Species
Wahoo Fishing Charters
Wahoo are among the fastest fish in the sea, caught trolling offshore along drop-offs and in blue water. 211 captains and guides in 43 towns list wahoo. Here is where, and the months it is in season where we have a published calendar.
Key facts
About the wahoo
A long, narrow, fast fish with a beak-like snout, sharp serrated teeth and a long first dorsal fin. Steel blue to blue-green on top with about 25 to 30 dark, wavy vertical bars on the sides; often confused with king mackerel, but wahoo have no gill rakers.
- Scientific name
- Acanthocybium solandri
- Also called
- Ono
- Family
- Mackerel and tuna family (Scombridae)
- Typical catch
- Relatively common at 50 to 75 pounds in the Gulf; typical length about 39 to 66 inches
- How big they get
- Maximum reported length about 98 inches and weight about 182 pounds; the IGFA all-tackle record is 158 pounds 8 ounces
- Where they live
- Warm offshore waters worldwide. In the western Atlantic from New Jersey to Colombia, including the Gulf wherever blue water is found; off the Carolinas abundance peaks in the warm summer months. Also found in the Pacific, where the Hawaiian name is ono.
- Habitat
- Offshore blue water. Usually alone or in small, loose groups near floating objects such as sargassum weed lines, and near banks (lumps) and drop-offs.
- Diet
- Almost entirely other fish (over 97% of the diet in North Carolina research), such as mackerels, butterfish, round herring, scads, jacks and flying fish, plus some squid.
- Lifespan
- Short-lived and fast-growing; believed to live about 5 to 6 years or longer
- On the table
- Described as excellent eating, but the flesh can be somewhat dry if fried or overcooked.
Where
Where to catch wahoo with a charter
Counts are captains who list wahoo, as of October 2026. Months come from the state wildlife agency or local captains’ published calendars where we have one; seasons and limits change, so check current rules.
Before you go
What to know about wahoo fishing
Things to know
- Wahoo migrate north through the Gulf Stream in summer and return to the tropics in winter.
- They spawn in summer along the southeastern US; in the western central Atlantic spawning runs May through August, peaking in June and July.
- They can swim up to about 47 mph (75 km/h) in short bursts.
- Wahoo have been linked to ciguatera poisoning from eating the flesh.
- In the Atlantic, wahoo management is coordinated with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council; check your state agency for current size and bag rules.
How charters catch them
- High-speed trolling over deep offshore water
- Artificial lures such as brightly colored skirted ballyhoo rigs on wire leaders
- High-speed trolling plugs and lures
- Working weed lines, floating debris, banks and drop-offs where wahoo gather
Related fish
Fish caught on the same kind of trip
Questions
Wahoo questions
How do you tell a wahoo from a king mackerel?
Wahoo have a long first dorsal fin, a beak-like snout and about 25 to 30 dark vertical bars on the sides. They also have no gill rakers.
Is wahoo good to eat?
Yes. Louisiana Sea Grant calls it excellent eating, but warns it can turn dry if fried or overcooked.
Do wahoo travel in schools?
Not usually. Unlike related mackerels and tunas, wahoo are solitary or found in very small, loose groups.
Facts on this page come from official fisheries and wildlife sources, checked October 2026:
Size and bag limits and seasons change and differ by state. Check the state agency before you keep a fish.
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