We are so proud of our crew and their incredible catch! How awesome was it to hear the story that has been going around the docks here in Destin and from our customers of this experience of hooking up a 100.3LB Wahoo!
Corey Livesay and Captain Mickey O’Riley were out on a 6 Hr offshore trip on a cloudy afternoon and were on their way in. They spotted acres and acres of Bonita busting on schools of bait. They received a call over the VHF from a local Destin captain, who hasn’t really dealt with catching Wahoo before, but knew that Hook’D has. He was currently chumming up Red Snapper at the time that he saw this fish. “There’s a massive 50-60LB Wahoo swimming around my boat eating my chum, but I can’t hook him!!” so he called us to over to attempt to catch it.
After the radio call, Capt. Mickey yelled, “Corey! Get down here and catch this Wahoo” (Corey was standing on the tower of our 36FT trying to hook up on a Bonita). Corey jumped down and yelled “Let’s Get Him!” So Corey tied a foot long stinger rig that holds a Bonita on one of our 60 Wide Conventional set ups. As soon as the guys pulled up, there were Bonita busting (which is exactly what they needed to catch the Wahoo with). Corey had a diamond jig already rigged up on his spinning reel, on his first cast he hooked up on a Bonita! As soon as he got the Bonita on deck he immediately put it on the stinger rig that he had rigged up.
Corey threw the live Bonita right in front of the Wahoo’s face! It took 2 seconds for the Wahoo to eat, then that’s when the excitement and adrenaline kicked in for the guys! “It sounded like death”, Corey said! “That drag was Screaming!” The Wahoo made a 300 yard run upon hook up. Luckily, the fish went deep because the other boat was near by with their trolling motor down but, they were able to get around him. After the first 300 yard run, the Wahoo swam straight back to the 36Ft then did another 75-100 yard run than swam straight back to them again, after that the Wahoo swam under the bow! Corey managed to pull his head up and then he made a huge loop coming right next to the boat! This was the first time the guys were able to lay their eyes on the Wahoo! At this moment, the guys realized the Wahoo was much larger than anticipated. The fish started to viciously pump his tail, attempting to get his head back down to make another run, but at the right moment and the right shot, Capt. Mickey gaffed the Wahoo directly behind the pec fin. This stunned the Wahoo, killing the fish instantly when it hit the spine. Laying dead in his tracks, The Wahoo never flopped again.
When Capt. Mickey tried to lift the Wahoo on board, he quickly realized, “This is definitely a two man job!” Corey set the rod down and immediately grabbed another gaff and came over to assist Capt. Mickey. They hoisted him on deck. These guys were only a couple of miles from the pass from a certified fish scale. The fish never hit the ice box, never lost blood, and didn’t have time to even dry out. Otherwise, this Wahoo wouldn’t have hit triple digits.
The guys pulled up and I was ready to see what the excitement was all about. I had gotten a call moments prior saying, “Tell them to get the scale ready, we have a 100LB Wahoo on the deck!” I ran straight in to HarborWalk Marina and yelled, “We need the scale!!”. Looking onto the deck of the 36FT and seeing this massive Wahoo, I was astonished. I was so proud of my crew, that it literally brought tears to my eyes from how impressed and excited I was for Hook’D Charters! This was such a beautiful trophy fish!
The Wahoo was lifted off the deck and carried by Capt. Mickey and Corey to the scale and weighed. 100.3LBS!!!!!!
It goes to show that Friendship, Team Work, Experience, and Kind Fishing Etiquette is the key to success on the water!
These are the memories and experiences that keep us Hook’D!