The Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) also referred to at the oahu fish or Pacific kingfish, is a highly sought-after pelagic gamefish species. With blistering runs that can attain speeds in excess of 50 mph and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, wahoo will test the tackle of even the most season angler and deckhand.
“Pelagic and seasonally migratory, it tends to be a loner or travel in small groups of 2 to 6 fish. There are indications of seasonal concentrations off the Pacific coasts of Panama, Costa Rica and Baja California in the summer, off Grand Cayman (Atlantic) in the winter and spring, and off the western Bahamas and Bermuda in the spring and fall.” (IGFA.org) While not generally considered a target species of northeast anglers, catches of large wahoo have increased in recent seasons by anglers hitting the canyons of the northeast in search of other more common pelagics like yellowfin, bluefin and bigeye tuna. However, this is not to say that some exceptionally large specimens have been landed in our region.
New York Record: 117 pounds – 8/17/2013
Connecticut Record: 88 pounds – 2005
New Jersey Record: 123 pounds – 1992
World Record: 184 pounds – 2005 (landed off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico)
These are all solid fish by anyone’s account, but the new bar was set over the weekend when the Castafari, sailing out of Cape Cod, weighed-in a massive 88-inch, 182-pound ‘hoo at Falmouth Bait & Tackle. It has been submitted to the IGFA for the new men’s all tackle world record. A huge congrats goes out to Capt. Damon Sacco of the Castafari as well as angler Derek Wittkamper who reeled-in the beast.
