Fishing for Wahoo in the Mid-Atlantic

The primary time I noticed a wahoo, we have been trolling the sting of the Gulf Stream when a quicksilver missile shot 10 toes out of the water and divebombed the middle bait 30 toes behind the boat. “Woohoo!” I shrieked. “No,” the captain laughed, “that’s a wahoo!”

My fascination with these fish has lasted a lifetime. Every spring, as heat waters return to the mid-Atlantic, wahoo present up on the sting of the continental shelf. From the canyons off DelMarVa to the valleys and humps off North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the fish stick round all summer season and into the autumn.

The place to Catch Wahoo

Endgame

Off the Mid-Atlantic coast, wahoo may be caught nearly anyplace alongside the sting of the continental shelf. Capt. Jason Snead, who fishes the Outer Banks, appears for wahoo to reach in late spring. “We begin to see the fish in Might,” he says, “when the water temperature hits the center 70s.”

The fish present up just a little later off Virginia Seaside, Virginia. Native professional Capt. Pat Foster, referred to as the Admiral, doesn’t count on wahoo till the top of June. Farther south, Hatteras Inlet, North Carolina, is wahoo world. Capt. Kenny Koci, on the constitution boat The Large Tahuna, by no means stops fishing for wahoo. “We catch them year-round,” he says. “There isn’t a month that hasn’t produced ’hoos.”

All three captains agree that late summer season to early fall is the top of wahoo season. “The hotter the water, the higher,” Koci says. “We’ll typically discover wahoo in water as much as 80 levels.”

The skippers additionally agree that wahoo may be onerous to foretell. “It’s a must to look ahead to the wahoo to seek out you after which be prepared after they present up,” Snead says.

And all three say one of the simplest ways to seek out wahoo is to discover a wahoo. “The place you catch one fish, you’re certain to catch extra,” explains Snead. When he hooks a wahoo, he turns the boat and makes a number of extra passes by the identical water. “Hold making larger and greater circles in the identical space,” he says. “They don’t normally journey alone.”

It takes numerous gasoline to energy wahoo, so these fish seldom wander distant from the kitchen, they usually can’t afford to be choosy. These fish will eat something from squid to mackerel, however they actually appear to like dolphin. Discover a faculty of bait or a bit of construction that holds dolphin, and also you’ll typically discover wahoo too.

Any drop or rise within the backside alongside the sting of the continental shelf may also maintain these fish, particularly crossroads, the place the present intersects construction. Coloration adjustments, weed strains and different flotsam are additionally recognized ’hoo hide-outs.Foster remembers discovering a floating tree at some point. “Each cross, we pulled two or three wahoo off of it,” he remembers. “They simply saved coming.”

Since Hatteras is inside straightforward attain of the sting of the Gulf Stream, the wahoo state of affairs there’s a little completely different. Whereas Hatteras ’hoos favor floats and weed strains, Koci additionally appears for the fish over rock pinnacles from the Rockpile to the 200 Rocks. He most frequently finds wahoo on the inshore or upcurrent aspect of construction. Koci says that wahoo supply offshore anglers who’re new to the world a straightforward alternative for glory. “Simply discover the break and begin trolling,” he says. “You’re certain to run into ’hoos.”

North Carolina Wahoo Rigs

Foster and Snead normally encounter wahoo when they’re on the lookout for tuna, marlin or dolphin, so that they not often have the safety of wire line. For these guys, the go-to bait for wahoo is an Ilander over a big ballyhoo, a No. 4½ Drone spoon dragged 60 toes behind a No. 8 planer, or 36-ounce in-line sinker on a flat line. “Any time there are wahoo round,” Foster says, “I’ll fish a planer rod.” In the event that they encounter huge numbers of wahoo, the professionals change each flat strains with planers.

Snead depends on purple, darkish crimson and black skirts on his Ilanders. “There’s one thing about darkish colours,” he says. He likes darkish spoons too however says that white and silver may be scorching as properly. Fishing out of Hatteras, Koci stresses the addition of Mylar and flash to his baits. “Wahoo just like the bling-bling,” he explains.

Even with mono line, anglers have an opportunity at catching toothy wahoo. To maintain one from chopping the chief, Snead suggests leaving the boat in gear whereas preventing the fish. “For those who can maintain the fish coming in, maintain the road tight and maintain the boat transferring ahead, you may maintain the wahoo from biting by the chief.”

Wahoo Excessive-Pace Trolling

A killer wahoo tactic is high-speed trolling with heavy skirts or huge plugs, which change Ilanders and SeaWitches. “Excessive-speed trolling works finest on glass-calm days when the fish are finicky,” Koci says. “When it’s uneven, we have now higher luck trolling conventional Ilanders and SeaWitches.”

Koci additionally likes to drop vertical jigs to wahoo. “Anytime we encounter a float, we’ll begin by dropping a 250-gram jig to prospect for wahoo.” He makes use of a brief piece of seven-strand wire to connect the hook to the jig. “Catching wahoo from a useless boat with comparatively mild jigging gear is an entire ‘nother world,” he says. The jarring strike, lightning run and tenacious battle show time and again how this fish bought its identify. Koci laughs, “It provides new that means to the identify wahoo.”

Mid-Atlantic Wahoo Fishing Spots

Wahoo happen east of 20 fathoms from New Jersey to North Carolina. Search for them alongside the sting of the continental shelf and in Wilmington Canyon, Baltimore Canyon or any of the offshore humps and hills. Out of Virginia Seaside, the Fingers, Norfolk Canyon and the east aspect of the Cigar Seamount may be scorching spots. From Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, goal wahoo on valleys and plateaus together with the Level, Tuna Gap and Whale Gap. Hatteras provides essentially the most wahoo choices, with fish hanging on the Seaside, Rockpile, Large Rock, 200 Rocks and any of the deep wrecks.

Wahoo Fishing Deal with

Wahoo Grin

Whereas anglers by no means know when or the place they’ll encounter wahoo, they’d higher be prepared for the fish. These high-speed killers will eagerly soar on baits meant for tuna, dolphin or marlin, however focusing on wahoo takes planers, vertical jigs and high-speed plugs. Whereas wire chief might look like the reply to wahoo’s slicing tooth, these cautious fish typically spot that trick. All three captains choose to take their possibilities with fluoro chief over spooking fish with wire line.

When: Might to November, peaking September to October

Rods: Stout trolling rod for planers and a medium-heavy stand-up rod for trolling; heavy-action 5 1⁄2-foot, 30-pound stand-up rod for jigging

Reels: Heavy-duty 50s spooled with 100-pound braid for trolling

Lures: SeaWitches and Ilanders in purple, crimson or black for trolling; Braid Marauder, Halco Max, Yo-Zuri Bonita, Nomad MadMac, or heavyweight Ilander or Mould Craft Vast Vary for high-speed trolling

Jigs: Williamson 250-gram velocity jig, Shimano Ocea Stinger Butterfly or comparable vertical jig