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Everything to Know About Booking a wahoo fishing charter
What are the best wahoo fishing charters?
Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 358 wahoo trips, and the most popular trips are South Padre Island Deep Sea Fishing guided by Emilio, Open Ocean Big Game - 42' Sea Ray guided by Bryan, and 36-Hour Offshore - 55' Viking guided by Lee.
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All guides on Captain Experiences are licensed, insured, and vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.
What types of wahoo fishing charters are common?
Deep Sea fishing is the most popular for wahoo as well as nearshore fishing, inshore fishing, and flats fishing.
The most common fishing techniques are trolling, heavy tackle fishing, and bottom fishing but jigging and light tackle fishing are popular as well.
How much do wahoo fishing charters cost?
for wahoo prices can range anywhere from $270 to $3,000 and up, but the average price for a half day for wahoo is $1,376. The average price for a full day for wahoo is $2,818.
When is the best month to go wahoo fishing?
The most popular season for wahoo fishing is summer, and most anglers book their trips 69 days in advance.
Do I need a fishing license for wahoo and what are the bag limits for wahoo?
See here for more information on wahoo fishing licenses, wahoo bag limits, and fishing season regulations for wahoo. When in doubt, your fishing guide will always know the right wahoo rules and regulations.
What is a Wahoo?
The wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) is an aerodynamic predator who is known for its sharp teeth, zebra-like pattern, and speed, and they are prized gamefish because they are great to catch and great to eat.
The fish itself is very long and slender with a longish snout filled with sharp serrated teeth and a few small fins on the top and bottom of the fish. They have tiny scales similar to other members of the mackerel family. Its coloring is unique, generally showing a deep blue/purple color and silver below with vertical blue stripes running down its side that are especially prominent shortly after the wahoo is caught (be sure to snap some quick photos if you are keeping the fish, the colors fade quickly just like a mahi).
Wahoo can be found in warm waters around the world and are beloved by anglers for their leap - it won’t happen every time, but wahoo are known to jump well out of the water (their speed helps them here). They have even been known to launch last-minute attacks at lures that are already coming out of the water at the boat.
How big do Wahoo get?
Wahoo size usually limits out at about 5 ft and 20-50 pounds, but they can grow up to 100 inches and a bit under 200 pounds. Wahoo generally reach maturity at about 2 years of age depending on location and gender and are believed to live until about 6 years of age, making them a relatively fast-growing species. They are known to grow fairly quickly, and after reaching about 40 inches can grow an additional 1.5 inches per month. Their size is also correlated with water temperatures, and although they are a warm-water fish they are known to be bigger in cooler waters.
What's the biggest Wahoo ever caught?
The biggest on record is a massive 184 pound fish caught by Sara Hayward out of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in 2005. This is also said to be a nearly impossible record to beat by some, due to the sheer size and separation from other records. Wahoo also frequently break off, are hard to target, and are commonly taken by the tax man (shark), so this record will likely stand for some time unless someone gets lucky!
Where is the best place to catch Wahoo?
Wahoo are distributed throughout warm waters worldwide and can be found in most tropical and subtropical sportfisheries around the world. Common destinations outside the US include the Bahamas and Mexico, but this is a common “bycatch” in many regions around the world while trolling. The more temperate the waters, the more likely the wahoo is to be seasonal.
When should I catch Wahoo?
The best season for Wahoo in the Gulf of Mexico is both November to February and again in August to September, although for much of the year wahoo are an incredible bycatch if you are lucky enough. On the Atlantic side, wahoo will swim north in the warmer spring and summer months and otherwise be found closer to south Florida and the Keys.
The season in the US is always open, so if you can find them you can keep them. There is no size limit and a bag limit of 2 only exists in Florida, Maryland, and the Carolinas.
How do you catch Wahoo?
Wahoo are pelagic and are generally a solitary fish, preferring to swim either alone or in fairly small groups. Because of this, they are usually caught on accident while trolling or targeting other species because they are hard to predict.
If you want to target wahoo specifically, you definitely want to set up a high-speed troll with artificial lures (or a slightly slower speed for live bait) on downriggers about 20-40 feet down. You really can’t troll too fast for a wahoo, and they are also happy to munch close to the boat. You can use a standard 80 or 100 lb braid and Rapalas.
They’ll make a big initial run and may give a few acrobatic jumps, so make sure you have a wire leader so make sure the wahoo doesn’t slice right through your line
Are Wahoo good to eat? What are the best Wahoo recipes?
Wahoo meat is white to grey, and delicate to dense, and is known to be delicious both raw and cooked. If they were easier to catch, the fish would almost certainly command a bigger commercial market. As it stands, if you are lucky enough to catch some, you are in for a treat. The flavor is somewhat mild and can be slightly oily (reminiscent of other mackerel). The Hawaiian word for Wahoo is “Ono” which translates to “good to eat”. We recommend eating some raw right off the boat before taking some home to grill for a firm, white, crisp grilled fish.
More Fishing Trips
Other Species to Target
- African Pompano
- Albacore Tuna
- Alligator
- Alligator Gar
- Almaco Jack
- Amberjack
- Arctic Char
- Atlantic Mackerel
- Atlantic Salmon
- Barracuda
- Bigeye Tuna
- Black Drum
- Black Duck
- Black Grouper
- Black Marlin
- Black Seabass
- Black-Bellied Whistling Duck
- Blackbelly Rosefish
- Blackfin Tuna
- Blacktip Shark
- Blue Catfish
- Blue Marlin
- Blue Shark
- Blue-Winged Teal
- Bluebill
- Bluefin Tuna
- Bluefish
- Bluegill
- Bonefish
- Bonito
- Bonnethead Shark
- Bowfin
- Bream
- Brook Trout
- Broomtail Grouper
- Brown Trout
- Bufflehead
- Bull Shark
- Bull Trout
- Burbot
- Calico Bass
- California Corbina
- California Sheephead
- Canada Goose
- Canvasback
- Carp
- Cero Mackerel
- Channel Catfish
- Chinook Salmon
- Chum Salmon
- Cichlid
- Cinnamon Teal
- Clown Knifefish
- Cobia
- Cod
- Coho Salmon
- Common Goldeneye
- Common Merganser
- Crab
- Crappie
- Cubera Snapper
- Cutthroat Trout
- Dolly Varden
- Dove
- False Albacore
- Flathead Catfish
- Florida Pompano
- Flounder
- Fluke
- Freshwater Drum
- Gadwall
- Gag Grouper
- Garfish
- Giant Trevally
- Golden Dorado
- Golden Trout
- Goliath Grouper
- Great White Shark
- Green-Winged Teal
- Grunt
- Guadalupe Bass
- Haddock
- Halibut
- Hammerhead Shark
- Hardhead Catfish
- Hog
- Hogfish
- Hooded Merganser
- Horse-eye Jack
- Hybrid Striped Bass
- Iguana
- Jack Crevalle
- Kingfish
- Ladyfish
- Lake Trout
- Lane Snapper
- Largemouth Bass
- Lemon Shark
- Leopard Shark
- Lingcod
- Lionfish
- Lobster
- Mahi Mahi
- Mako Shark
- Mallard
- Mangrove Snapper
- Mexican Duck
- Mottled Duck
- Mullet Snapper
- Muskie
- Mutton Snapper
- Needlefish
- Northern Pike
- Northern Pintail
- Northern Shoveler
- Nurse Shark
- Peacock Bass
- Perch
- Permit
- Pink Salmon
- Pink Snapper
- Pollock
- Porbeagle Shark
- Queen Snapper
- Rainbow Runner
- Rainbow Trout
- Ray
- Red Grouper
- Red Snapper
- Red-Breasted Merganser
- Redfish
- Redhead
- Ring-Necked Duck
- Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout
- Rockfish
- Roosterfish
- Sailfish
- Sauger
- Scallop
- Scamp Grouper
- Sculpin
- Scup
- Shad
- Sheepshead
- Shrimp
- Skate
- Skipjack Tuna
- Smallmouth Bass
- Smallmouth Buffalo
- Snook
- Snow Goose
- Snowy Grouper
- Sockeye Salmon
- Spadefish
- Spanish Mackerel
- Spearfish
- Specklebelly Goose
- Speckled Trout
- Spotted Bass
- Steelhead
- Stingray
- Strawberry Grouper
- Striped Bass
- Striped Marlin
- Sturgeon
- Sunfish
- Swordfish
- Tarpon
- Tautog
- Thresher Shark
- Tiger Shark
- Tigerfish
- Tilapia
- Tilefish
- Triggerfish
- Tripletail
- Vermillion Snapper
- Walleye
- Warsaw Grouper
- Weakfish
- White Bass
- White Marlin
- White Seabass
- Whiting
- Wigeon
- Wood Duck
- Yellowfin Tuna
- Yellowtail Amberjack
- Yellowtail Snapper
Other Techniques to Try
- Artificial Lure Fishing
- Blind Hunting
- Bottom Fishing
- Bowfishing
- Calling
- Cut Bait Fishing
- Decoy Hunting
- Deep Dropping
- Drift Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Gigging
- Heavy Tackle Fishing
- Hunting With Dogs
- Ice Fishing
- Jigging
- Kayak Fishing
- Kite Fishing
- Light Tackle Fishing
- Live Bait Fishing
- Management Hunting
- Rifle Hunting
- Scalloping
- Shotgun Hunting
- Sight Casting
- Spearfishing
- Surf Fishing
- Topwater Fishing
- Trolling
- Wading
Other Types of Fishing
States
Cities
- Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
- Beaufort, North Carolina
- Big Pine Key, Florida
- Boca Raton, Florida
- Boothville-Venice, Louisiana
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Cancún, Mexico
- Cape Coral, Florida
- Cape May, New Jersey
- Caracas, Venezuela
- Carolina Beach, North Carolina
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Clearwater, Florida
- Coden, Alabama
- Corpus Christi, Texas
- Dania Beach, Florida
- Dauphin Island, Alabama
- Destin, Florida
- Dorado, Puerto Rico
- Duck Key, Florida
- Eleele, Hawaii
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Fort Pierce, Florida
- Fort Walton Beach, Florida
- Freeport, Texas
- Galveston, Texas
- Grand Isle, Louisiana
- Gulf Shores, Alabama
- Haleiwa, Hawaii
- Hampton Bays, New York
- Hatteras, North Carolina
- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Hitchcock, Texas
- Hollywood, Florida
- Homestead, Florida
- Islamorada, Florida
- Iztapa, Guatemala
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Jaco, Costa Rica
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
- Kalaoa, Hawaii
- Kapaʻa, Hawaii
- Key Biscayne, Florida
- Key Largo, Florida
- Key West, Florida
- Lahaina, Hawaii
- Lantana, Florida
- Layton, Florida
- Loreto, Mexico
- Los Roques Archipelago, Venezuela
- Manteo, North Carolina
- Marathon, Florida
- Miami, Florida
- Miami Beach, Florida
- Montauk, New York
- Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Nassau, The Bahamas
- Nawiliwili, Hawaii
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida
- North Charleston, South Carolina
- Orange Beach, Alabama
- Panama City, Florida
- Panama City Beach, Florida
- Paradise Island, The Bahamas
- Pensacola, Florida
- Playa Ocotal, Costa Rica
- Pompano Beach, Florida
- Ponce Inlet, Florida
- Port Aransas, Texas
- Port Isabel, Texas
- Port Orange, Florida
- Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Punta Mita, Mexico
- Quepos, Costa Rica
- Riviera Beach, Florida
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Sandys, Bermuda
- Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
- Sarasota, Florida
- Sealevel, North Carolina
- Shalimar, Florida
- Sneads Ferry, North Carolina
- Somerset Village, Bermuda
- South Padre Island, Texas
- Spanish Wells, The Bahamas
- St. Augustine, Florida
- St. Barts, Saint Barthélemy
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Stock Island, Florida
- Stuart, Florida
- Tavernier, Florida
- Tierra Verde, Florida
- Tulum, Mexico
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Wanchese, North Carolina
- West End, Honduras
- West Palm Beach, Florida
Countries
Other Featured Cities
- Aransas Pass, TX
- Austin, TX
- Biloxi, MS
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Cancun, MX
- Cape Coral, FL
- Charleston, SC
- Clearwater, FL
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Crystal River, FL
- Dauphin Island, AL
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Delray Beach, FL
- Destin, FL
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Fort Myers. FL
- Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Freeport, TX
- Galveston, TX
- Gulf Shores, AL
- Hilton Head Island, SC
- Islamorada, FL
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jupiter, FL
- Key Largo, FL
- Key West, FL
- Kona, HI
- Marathon, FL
- Marco Island, FL
- Miami, FL
- Naples, FL
- New Orleans, LA
- Orange Beach, AL
- Panama City Beach, FL
- Pensacola, FL
- Port Aransas, TX
- Port O'Connor, TX
- Rockport, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Sarasota, FL
- South Padre Island, TX
- St. Augustine, FL
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Tarpon Springs, FL
- Tulum, Mexico
- Venice, LA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Wilmington, NC