Wahoo
name: Wahoo
other names: Ocean Barracuda, Oahu fish, Pacific Kingfish
Wahoo are known as the cheetahs of the sea as the angler will find out after the first blistering run. Wahoo are an extremely aggressive fish. Their first strike is very brutal. This is the point where a lot of anglers can come un-done. If there is any weakness in your line, knots, swivels or lure it will be found out in the split second of this initial hit. Tales of cracked bibs, straightened hooks, broken snaps and smashed lures are frequent for people who target these speedsters. Provided your gear survives the initial hit, expect a scorching run of several hundred meters. The color of the fish is steel blue above and pale blue below the lateral line. There is a series of 25 to 30 irregular, blackish-blue, vertical bars on the sides. The stripes are less noticeable in larger specimens, but may become more prominent when the fish becomes excited. A distinguishing characteristic is is the toothy, movable upper jaw. Also, gill rakers are absent in this species.
They are open-water pelagic's commonly found near flotsam, wrecks, banks and pinnacles. Wahoo are migratory fish that are occasionally found in loose groups, however they will never school.
Wahoo are voracious eaters that will feed on a variety of open water bait fish. Basically the will eat anything that they can find or catch. If there is any weakness in any fish the Wahoo will expolite it to its favour. Favorite foods are Pilchards, flying fish, mullet, scad, small mackerel, small tuna, porcupine fish and squid constitute the larger portion of the Wahoo’s' diet.
Wahoo can grow approximately 40 inches and reach sexual maturity in their first year. This is because they are short lived and therefore grow rapidly. Wahoo have been caught up to 180 lbs.
Fishermen tend to target Wahoo with light tackle 20-30 lbs rods and reels and lines to match. 80- to 130-pound test lines normally also pulled close to the boat, rigged with a variety of artificial lures. Bright yellow or red plastic skirts with strips of mullet, or little Tunny are fastened to 7/0 to 9/0 hooks. Other lures common Wahoo lures include spoons, brightly colored rubber tubing, and skip baits with whole mullet, ballyhoo, eel, or flying fish. Most anglers agree that lures should be trolled near the surface, at high speeds, and in a straight line so that Wahoo, in their high speed attack, may better predict the path of the bait. Some captains have found success in fast-trolling towards 16 knots for these fish.
