Wahoo

Wahoo are considered by some as the fastest swimming fish in the sea as can be attested by the fact that they have been caught by trollers traveling at 15 knots. They are found worldwide and are recreationally fished in many parts of the Caribbean, Hawaii and Bermuda. Their flesh is considered highly regarded by gourmets. It is best known to sports fishermen, as its speed and high-quality flesh makes it a prized game fish. In Hawaii, wahoo is known as ono. Wahoo, which is popularly called hoo in the US, is successfully fished with live bait around deep-water oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico during the winter months. Its body is elongated and covered with small, scarcely visible scales; the back is an iridescent blue, while the sides are silvery with a pattern of irregular vertical blue bars. These colors fade rapidly during death. The mouth is large, and the teeth of the wahoo are razor sharp. Wahoo tend to be solitary or occur in loose-knit groups of two or three fish. Considered a good fighter on light to medium tackle, they can be caught fairly close to land. The aggressive habits and razor-sharp teeth of the wahoo can be of considerable annoyance when targeting larger gamefish such as tuna or marlin that travel as large as 100 or more.