Targeting Wahoo in the Northeast

[Moonzy1]

Anyone target or know those who specifically target wahoo of NJ coast ?

I know theyre caught every now and then but dont know of anyone who targets them specifically around here

[Gerry Zagorski]

Yes a few of them caught every year by people trolling for Tuna. I'm no expert but from what I've read, higher speed trolling is key, many who target them are trolling as fast as 14 -18 knots and wire leaders are a must. So are weighted or diving lures since most bites occur below the surface.

They are a warm water fish so look for opportunities when warm water eddies and clear water come inshore. They are structure related fish so looks for temp breaks, weedlines, pots etc.

I would think your best opportunities are going to be in late summer early fall when the water temps are up... Some people say they usually arrive the same time as False Albies.

Good luck Moonzy!!

I think the next time I'm out targeting Mahi and school Bluefin, I'm going to drop a deep line in my spread and see if anyone is home :)

[Capt. Debbie]

We caught a 100+ pounder last year on the troll just shorty of Bacardi on bait being crashed last Labor Day weekend.

Yes it was a higher speed troll on sub surface doing standard zig zag trolling pattern at 8-9 knots.

Ironically Fisherman Mag wrote a story on how you must you use downriggers for them the following week after caught. Funny since if we did what they specified we would NOT have caught the 100+ lb beast

They are not traditional school fish. So I don't know if anyone would target these. They are a needle in a haystack.

[John D.]

They are also not limited to the canyons. In fact, many of them can be had at the mid range grounds 40-60 miles out over structure when there is good water quality at the mid grounds.

Dark purple diving plugs are very popular.

[Gerry Zagorski]

We caught a 100+ pounder last year on the troll just shorty of Bacardi on bait being crashed last Labor Day weekend.

Yes it was a higher speed troll on sub surface doing standard zig zag trolling pattern at 8-9 knots.

Ironically Fisherman Mag wrote a story on how you must you use downriggers for them the following week after caught. Funny since if we did what they specified we would NOT have caught the 100+ lb beast

They are not traditional school fish. So I don't know if anyone would target these. They are a needle in a haystack.

I remember you writing about that fish on here Capt Frank. Nice catch and I hear they are very tasty.

I've also heard some stories of people trolling for Tuna having their lures bitten off clean after a hit... My bet would be Wahoo.

[Moonzy1]

im down in Fla this week and we fished for them weds. HS trolled skirted bally...way way back

very similar to bluefin trolling but much faster

From what ive read, these fish are not lacking in population. While they dot typically school up too much, they are usually found in pods of 2-4.

Ill bet there are more around than we think.

gonna spend some time in when temps are 78+ chasing them and will report back w what i find

spending an extra cpl hours trolling past groups of pots on way to canyon would be interesting

[bulletbob]

Wahoo are tough to find... They don't really school up, and are really more of a sub tropical species...There are a couple of specialists that take charters for them on The Gulf Coast of Louisiana... I read an article that some of the best charter capts troll for them at speeds of 18-22 knots!!!.. That sounds insane to me, but they can swim at over 60 mph, so I guess they know a lot better than I do. ..

[Moonzy1]

yes we were trolling at 12-14 kts the other day

and you have to keep the speed up when you have them on hook or they will throw the hook

[Capt. Debbie]

Ours 18 miles inside of Bacardi caught Labor Day Weekend. On purples sub surface tuna lure inside surface bait being crashed. I think it was 70 inches long.

And GREAT to eat!! Best fish I have ever had

[Blackfish Doug]

I got one 2 years ago on the Jenny Lee a nice fish if I find the picture I will post it. Dave is a excellent captain & runs a very good operation. His boat is so clean I only wished that hospitals were as clean. Give him a try & tell him that's what you would like to target. I'm sure he will tell you what's the best time of the year to try to get one. The fish that I landed was the day after Labor Day it seems like most of the reports that I read that week seems about the time they show up. I'm no expert on this stuff but the top water guys probably can give you more info on it.

[Moonzy1]

Ours 18 miles inside of Bacardi caught Labor Day Weekend. On purples sub surface tuna lure inside surface bait being crashed. I think it was 70 inches long.

And GREAT to eat!! Best fish I have ever had

wow
nice hoo

yes had it last night first time ever..sensational

possibly the best sashimi ive ever had

[tombanjo]

A guy jigged one on a PB tuna trip a few years ago, brought it in too. On the Voyager maybe?

[loosescrews]

I got this one on a jig last October 15 on the voyager. When we anchored guys started hooking up right away (chunking) only to get cut off after a few seconds. We all figured it was sharks until I got one of the culprits. I was the only one jigging. They're teeth are sharp but can't bite through a jig. Lol.

[Moonzy1]

these are monsters compared to what they catch down south

[Joey Dah Fish]

Jigged a few last year at the Hudson Canyon. I can't say it's a regular catch up here in NJ I've been going to the Canyons over 20 years now last year was the first I have had the opportunity to land one. But never really targeted them specifically. Have seen some caught most every year but not in numbers.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Jigged a few last year at the Hudson Canyon. I can't say it's a regular catch up here in NJ I've been going to the Canyons over 20 years now last year was the first I have had the opportunity to land one. But never really targeted them specifically. Have seen some caught most every year but not in numbers.

Jigging.....Really ???? :D

[hammer4reel]

Jigging.....Really ???? :D

guess he liked it :D

[Jigman13]

I've jigged them down in Antigua on benthos jigs. High speed high impact vertical jigging at its finest! Locked down the drag and hold on!

[Dino]

fish where the tuna life is only trolling much faster, 12-14 kts with heavy wahoo lures and cable leaders. the thing is u can be missing great tuna fishing doing that .. u might pick up a mako though

[Fish Head]

Caught these in the Mud Hole in September about 6 years ago....crazy day, crystal clean water, all on troll...pure lucky.. But good eats!

[Moonzy1]

fish where the tuna life is only trolling much faster, 12-14 kts with heavy wahoo lures and cable leaders. the thing is u can be missing great tuna fishing doing that .. u might pick up a mako though

And this is the reason i believe we don't see them more.
we are chasing tuna and cannot bear the thought of speed trolling over schools of tuna to specifically target these fish.

The fact that almost every Wahoo that you guys are showing me, are considered trophies in the south, is telling me they are there and not being targeted. we are catching the errant hoo's and the larger more aggressive ones which by the way are usually caught under strange circumstances according to my southern friends too….caught an 85 lber on a cut cigar fish while deep dropping. the avg 25 lb hoo they catch are almost always on troll.

[Flukemeister1]

Caught this one at the Chicken Canyon two years ago. We had gotten away from the other boats and saw a BIG swirl and then saw the bait. We trolled over at about 8-9 knots and it hit a large squid daisy chain with a Ballyhoo under the skirt. Luckily it was hooked in the corner of the mouth as we did not have wire. Fish was real fat and 60 inches long. It pegged a 50 pound spring scale. First purchase back at the dock was 100 pound spring scale.

[Flukemeister1]

Had to resize picture.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Another nice Hoo!!

[Pauls1976]

When conditions are right, I think they are more common than most think. I think a lot of bite offs are blamed on sharks and bluefish when you don't see the fish. If we get the conditions this year, I plan to spend some time with a
More dedicated wahoo spread.

I know last year during the MRMTC Offshore Open, the boat (non sponsor I believe) that won the category. Left in less than ideal conditions, got to middle grounds, slowed up and targeted wahoo on the way out. They caught two and won the category before they reached the canyon.

Three years ago in the same tournament, I watched the biggest wahoo I ever saw make 3 swipes at our inside rigger. Finally getting it he bit off, below the crimp. We got to keep our lure but missed out on a fish of a lifetime.