How do you catch a speedy wahoo? Entice it with a tasty treat that runs so fast the wahoo will have to work for his supper. What you want to do is create a lure that resembles a succulent ballyhoo tucked inside a fleeing squid. This proven tournament winner is not available in any store but is easy to make in your garage. First, the materials: 1. A 9″ red-and-black Iland Ilander lure ($15; 800/372-3474, www.meltontackle.com). 2. A 7″ to 8″ rubber silver skirt (any brand will work). 3. A 9/0 Mustad 7732 hook. 4. 2” of 400-pound test. Sevenstrand 49-strand wire cable and crimps. 5. Two or three lead egg sinkers, three or four ounces each.
Assembly is simple. Rig the hook first by passing the wire through the eye twice, then tying a surgeon”s knot. Slide one of the crimps over the standing end of the cable, push it tight, and crimp it on. Cut away any extra cable. Place the egg sinkers on the wire cable. Then cut a small hole in the tip of the rubber skirt and run the wire through it, then through the Ilander lure. The egg sinkers will work as spacers between the hook and the skirt. If they ride too close together, add extras as necessary; the hook should be 1/4″ to 1/2″ aft of the rubber skirt. Now that your weapon is primed, troll it fast – between 12 and 15 knots. Zigzagging the lure so it dives in and out of the propwash will make it even more irresistible. If you”re using six ounces or more of egg sinker, run with at least 50-pound gear. If you want to run with light gear, swap out the egg sinkers for plastic beads.
