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  • How to Catch A Yahoo Wahoo

    This is a yellow billed tropical bird! No this is not about birding it is about fishing!

    Fishing the Gulf Stream in the Summer of 1998



    At this time of the year it’s possible to target and catch a large Wahoo. The fact of the matter is I caught most of my fish during this time. So therefore it’s my opinion is that this is a very good time to get a blue water fishing plan together…here are few tips that will help you to get the fish to your hook!

    For the birds

    Most of the big Wahoo that I have had the pleasure of catching were first brought to my attention by a single bird. The bird that I am talking about is the “Yellow Bill Tropical Bird.” The best way to describe this bird is that it has a yellow colored beak and a couple of its tail feathers are longer than the main set. This is a bird that travels mostly alone in the air! However, they do most always have an underwater friend. This normally equates to a large Wahoo that the bird followers for fresh food. Now that I have you totally scratching your head I will explain.

    In this case who knows when it comes to this bird/fish relationship, who came first! I’m sure I don’t want to try to figure this sequence out. The bottom line is when a big Wahoo feeds there are leftovers that float to the surface. These leftovers are fresh and have a rich value for those watching from above. In this case it’s the lonely yellow-billed tropical bird.

    Over my years of fishing the blue water I have had many an opportunity to watch lots of different types of birds along with their feeding habits. If I were to go into what I have seen and think in regards to all these types of birds this would be an extra long article. So therefore I will stick with the lone yellow bill tropical bird.

    When this bird finds itself a meal ticket (large Wahoo) it stays with them. This means that it makes every move that the fish makes down under. This is how I came to realize that there might be a fish under the bird. The first time I saw this action I thought it was a one-time deal. However, after years of seeing the exact same thing happen over and over again I realized I had discovered an interesting thing about this bird.

    I remember this one time in particular. I was bottom fishing in about 155 feet on a ledge. I kept watching this bird, now known as a yellow-billed tropical bird, erratically flying about. I watched in amazement as this bird darted from side to side while staying a certain distance above the water. It came clear to me that the bird was mimicking in the air what the fish was doing down under. The reason I came to this conclusion is the fact that the bird darted as if it was actually attacking at something that wasn’t there. When I moved over to the area where this took place fish oils had floated to the surface along with some fresh fish parts. Other seabirds were gathering to feed as I arrived.

    The water was exceptionally clear of this day. It looked like I could have seen the bottom. However, I couldn’t see anything down under. So I scanned the perimeter looking for the bird. Sure enough the same bird was about a ¼ of a mile away “acting up again!” I told my customers that I was going to take a short ride and that they would have time for a snack. I told First mate (at this time) Captain Ali my plan. She asked, “What do you want me to use for bait?” I replied, “What have you got down there that’s alive?” Captain Ali pointed at the live well at an active medium size red porgy. I replied, “That will do, rig it up!” With that being said, Captain Ali made a rig that look just like a king mackerel live line rig, but beefed up. When making king mackerel rig it’s best to use a 30-test single strand wire and ultra small hooks. However, if this were a large fish that I was stalking that set up would not work. So therefore she made the rig with 60 pound test wire, 4/0 “J” style live bait hook, and 6/0 treble hook as the stinger. (last hook on the rig sometimes stuck in bait or not) According to the predictions, the treble might be the hook that would receive the brunt of the hit.

    As I made way to the area where the bird was once again acting out those motions made by the fish below, I watched so as to know exactly where to set my live bait. After my decision, I had Captain Ali to set the live porgy out. It didn’t take, but a minute before large fish hit took place. As soon as the large Wahoo took the tail of the bait off, Captain Ali free spooled allowing the bait to naturally fall. As soon as the large fish turned back it hit the free falling still rigged up bait.

    A large Wahoo is what I call a “screamer,” which means it makes long fast quick runs! When this fish feels any sort of un-natural pressure, it doesn’t pull against it, but rather heads directly to it. So therefore, once hooked up there is going to be a lot of reeling in your future so as to keep up with the “mind ways” of this fish.

    I was always taught to keep the boat in gear so as to help the fisherman fighting the fish. Unfortunately, when you are using 20 pound test main line it’s kind of hard to do this. If I was trolling heavier tackle I could keep the boat moving at around 3 to 5 knots. However, this wasn’t the case. So therefore I did the best I could so as to keep the 20 pound test main line as tight as I could. The fish still emptied the spool three times before it was landed!

    We fought the fish for 31/2 hours. The large Wahoo weighted in at around 90 pounds. The fisherman fighting the fish, Captain Ali, and I (boat driver) were completely worn out. Those watching were mentally worn out. It was blue bird catching watching day at the Gulf Stream! And yes this happened over eighteen years ago! However, I bet if you apply this knowledge today it will still definitely work. So therefore being a bird watcher in order to hook up a Wahoo just might be in your future!

    Thanks for reading! Captain Judy



    Looking for something interesting to do!

    Daufuskie Island South Carolina!



    Another great secret located on the coast! Now this is not a fishing trip it is a seeing trip! It is a must for anyone! For all the grand details I suggest giving Captain “Gator” Gary a call 912 604 1587. He can set up transportation to get you there, golf carts, touring, and dinning! It is a great place and it is only accessible by water! So therefore it is a twofold kind of a situation, because the boat ride is also very interesting!