[ms1000]

Had my boat a little while now and after getting used to it going after smaller stuff i feel iive got the confidence to go for some of the Pelagic species ie Wahoo,Dorado small Tuna etc

Ive fished for them before but to be honest,ive been on other peoples boats and using their tackle so just sat back and enjoyed the ride as it were.

Really need to know where to start regarding marks is it better to fish off reefs etc?

Is 30lb class tackle ok?

What sort of speed do i go for Wahoo,which i know prefer it a little faster?

Panamajack,give me your knowledge!

 

[Spitfire66]

Wahoo like it fast (they will also happily take a live bait at a low speed ) - 30 lb is ok but get a good reel & line (not sure how big they get where you are).

 

[ms1000]

Wahoo like it fast (they will also happily take a live bait at a low speed ) - 30 lb is ok but get a good reel & line (not sure how big they get where you are).

Cheers Spitfire.

We do get alot of Wahoo here which is why i fancy having a pop at them especially as its coming up to peak time here for them.

Ive been told the average weight is around 40lb and often up to 70lb.

Im ok on tackle ie rods,line reels but am unsure on what lures to get and how to rig them. How long should the wire leader be and of what lb bs should it be?

 

[captaincojones]

for dorado look for any floating objects or structures on the seas surface.
prime spots here are around the fish farms, trolling red gill style lures at a fast walking pace fairly shallow.
the best times here are early morning, trolling as close as you can to the floating objects.............good eating too!

 

[ms1000]

for dorado look for any floating objects or structures on the seas surface.
prime spots here are around the fish farms, trolling red gill style lures at a fast walking pace fairly shallow.
the best times here are early morning, trolling as close as you can to the floating objects.............good eating too!

Cheers CC,

Good tip for me as there are around a dozen fish farms just of the coast here.

 

[Spitfire66]

if you hook a dorado - bring it to the boat but leave it in the water - more often than not the whole school will follow it and hang around the boat / hooked fish allowing yu to catch the others (light tsckle should do the job)

for wahoo look for this type of lure http://www.ballyhood.com/wahoo_lures.htm

any streamlined lure that you can troll fast will be suitable - be aware a big wahoo will scream off (very fast fish)

I have also found downriggers to be a useful method for wahoo

 

[ms1000]

Excellent, thanks all for your help.

Ive read so much cantradicting articles on the internet as to trolling speed,techniques,wether the lures should "smoke" or not. Much better to get the info first hand as it were.

Spitfire,

I thought about a downrigger style set-up but a fisherman i used to go out with fairly often here refused to use them point blank and used to use what looked like a good two or three pound on the trace instead,although i must admit i dont know his reasons and we never caught to much!!

The concept of the downrigger seems great in my eyes.

Is it correct the wahoo wont take baits right on the surface and what is the best depth to fish at?

Like i said,so much contradiction so its nice to get it straight from people that have fished for and caught these fish.

Cheers.

 

[Spitfire66]

there are seversal factors where a downrigger may become useful (such as taking your lure to a certain depth where fish are feeding) also if you are trolling at higher speeds it will keep the lure sub surface (a heavy lure wont be at any great depth when trolled fast without a downrigger)

e.g even with lets say 100 foot of cable out on the rigger your "real" depth will depend on your speed (its quite an experience to see an arched rod suddenly spring up to slam over with line screaming off the reel)

I always enjoyed trolling live baits for hoo but you can cover a hell of alot more water if you troll faster with lures

TRy googling wahoo and downrigger for more info

http://hometown.aol.com/waiten4thebite/wahoo.html

 

[PanamaJack]

It’s years since I last fished in the Canaries. But if I start with the Wahoo, and add to the comments already made.

There’s certainly a current obsession, amongst particularly ‘Stateside anglers, with high speed trolling for Wahoo. They tend to fish with heavy lures, often referred to as ‘Wahoo Bombs’ on single stand wire lines on 80lb class tackle at 12 to 15 knots, but none of that’s really necessary.

So where do you find them? They usually a species that school and, in the Canaries, I’ve found them in 100 metre plus depths outwards tracking species like Skipjack Tuna or Flying Fish. Drop-offs can be effective places in finding them.

(Very, very occasionally you’ll see them aimlessly cruising just sub surface in calm conditions. In such cases they’re virtually impossible to tempt! But watch the locals ‘soft wire’ a 16/0 – attached to a rod and reel - to the end of one of those 20’ poles they use, roach pole fashion, for catching Skipjack cruise up and gaff them. Not for one moment I’m going to suggest that you use that as a ‘sporting method’!)

So, in my experience, I’ve found a slight chop can help. And you need the lure to work just sub surface, not skipping. One of the lures I tend to use is something that was designed in Southern California, Hoo-Nobs. You can find them on this site -
http://www.profishco.com/home.asp. Speed’s not too critical, but even at 12 knots they’ll stay sub surface. The optimum speed I’ve found that works is 7 to 8.

Alternatively, at slightly slower speeds, I’ve found something like the Halco Trembler is very effective. There’s something in that fast, vibrating action that induces strikes.

Obviously they will hit others, preferably straight running lures and, to keep them down, on lighter tackle planers work. There’s even something, from memory, called a ‘Z’ wing that pushes, by using the different attachments, to left and right enabling you to fish a pattern of lures.

They will also hit livebaits but ‘HIT’ is the operative word. You’ll see the livebait vibrating and then it stops. Once you’ve wound it in, and its always the back of the bait that’s missing, the bait looks just as if it’s been attacked with a meat cleaver – a clean cut. So if you’re using livebaits it’s worth rigging them on two hooks.

I suppose the Wahoo’s modus operandi is to remove the ‘propeller’ on that first fast pass, then turn and eat the bits at leisure.

Just a few other things.

Always use a braided wire trace. Their teeth are formidable! Just like razors. So beware! Steer clear of the teeth when you gaff them and be extremely careful when removing hooks.

Then you won’t need a lot of strike drag with Wahoo, probably a quarter of the line’s breaking strain will suffice. They’ll hook themselves on that first, very fast run. And, once they’ve ‘blown’ themselves out and stopped, then’s the time to push the drag up to ‘strike’ around a third of the line’s B/S.

 

[PanamaJack]

Not that it's ever happened to me, but you'll find most skippers prefer to rig lures with a black, as opposed to silver, ball bearing swivel at the end of the trace.

I guess like all gamefish Wahoo have incredible eyesight and the theory goes that others in the school, attracted by the hooked specimen's actions, will occasionally strike at the swivel.

And there's an interesting bit in this article - http://www.bluewatermag.com.au/feb04feature1.asp - where Australian anglers, having got hook ups, immediately drop jigs and get hook ups from other fish in the school. Worth considering?

 

[ms1000]

Thanks Dave you are a star.

Im having a few bits done on the boat and will start in around 2 weeks and post back on how im doing or not doing as they case may be !!

Many thanks all.

 

[ms1000]

Sorry one last point.

Ive got around a dozen Rapala Magnums in Mackerel colours. Any first hand sucess on these?

Also will anything else hit them?

 

[PanamaJack]

Hi Marc
There’re an excellent lure and attract a whole range of species including those offshore. (Finding other lures that similarly fish that slow offshore in a pattern may be your problem though.) But I tend to use them inshore. Certainly they’re very effective for species like Bluefish and the European Barracuda that you’ll encounter around the island.

They can be fished of downriggers or planers but make sure you fish them at least 30’ back before ‘clipping’ them. (It gets them away from the turbulence of the 'ball' or planer.) Another technique though that’s just as effective, once having run the lure back, is to pull the lure at a lower angle by using a light rubber band attached to a short length of string tied to one of the ‘D’ rings, low on your transom. (Hope that makes some sense.) Just be careful how you wrap the band around your line – 6 wraps should be enough - to create the two loops that’s attached to your string. If you knot the band you risk, with initial slippage, it slicing through your reel line.

For both species you’ll need a short wire trace.

If you’re over structure though things like the large Bream and small Grouper will also take them. And there’s always the possibility of Amberjack. Although most of the time they’re be present in deeper water. Jigging then’s the preferred method. If it’s of interest there’re some notes (and pictures) on these threads - http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52503&highlight=Amberjack and http://www.caranx.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=2274 .

I still ‘owe’ you some notes on Dorado and Tuna but, unfortunately, the lawns beckon!
Dave

 

[ms1000]

No problem Dave, thanks for your help.

 

[Kingfish81]

Please do let us know how you get on!! Sounds great! I've got a (rather cheesey) fishing video with Matt Hayes in Madeira where he goes out after wahoo and catches a load of them, up to about 40lb. Such an awesome fish!

 

[ms1000]

Please do let us know how you get on!! Sounds great! I've got a (rather cheesey) fishing video with Matt Hayes in Madeira where he goes out after wahoo and catches a load of them, up to about 40lb. Such an awesome fish!

King, i think ive seen the one you mean. It was Lake Escapes if i recall.

To be honest, im itching to get out there and have a go and am driving my Mrs mad

 

[Kingfish81]

Yup that was the one! Not the greatest fishing DVD in the world, but there are some cracking 'hoos on it. Are you keen on getting some amberjack as well?! They're an awesome looking fish and from what I've read give a great account of themselves!

 

[Spitfire66]

would be interested in how you do

best of luck

 

[ms1000]

Kingfish,

Ive caught alot of Amberjack here in the past,most from the boat at depth but also a few small ones when they hit the bait fish in the harbour at around midday.Excellent sport.

It will be definately something ill go after but ill need to get some Electric reels for that, they are deep,deep down and to be honest, im not really into the Electric fishing but it has a big big following here and after seeing some of the beasts pulled up on the gear i might need a bigger boat!!

When you get the runs of them here in shallower water it will definately be something i target though.


Spitfire, blimey the pressures mounting now!

 

[PanamaJack]

Hi Marc
As already mentioned it’s also worth trolling around any surface structure for Dorado, be it anchored or just drifting, or flotsam on current lines. Any drifting objects, once they’ve been in the water for more than a couple of days, is likely to provide shelter for small pelagic crabs or fry. And, in turn, some will attract the Dorado. I’ve even targeted a pair literally around a plastic bucket. Sometimes you can see them in the water flashing, other times they can be deep or even a couple of hundred yards from the object. But it’s always worth trolling around such objects.

Another sign to look for is a single frigate bird, not circling but tracking. They’re often immediately above Dorado or Marlin. (Um…. You might find your 30lb outfit a tad too light for a Blue Marlin!)

Normally if you get a single strike it will be from the larger, more aggressive Bull, but, as Spitfire mentioned, attendant females will often follow it literally to the transom. That’s why it’s always worth having other outfits – fly or spin gear – rigged. Don’t gaff the first, just leave it in the water, and either cast a fly or a chunk of bait or a small lure at them. Often you can take several members of a school, providing the first is always left in the water until the action stops.

What lures? Literally anything will work, right up to huge Marlin lures. But for preference I use smallish 6 to 8” surface lures that create smoke trails. They do have small conical teeth but a mono trace, slightly heavier than your reel line will suffice.

As to the tuna I prefer smallish straight running lures that sit just sub surface. And, if they’re the intended quarry, I prefer to set the drag at a third of the line’s breaking strain from the outset. You always need to force the issue with Tuna, if you can.

Whilst the Skipjack tend to shoal in the surface layers for large parts of the day the Yellowfin and BigEye will be deep, just above the thermocline. You should be able to pick them up on your sounder. There they can be tempted with livebaits, jigs or ‘chunks’ fished deep. And there are ways, with bait, to get chum down to that level, but it’s fairly specialised.

When they detect bait schools though, and start to surface the birds will congregate above them. That’s the time to start to troll around the edges of the school.
Alternatively you’ll often find, particularly Yellowfin, in company (but beneath) pods of Dolphin. For large parts of the day the Dolphin will just be frolicking but, as soon as they detect bait, they line up (across) and start purposefully ‘porpoising’. Then you need to race to get just in front of them, that’s where you will normally encounter and get strikes from the Tuna.

The only problem with Yellowfin and BigEye is that they’re often LARGE. And your 30lb outfit really not going to be ‘man enough for the job’! Once hooked they’ll spook, together with the rest of the school, and sound. And they’ll attempt to stay with them. I recall battling one estimated 250 pounder on 30 for nearly 3 hours and, with it apparently beaten, the line popped! Unfortunately I’d forgotten that I’d push the drag way up past the pre-set after those first dynamic runs to make any headway on the fish. I’d literally pushed the drag up until I’d taken all the stretch out of the line and it started to ‘sing’ before easing it back a tad. Something I’d forgotten with the fish just 20’ away. C’est la vie!

Just one last point, if you have any problems sourcing lures for the smaller pelagics it might be worth contacting Matthias Henningsen. Matthias is one of the skippers I fish with in Ascension Island. I think he finished chartering there at the end of April and will then return to his home in Gran Canaria.

Most of the tackle on his embryonic web site - http://www.walhallatackle.com/principal.html - is geared to Blue Marlin but he’s well worth talking to and discussing possible options. Both Matthias and his wife Emi speak excellent English.

Here’s wishing you every success.
Dave
PS We’ll have to compare notes at the end of May. I’ll be fishing the banks off Panama and Costa Rica in the Pacific. It’s the time of year when, although there’re less Marlin present, the BIG 300lb plus Yellowfin can be there in force. Rest assured I won’t be tackling those on 30s! It’s going to be either stand-up 80s or 130s from the chair.