Spearfishing wahoo in the Upper Keys

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It's a cool day in the Keys, about seventy degrees, a light chop to the water. Tony Young and his friends are cruising slowly off the reef.  "There they are," the friend behind the wheel says, " about 30 feet down."  Capt. Young, and another friend, both suited up and with spear in hand, roll off the boat and dive, slow and easy. Young was certified as a scuba diver with his dad when he was 12, and from then on, he found free diving

more to his liking. Now he runs Forever Young Charters In Islamorada, specializing in spearfishing for wahoo.

"Spearfishing for wahoo in the Keys is the apex of spearfishing, in my opinion," Young says.  "They are a tough fish to find, shoot and land. It's a team effort, and we always have one person in the boat and two in the water."

Yes, there are innumerable spearfishing targets in the Keys with its clear waters and quick access to pelagic depths beyond the reef. The dolphin and kings are always coming and going, and there are jacks of all stripes, and bottom fish like grouper and snapper. But Young would hunt wahoo every day, if he could, he says, because it's the most complicated and intense hunt.

Just as you do if you're looking to spearfish dolphin, you can search for weedlines and floating structure. Same as dolphin, wahoo like clean blue water, current edges, debris, weeds and strong bottom relief. Same as with dolphin, finding a pallet offshore is a goldmine for wahoo, but to reliably find wahoo, you'll have to know a lot more about their patterns.

"Moon phases, tidal periods, current, wind, time of day, water temperature and water clarity all play an important role in finding the fish," Young says.  "In the winter and spring, I can find wahoo most days, however some days are easier than others. Dialing in on local conditions, and understanding the fish's response to the conditions is key and will eliminate the guesswork. These fish like clean water, and while we've shot them in dirty water, it's a lot harder to find them in it."

Young and other accomplished spearos use reels and float lines for wahoo hunting.  You'll lose your gun and risk injury if you don't use the right gear, he says.

On the hunt, sometimes the wahoo will be just below the surface, and other times, 60 feet down. Wherever they show, there's a short window for a dive and a shot. The entry must be quiet and the dive slow and controlled. When in the water with a dive partner, it is important that one diver stay on the surface of the water to watch the action while the other goes for a shot.  "Having two people dive for fish at the same time is not only dangerous, but it scares the fish," Young says. "I always say you will never shoot a deer by running through the woods and chasing them, and the same goes for wahoo. It is important to keep the excitement down and focus on your dive and shot placement.”

Avoid meat shots, especially shots to the stomach area, Young says. The spear will likely rip out of that flesh when the wahoo runs. Shoot for the spine, especially the back of the dorsal spine, to break it and stop the fish from swimming well. Also, if they can be taken effectively, gill shots and head shots usually stick, too, but they are far harder to get.

"If you're not confident in your shot, don't take it," Young says.  "Having a shot tear out or missing the fish will prevent you from having another chance at that fish.  Remember that your dive partner is on the surface watching and might be able to get a good shot if you can't get a clean shot off.  The biggest rule is, don't miss."

Once you've hit the fish, horsing them up too quickly might tear out the spear, and letting them run too long could put them into a shark's way. If you can't keep up with the fish, Young advises, it's best to jump in the boat and run ahead of the fish to retrieve it.  "I always like to put a second shot in the fish when it gets close to the surface," he adds, "unless you're confident the spear will not pull out."

The learning curve is steep in this sport and that keeps the barriers to entry high.  For beginners and advanced, spearing wahoo is not the time to push or test your limits.  Young offers his top five safety precautions (in brief) to spearos interested in chasing wahoo and other pelagics.

1) Dive with a watch and have your partner spotting you from the surface.

Depths can be hard to read in the clear blue water of the Keys when you're after a fish.

2) Don't get greedy. Focus on one fish, even if you see a school. You have one shot, and you need to make it count.  If you chase fish after fish, you put yourself at risk of losing breath. "If your partner also got greedy and can't assist you, then you're on your own," he warns.

3) Reels and float lines. These tools can be dangerous for those unfamiliar with them. "I spend a lot of time going over the gear with new bluewater spearfishermen. It's important to know how it all works and how to stay clear of it when a fish is running. Larger wahoo will take a float line and float screaming across the

surface and we've had multiple fish take the float underwater almost a minute."

4) Collecting your fish, stay clear of your float line.  As you pull, he says, the line will pile up around you, creating an entanglement hazard.  If the fish runs, you will not want to be tangled in that line.  "I like to kick to the side, or backwards, when pulling in line, to keep clear of it."

5) Sharks.  They're going to be around.  Respect them, Young says. "You learn to leave sharks alone once you lose a few wahoo and hundreds of dollars of gear to them.  It takes experience to read the sharks' action in the water and know when you can still hunt and when you have to leave the area, but caution is always advised."

Yes, wahoo do "stack up" in certain locations by the reef in the Keys, and every year, you'll hear divers talking about seeing schools of dozens of fish just hanging there, a sight hook and line anglers can't quite fathom. But spearfishing wahoo isn't about racking up big numbers, but rather it's about the precision and expertise that go into a successful outing.

";Every second in the water is a chance to learn more about the fishery," Young says. "It requires a lot of patience. Some days we spend 8 to 10 hours for that one shot.  You learn to make the most of every opportunity."

Contact: Capt. Tony Young, Forever Young Charters, (305) 680-8879