Short Trips For Wahoo?

"I always book 5-day trips but want to get a shot at Wahoo. In your opinion if you book a trip in late September of 6 or 7 days will you get a shot, or are there boats that will target Wahoo on certain trips?" Ed Kitts, San Francisco (by email May 23, 2009)

Bill's Answer

Ordinarily you would want a six-day trip at minimum to tap the skinnies. (Two days to make Alijos, two days back, two days to fish...) Last year wahoo bit north of the Ridge near the coast, but that isn't the usual deal. You can hope to find them on the Ridge or at Alijos Rocks or the southern banks from August through December. They get thick at the Hurricane Bank and at the islands any time, but that takes a long trip. I'd try to get on a seven to 10-day trip to target wahoo.
Good luck,
Bill

About The Cedar Plug

"Mr. Roecker,

I saw your article about catching a lot of tuna with a cedar plug. I was just wondering if it was a Stanford Cedar Plug (3-18ft deep diver). We are starting a new online tackle outlet store and our supplier has some of these plugs. I was looking for a picture of one when I came upon your article.
Let's go fishing!"
Joyce Loupe
Indian Lake Est., FL

Bill's Answer

Hi, Joyce:
What we know as the cedar plug is a wooden cylinder with a blunt, rounded lead head and a tapered tail, usually six to nine inches in length, with a hole through the middle for the line-hook connection. A very long-shanked hook, needle-eyed at the line end, runs up through that hole in the plug when it's ready to be fished, with just the bend and point exposed out the nether end.

(The Cedar Plug: Bill said if he were fishing this large model he'd run the hook point down on the white side of the plug, hoping for resemblance to a sardine's belly. The hook on a cedar plug acts as a keel.)

The cedar plug "kicks" its tail provocatively side to side when it's trolled, looking very much like a sardine. Most sportboat anglers fish it in the natural wood finish. Some builders have offered painted or even skirted or plastic swim-tailed models.

Best,
Bill