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Intermediate · 5 minutes per bait · 6 steps

Rig a Ballyhoo for Trolling

The classic offshore bait for mahi, wahoo, tuna and billfish, rigged so it swims straight behind the boat.

Steps

  1. Keep the ballyhoo cold and firm in a saltwater brine on ice.
  2. Gently squeeze from head to tail to empty the belly, and bend the body back and forth a few times so it swims naturally.
  3. Hold the hook beside the bait to find where the point should come out of the belly.
  4. Run the hook in through the gill plate and out the belly at that spot, keeping the bait straight.
  5. Pin the head to the hook with copper wire through the eyes and around the beak, then snap off the tip of the beak.
  6. Pull it alongside the boat at trolling speed and make sure it swims straight without spinning.