Few fish are capable of stretching a saltwater angler’s line like a wahoo, which has meant plenty of fun of late for South Carolina’s offshore fishermen. “They’re the real speedsters,” said Capt. Dick Vance. “Wahoo swim up to 40 miles an hour, and they make great runs.”
On a trip last Saturday, Vance and his clients landed four wahoo, continuing a recent run of success that began in late July and is continuing into August. Vance, of Hot Shot Charters (843-209-1630, www.hotshotcharters.com), says the productive trips are the result of an abundance of small baitfish located about 45 miles off the coast of Charleston.
“The baitfish have been hanging out in 250 to 300 feet of water for the last two or three weeks,” Vance said. “It’s a great concentration, and the currents are holding them there.
“You’ll find balls of bait 150 feet in diameter suspended in the water column. Find that, and the fish will be there.”
King mackerel and sailfish also are being caught, but the good-eating wahoo is the prime attraction for many anglers.
Three or four wahoo makes for a good day, Vance said, particularly when a good number of the fish are in the 40- to 60-pound range.
“I think they’re going to continue to be really good through August,” he said.
Vance is partial to ballyhoo with a locally produced Lehi Squitch skirt in black and red.
He’ll vary his trolling speed between six and seven knots.
“When it’s calm, you’ve got to troll a little faster,” Vance said. “If winds have the water chopped up, I slow it down to about six knots.”
Whatever the speed, this much is certain — a wahoo will have no trouble reaching your bait in a hurry.
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