A Blurb on HST (High Speed Trolling)

High Speed Trolling for Wahoo Yea or Nay?

It seems that every day that passes high speed trolling as a technique for Wahoo Fishing is becoming more and more popular with new techniques for catching wahoo being discussed daily.  But, everyone is not sold yet, nor does everyone have the boats, the gear, or the money it takes to do High Speed Trolling, but the fact is it is a viable technique for catching wahoo. 

Is HST more effective than standard trolling for Wahoo? 

I think the answer to this cannot yet be determined.  There are those people who will tell you it is, but plenty who will argue with them.  The Jury most certainly is still out.

As a Lure manufacture and charter business we see a lot and hear a lot.  In our charter business, we fortunately are based out of Magdalena Bay, where we can often boat 10-20 wahoo a day during our season.  So we get a good Guage of how these fish behave and at different speeds.

As a fishing lure manufacture with a big focus on wahoo, we try to make lures that can be used for both applications.  The main reason is that many fishermen, like us, do both within the time span of just a single day.

What We have Found in Mag Bay

So, let me tell you what we have found out of Magdalena Bay fishing for Wahoo.  Every area is different but here is what we see.  Maybe this can help you decide what to do the next time you are out just trying to catch some wahoo for dinner or maybe trying to win that 100k Jackpot.

If we have a congregation of wahoo over high spots, we will boat more fish at 7-8 knots than any other speed.  If we run fast 14+ over the high spots we get one quite often, but we lose many opportunities.  The reason is because we know where the Wahoo are.  If we keep the boat over the area longer more fish come on the lines and the slower speed keeps us on the same spot for a longer period of time to allow for doubles and triples and even a lucky quadruple now and again.

Moreover, on the flip side, if we are in open water working a temp break, looking for birds, etc we find we get more wahoo at speeds over 14 knots.  This is because we do not know where the fish are and we believe we get more simply because we cover more ground. 

Also, in Mag Bay, its often hard to troll for more than 10 minutes without a dorado, marlin or tuna jumping on the line.  Considering this, if we increase the speed, we have less stops and more chances for Wahoo. 

So, our belief is that if you are in a tournament and need to cover ground, HST Wahoo fishing is the way to go.  But, if you know where they are and you find out there is some congregation, I believe you will get more fish at slower speeds. 

Our newest weapon for Wahoo

The GI 24 Lure – it is 24 ounces of wahoo attracting bait that works extremely well at any speed.  Notice the massive jets for great action at slower speeds, but also the cone shape nose that presses water through the jets to stabilize at higher speeds. 

This Wahoo Lure is truly one to have on board.  If you give it a try, I promise you will be glad you did.  It is more erratic at slower speeds and stabilizes itself with a massive jet stream at high speeds.  And the Wahoo simply devour it!

Tight Lines Amigos!