The Fishing Report
Fishing seasons & conditions by region
Wahoo Acanthocybium solandri
Wahoo Size, Range & Diet
| Typical size | 40–60 in, 20–50 lb |
|---|---|
| Maximum | up to about 8 ft and 180 lb |
| Lifespan | About 5–6 years, sometimes longer |
| Range | Blue water off the Southeast, South Florida and the Bahamas, across the Gulf of Mexico, and up along the Mid-Atlantic canyons in the warm months. |
| Habitat | Open blue water along the shelf edge and around temperature breaks, weed lines and deep wrecks, feeding in the top 60 ft. |
| Diet | Small tunas, flyingfish, jacks, herring and squid — high-speed trolled lures and rigged ballyhoo. |
Sizes are typical rod-and-reel and documented maximum figures, not size limits — see the regulations links below for the rules where you fish.
How to Identify a Wahoo
- Long, slender, torpedo body; iridescent blue-gray with vivid blue vertical bars
- Long beak-like snout with razor triangular teeth
- Tall first dorsal fin running most of the back
- Deeply forked tail, row of finlets
- Hinged jaw that folds; skin appears nearly scaleless
Tell it apart: Vivid electric-blue vertical bars and a long razor-toothed beak separate wahoo from the unbarred, spot-free king mackerel.
Easily confused with: King Mackerel
Side by side: Wahoo vs King Mackerel, Wahoo vs Marlin, Wahoo vs Spanish Mackerel
How to Catch Wahoo
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- Late fall through winter — high-speed troll 12–18 kt with weighted Ilander or jet heads on wire leader.GearIlander-style trolling luresSingle-strand wire leaderOffshore trolling combo
- Best in late fall and winter; high-speed troll 12-18 kt with weighted Ilander or jet heads on wire leader near drop-offs.GearIlander-style trolling luresSingle-strand wire leaderOffshore trolling combo
- Best in late winter; high-speed troll 12-18 kt with weighted Ilander or jet heads on wire leader near deepwater rigs.GearIlander-style trolling luresSingle-strand wire leaderOffshore trolling combo
- Best September-October - high-speed troll weighted Ilander-style heads and bullet lures on wire leader along temperature breaks and canyon edges.GearIlander-style luresSingle-strand wire leaderOffshore trolling combo
- Peaks May-August; high-speed troll dark skirted lures and bullet-head jets on wire leader at 12-16 knots along reef drop-offs and ledges.GearWahoo bullet luresSingle-strand wire leaderOffshore trolling combo
When & Where Wahoo Are in Season
Peak Good Fair Slow
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Atlantic Offshore | ||||||||||||
| South Florida & the Keys Offshore | ||||||||||||
| Gulf of Mexico Offshore | ||||||||||||
| Mid-Atlantic Offshore | ||||||||||||
| Hawaiian Islands Nearshore | ||||||||||||
| Hawaiian Islands Offshore |
Wahoo Regulations
GeorgiaGeorgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources DivisionSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources DivisionNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ), Division of Marine FisheriesSouth Atlantic Fishery Management CouncilSAFMCAtlantic States Marine Fisheries CommissionASMFCFloridaFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council)GMFMCAlabamaAlabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division (Outdoor Alabama)MississippiMississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR)LouisianaLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)TexasTexas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD)VirginiaVirginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC)MarylandMaryland Department of Natural Resources, Fishing and Boating ServicesDelawareDelaware DNREC, Division of Fish & WildlifeNew JerseyNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish & Wildlife (NJDEP Fish & Wildlife)New YorkNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Division of Marine ResourcesMid-Atlantic Fishery Management CouncilMAFMCHawaiiHawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR)NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office (in coordination with the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council)WPFMC
Always check local regulations — seasons, size, and bag limits vary by state and species, and change year to year. When in doubt, release.