Hello Lenny - I started fishing nearshore 5 to 10 miles out, had some succes around the rigs and jetty with kings, macks and cobia using ribbon fish on top and sometimes with weight. Weather permitting I go out 30 to 40 miles out to the rigs, and my boats is rigged with two down riggers. I have tried some top water lures, but with no results yet. I need some suggestions to effectively troll with lures and bait on top as well as how to effectively utilize my downriggers, especially for wahoo and mahi-mahi.
-George, in Port Aransas, Texas
Hey George - you're in a great area for fishing; I've been out of Port Aransas many times, and love it there. Let's start out with those downrigger, because they're going to effectively double your catch if you put them in play. They're highly effective for both kingfish and wahoo. Rig up some trolling lines with wire leaders, terminating in ball-bearing swivels. Then clip on spoons - lots of spoons. When you're in deep water and want to target wahoo I suggest 6" to 9" Crippled Alwive, Tony Acetta, or drone spoons. Silver with red or pink flash tape is a great bet for this species - as you can see from the picture! In discolored water use a deep red color and in clearer water, a lighter pink shade. Set the spoon a solid 100' behind the downrigger, set your speed to seven or eight knots, and set one downrigger to 15' and the other to 25'. Twenty five feet may sound pretty deep for this speed, but try using a Z-Wing planer instead of a cannonball and you'll find it works well.
Once you're on the troll, remember to keep a lookout for flotsam. Wahoo in particular are known for hanging around floating logs, buoys, and other items. And of course, probe around those rigs!
When you're closer in and are on the hunt for kingfish, pull back your speed to four or five knots and swap out the big spoon for a small four or five inch Clarke spoon or Drone. Different anglers have different opinions on this, but I think plain gold and plain silver are the best color choices for these fish. Check back next week, and we'll discuss those surface lines.
