Wahoo

Wahoo

In Hawaii, the wahoo fish is known as “ono”, while in Hispanic zones it is known as “peto”. The name “wahoo” was coined when the fish was first discovered off of the coast of the Hawaiian island Oahu, which at the time was labeled on maps as “Wahoo”. They’re a long, slender fish with a beautiful iridescent blue color to their scales. Their color fades quickly upon death. They can get up to 8 feel long and weigh up to 180 pounds. They are the fastest species of mackerel in American waters, and they are one of the fastest swimming fish in the sea. They can swim up to 50 miles per hour! They are also the largest type of mackerel in the Gulf of Mexico.

A Fishing Challenge

Wahoos are a quick and agile fish that makes for a great prize fish. Their migration behavior tends to be unpredictable, making them difficult to track for an added challenge. They typically like to move around in small groups of 10 or less, but in some conditions they will swim in schools of 100 or so. They reproduce and grow extremely quickly, making them a safe target for fishing without endangering the population. They also have exceptionally sharp teeth, making it difficult to keep them on the line, but there are lines that are designed to withstand it. They can be caught in anywhere between 2 and 500 feet of water using trolling lures, making them a versatile opponent.

Wahoo Fishing

• They are fierce swimmers and put up a good fight
• A real challenge to track down
• Can use a variety of fishing strategies
• Puts up a good fight on light to medium tackle
• Can be caught using shallow or deep lures

Fishing Strategies

A number of fishing strategies can be used when fishing for wahoo to give the experience more versatility. Light or medium tackle is usually used for catching wahoo, and sometimes a special kind of string is useful to withstand the fish’s sharp teeth.

• Top water fishing
• In top water fishing, two kinds of lures may be used. The most common lure are the floating lures, which stay on the surface. The other option is the less buoyant bait, which does not float but rather the user must keep the lure at the surface by reeling and a series of jerks. In top water fishing, the fish are mostly lured in by the noise of the surface bait.
• Jigging
• Jigging is a fishing technique where a bait is used that is similar to but distinct from spinner baits. The bait (a jig) is rigged to sink. You lure the fish with a series of jerks, much like when using a spinner bait. Great for catching fish near the bottom.
• Live lining
• Live lining is just as it suggests. Your pole is baited with live bait, such as anchovy or other fish that tuna might find attractive.
• Chumming
• Chumming is a method used to attract schools of fish by throwing “chum” into the water. Chum usually consists of fish parts that will attract the type of fish that you’re fishing for.
• Bait-and-switch
• The bait-and-switch technique involves throwing live bait into the water (such as sardines) for the fish to eat, and after the fish have become comfortable, you rig your line with the same kind of bait and throw it into the baited area.

Wahoo for Cooking

Wahoo is a high quality fish for eating. They’re a popular dish and are common in many seafood restaurants. As mentioned earlier, in the Hawaiian language, the wahoo fish is called “ono”, which means “delicious” or “tasty”. Because of their exceptional quality, they are a common target by commercial fishermen, although not as common as other fishes like tuna.