Wahoo.
Full-moon torpedo. 50+ knot strikes, blue water, white plate.
How they feed in the Keys
Wahoo are the fastest fish in the Keys offshore world — a hooked wahoo can hit 50+ knots in a single run. They hold along Stream edges, deep wrecks, and reef edges 100–600 feet, often near humps and seamounts. Full-moon periods (especially around the spring and fall full moons) produce notorious wahoo bites worldwide, and the Keys is no exception. High-speed trolling at 12–20 knots with diving lures is the most productive technique.
75–84°F
Active 70–86°F
Less direct (offshore).
Strong current along Stream edges and over deep humps concentrates fish.
Calm to moderate seas for high-speed trolling. Wind chop above 4 ft makes the technique tough.
Stable.
Dawn and dusk peak. Mid-day fish present.
FULL MOON = peak wahoo activity worldwide. The two days before, day of, and two days after the full moon produce the year's most active wahoo bites. Highlight full moons in every month.
Less direct, but full-moon coefficient peaks coincide with the moon's wahoo influence.
Wahoo teeth are razor-sharp. 60–120 lb single-strand wire leader is essential. Mono or fluoro will get cut on more than half of bites.
Yo-Zuri Bonita, Marauder, Nomad DTX Minnow at 14–18 knots. The strikes are explosive — drag is set heavy and the rod bends to the gunwale.
12-month outlook
What they eat, what catches them
High-speed plugs (Yo-Zuri Bonita, Nomad DTX)
Trolled at 14–18 knots on weighted lines. The standard.
Skirted ballyhoo + Islander
Slow-troll alternative at 6–8 knots. Less productive than HS but easier on tackle.
Vertical jigs
Heavy butterfly jigs over deep humps when fish are stacked vertical.
- Bonito strips on a skirt· Extra scent for slow-troll spreads.
- Live blue runner· Slow-trolled live bait on the deep edge.
- Full-moon high-speed pattern
4-rod high-speed spread at 14–18 knots with weighted lines and Yo-Zuri Bonitas. Cover ground on the Stream edge.
- Slow-troll over a hump
Skirted ballyhoo at 6–8 knots over a known wahoo hump at first light.
How top captains rig it
50–80 lb mono on conventional, or 50–80 lb braid backed.
Conventional 50 lb class with strong heat-resistant drag for the speed.
6'6" stand-up bent-butt for high-speed.
60–120 lb single-strand wire (#7–10) is mandatory.
- High-speed trolling
50 lb class conventional + 50 lb mono + heavy weighted line + 80 lb wire + Yo-Zuri Bonita. Bent-butt rod, heavy drag.
Recreational rules
No size limit (Atlantic federal/state).
2 per harvester per day in Atlantic.
Open year-round.
Spearing legal in many federal areas.
Note · HMS permit not required for wahoo.
What actually moves the bite
Each factor is rated by how much it shifts the bite for this fish in the Keys. Calibrated against the Bite Score weights — see the Bite Score reference for what each factor measures.