Wahoo caught in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic on a live bonito
Wahoo
Acanthocybium solandri
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Wahoo Description
Wahoo (“Ono” in Hawaiian) are a slender and streamlined predator found in tropical offshore waters around the world. They have a striking striped pattern when they are caught. Wahoo have extremely sharp teeth that cut up their prey in a scissor-like fashion.
Although I have never seen one jump after being hooked, Wahoo are great leapers. I have seen them free jump 20 feet in the air in Panama while chasing bait fish. It is hard to believe if you haven't seen it. When fishing for Wahoo you have to be careful as they occasionally launch a last minute attack on your lure after it comes out of the water and can end up sailing right at your face with their sharp teeth.
Wahoo max out around 100lbs.
Wahoo Pound for Pound Fight Rating - 8 out of 10 on the Saltwater Scale
Wahoo are one of the fastest things in the ocean and they can rip line off your reel in a big hurry. If you withstand their runs and they don't shake the hook out with one of their headshakes, you can count yourself lucky and prepare for a delicious dinner.
Wahoo Culinary Rating - High
Their name Ono means delicious tasting in Hawaiian. They are indeed tasty and don’t have a “fishy” taste. They have thick, meaty flesh that is good grilled. They provide a relatively high yield of meat for their size.
Acanthocybium solandri
Home
Other Species
Wahoo Description
Wahoo (“Ono” in Hawaiian) are a slender and streamlined predator found in tropical offshore waters around the world. They have a striking striped pattern when they are caught. Wahoo have extremely sharp teeth that cut up their prey in a scissor-like fashion.
Although I have never seen one jump after being hooked, Wahoo are great leapers. I have seen them free jump 20 feet in the air in Panama while chasing bait fish. It is hard to believe if you haven't seen it. When fishing for Wahoo you have to be careful as they occasionally launch a last minute attack on your lure after it comes out of the water and can end up sailing right at your face with their sharp teeth.
Wahoo max out around 100lbs.
Wahoo Pound for Pound Fight Rating - 8 out of 10 on the Saltwater Scale
Wahoo are one of the fastest things in the ocean and they can rip line off your reel in a big hurry. If you withstand their runs and they don't shake the hook out with one of their headshakes, you can count yourself lucky and prepare for a delicious dinner.
Wahoo Culinary Rating - High
Their name Ono means delicious tasting in Hawaiian. They are indeed tasty and don’t have a “fishy” taste. They have thick, meaty flesh that is good grilled. They provide a relatively high yield of meat for their size.
A hefty specimen caught off Latham Island, Tanzania
Wahoo Tackle
Standard offshore trolling tackle works fine for Wahoo. You can troll with 100lb braided line. When you are casting for them, you can use medium conventional tackle with 80lb braid or so. Whatever you are using, make sure you are using a wire leader. A Shimano Trinidad 30 is good for casting and an Accurate BX2 30 is great for trolling. Click here to see tackle recommendations.
Wahoo Techniques
The vast majority of wahoo are caught by trolling. You can’t troll too fast for Wahoo. Once off the La Guaira Bank in Venezuela we were running full speed back home after a day of fishing. We must have been doing at least 26 knots. The mate put a lure about 15 feet behind the boat in order to straighten it out and immediately a 65lb Wahoo jumped on it. Good thing, because that was the only fish we landed all day. In general if you want to target Wahoo you should troll faster and closer to the boat than you would for other species.
The long range sportfishing boats out of San Diego often cast jigs and “Wahoo bombs” for these fish once they are located. I tried this in Panama with no success (although I caught some Yellowfin Tuna on the jigs). You can occasionally get them on poppers, stickbaits, and other casting techniques.
Wahoo Lures
For trolling, you can try Rapalas and any other swimming plugs that can be trolled rapidly. Braid Maurader or Yo-Zuri Bonita lures work very well. Wahoo sometimes attached plastic skirted trolling lures but they shred them to bits so that gets expensive fast.
I have never caught Wahoo on cast jigs or bombs but here is what they look like.
When they are on the surface they sometimes take poppers or stickbaits.
Standard offshore trolling tackle works fine for Wahoo. You can troll with 100lb braided line. When you are casting for them, you can use medium conventional tackle with 80lb braid or so. Whatever you are using, make sure you are using a wire leader. A Shimano Trinidad 30 is good for casting and an Accurate BX2 30 is great for trolling. Click here to see tackle recommendations.
Wahoo Techniques
The vast majority of wahoo are caught by trolling. You can’t troll too fast for Wahoo. Once off the La Guaira Bank in Venezuela we were running full speed back home after a day of fishing. We must have been doing at least 26 knots. The mate put a lure about 15 feet behind the boat in order to straighten it out and immediately a 65lb Wahoo jumped on it. Good thing, because that was the only fish we landed all day. In general if you want to target Wahoo you should troll faster and closer to the boat than you would for other species.
The long range sportfishing boats out of San Diego often cast jigs and “Wahoo bombs” for these fish once they are located. I tried this in Panama with no success (although I caught some Yellowfin Tuna on the jigs). You can occasionally get them on poppers, stickbaits, and other casting techniques.
Wahoo Lures
For trolling, you can try Rapalas and any other swimming plugs that can be trolled rapidly. Braid Maurader or Yo-Zuri Bonita lures work very well. Wahoo sometimes attached plastic skirted trolling lures but they shred them to bits so that gets expensive fast.
I have never caught Wahoo on cast jigs or bombs but here is what they look like.
When they are on the surface they sometimes take poppers or stickbaits.
Like many pelagic fish, Wahoo have beautiful coloration that fades quickly when they die. It's a little risky to go barefoot when there are Wahoo on the deck.
Wahoo Baits
Wahoo will certainly grab baits such as Pacific Mackerel although they can be tricky to hook this way. Baits do not move quickly like the lures used for them and so they have more time to inspect them and see the wire leader and shy away.
Where to get the big Wahoo
There are some big ones in Bermuda. My biggest ones have come on the Pacific side of Panama.
Other Wahoo Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch Wahoo. The resources below will provide a wealth of information:
These guys should put you on wahoo in Panama: www.pescapanama.com
Wahoo will certainly grab baits such as Pacific Mackerel although they can be tricky to hook this way. Baits do not move quickly like the lures used for them and so they have more time to inspect them and see the wire leader and shy away.
Where to get the big Wahoo
There are some big ones in Bermuda. My biggest ones have come on the Pacific side of Panama.
Other Wahoo Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch Wahoo. The resources below will provide a wealth of information:
These guys should put you on wahoo in Panama: www.pescapanama.com
Solid Wahoo caught in Tanzania on a Ballyhoo with a skirt
This large Wahoo was caught off of Mariato, Panama
Wahoo often travel in schools, so doubles are not uncommon when you find them.
Click on any pic below to enlarge
