2 speed that I'd had blueprinted, and could pull 60lbs of drag if I wasn't careful, so I increased slowly, not knowing the species.

At about 30lbs of drag, I didn't want to go further, or risk having my rig pulled overboard. The boat was now stopped, and everybody was waiting for me to pull in another skipjack. I got in about 10yds when the reel started going off, not like a tuna. The fact that it was pulling line with this much drag meant it was not small, and definitely not a skipjack. A deckhand saw the line going out, and told me to tighten my drag, not knowing I already had it pinned at 30, and was trying to keep it from going over. A few seconds later it stopped taking line. I kept it in high gear, and just started grinding. I got back 25, and it ran again, but only for a few seconds. I said to my brother, "this kinda feels like a wahoo, but I have the drag too high for any wahoo I've ever caught." I kept reeling, and got it to the rail in about 10 minutes. My brother looked over the rail, and said, "holy sh1t, you're not going to believe this!"




Most wahoo we get are about 30lbsto 55lbs. This one went 102. Everybody was silent, and I started laughing. Yeah, the picture sucks, and I have a terrible haircut.
Who gives a sh1t? I just got a 102lb wahoo. That, and I had ALL my hair back then. I can't tell you how many ppl still ask me about it to this day. And, best part, it doesn't count if there's no picture, right? Luckily, I've got tha pic. The hair, not so much, but most of it...

Hell of a fish alright!


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Not yet. Give it a few more years of global warming and we might.

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We get wahoo in NZ but I wouldn't think they would be regulars to be targeted. I saw one on the wall of HB Sportfishing Club on Thursday about 40kg or near enough to 90lbs. Wahoo is also fantastic eating.

They get the odd one in our northern waters. But they are that infrequent that they get talked about when one is caught.
At least you can grow enough hair to cut badly.

We do get them in northern Australia also. The GBR and a bit south. Pretty common off the Hawaii islands when on charters the . Ono? I think they call them. Very Good on the plate.

Originally Posted by Ned

Not yet. Give it a few more years of global warming and we might.

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That's more true than many realize. Check out my post here about how it's causing the 300lb tuna to now come within 40 miles of San Diego.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....8/#post1476476


@7mmwsm - Lol, getting less true each year...

@Dicko - Yep Ono (Hawaiian). Funny tidbit, my wife is from Hawaii. Doesn't eat ANYTHING that comes from the sea. No fish, no shellfish, no lobster...nada.
So...I have about 110lbs of tuna, and 80lbs of wahoo in my chest freezer. Sadly, most of it I end up giving away. My friends and neighbors are super happy though.

Well done and great story thanks

No, I don't get Wahoo, I prefer Wifi.

Originally Posted by SanDiegoHntr

Other than tuna, wahoo is one of my favorite species to target. Nothing like casting out, doing a fast retrieve when suddenly the reel won't turn, but you KNOW you have to keep cranking. The fish opens its jaws to release the bomb you threw, and your non-stop cranking pays off as the jig pulls into the jaw.

Then your reel goes off like like you're hooked on a reef and the boat's going 50 kts.

If I go on a long range trip, and everyone else is targeting tuna, which is my favorite as well, I keep 2 backup rigs handy with wire leaders. If I see someone throwing live bait get snipped off, I pull my tuna rig and run for a wahoo rig. Last trip I had 22 wahoo. The next closest person had 9. Little known fact, wahoo meat freezes well when vacuum-packed for YEARS! I've had wahoo (and I don't recommend doing this as a rule) that I forgot about in the chest freezer, defrosted after 7 years. I'm an amateur "chef" and am picky about meat quality. This was really really good. Tuna doesn't fare well when frozen, but wahoo, all I can say is to give it a shot.

I'm so into wahoo that on these long range trips, I make my own bombs. The last 5 trips over the years, both the crew and other dudes fishing have asked me to make them bombs.

About 12 years ago, I went on a 10 day trip. The rule on most long range boats is, 4 ppl troll, when in international waters. If one hooks up, the next 4 are on troll duty. On day 3 of the 4 days it would take to get to the target location, I was up for troll duty. In the previous trolling rotation, one of the guys hooked up on a 25lb skipjack. Terrible luck, as we use those for lobster bait. So, I picked a purple and black Marauder, and took my place next to the starboard corner. I watch how far the corner locked his drag at, and sent mine a couple yards further.

We trolled through the f@ckin desert for HOURS. My brother brought me lunch at the stern. At about 2 p.m. I was ready to leave, but you're supposed to be a soldier when on troll rotation. I was talking with a deckhand at the baitwells when someone's reel went off. The corner guy yelled "hookup!" and the captain cut the engines.
My brother's like dude, it's yours! I ran back, unclipped the trolling strap, and slowly locked in the drag. This was a Penn 50 narrow 2 speed that I'd had blueprinted, and could pull 60lbs of drag if I wasn't careful, so I increased slowly, not knowing the species.

At about 30lbs of drag, I didn't want to go further, or risk having my rig pulled overboard. The boat was now stopped, and everybody was waiting for me to pull in another skipjack. I got in about 10yds when the reel started going off, not like a tuna. The fact that it was pulling line with this much drag meant it was not small, and definitely not a skipjack. A deckhand saw the line going out, and told me to tighten my drag, not knowing I already had it pinned at 30, and was trying to keep it from going over. A few seconds later it stopped taking line. I kept it in high gear, and just started grinding. I got back 25, and it ran again, but only for a few seconds. I said to my brother, "this kinda feels like a wahoo, but I have the drag too high for any wahoo I've ever caught." I kept reeling, and got it to the rail in about 10 minutes. My brother looked over the rail, and said, "holy sh1t, you're not going to believe this!"

Attachment 230025


Most wahoo we get are about 30lbsto 55lbs. This one went 102. Everybody was silent, and I started laughing. Yeah, the picture sucks, and I have a terrible haircut.
Who gives a sh1t? I just got a 102lb wahoo. That, and I had ALL my hair back then. I can't tell you how many ppl still ask me about it to this day. And, best part, it doesn't count if there's no picture, right? Luckily, I've got tha pic. The hair, not so much, but most of it...

we get a few wahoo when water temp up north comes up - what we are getting now is mahi mahi - damn good eating - when we used to deep fish for broadbill we used to pick up the odd rays bream on the squid baits even better eating - but our best eating is blue nose - something like a groper and fished for deep - no fight and electric reel makes for a lot less arm work - but one of the best eating fish we have

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

we get a few wahoo when water temp up north comes up - what we are getting now is mahi mahi - damn good eating - when we used to deep fish for broadbill we used to pick up the odd rays bream on the squid baits even better eating - but our best eating is blue nose - something like a groper and fished for deep - no fight and electric reel makes for a lot less arm work - but one of the best eating fish we have

We get dodos (Dorado, mahi mahi) like crazy off the kelp paddies. They are usually schooled up with yellowtail. One of the most beautiful fish right when you pull 'em out tha water. They change really quick though. Great eating.

When you typed groper, I thought u meant grouper, then I Googled it. They look like grouper, kinda.
You get grouper?