When cruising on most sailboats, ours included, we’re fishing at about 6 knots give or take. This is ample speed to catch tuna, mahi, wahoo and mackerel, which are what most people target in the tropics. These lures will also work in sub-tropical waters as well. I have been catching bluefish on spoons all summer in the Chesapeake Bay.
For the most part I am not buying really expensive lures. Now I have expensive lures, but not many of them, and most of the fish we catch are on $10 – $15 lures. You don’t need to spend $75 on a lure to catch dinner.
As for colors or lures, I think they all work. I tend to gravitate towards the more brightly colored lures, but if I am putting out more than one lure, which is usually the case, I am going to vary the colors. The reality is, if you drag a lure with a sharp hook behind your boat for long enough, you are going to catch fish. The trick is getting more proficient to increase your odds. Some days fish want dark lures, some days they want bright ones. Having several colors will increase your odds.
Make sure your hooks are sharp! Use a little file or sharpening stone to sharpen your hooks before you put out your lures. Dull hooks equal lost fish.
These are the lures we have the most luck with and are proven fish catchers.
Cedar Plug
The cedar plug has probably caught more fish trolling from sailboat handlines than any other lure in existence. Yes, I know, it’s a chunk of cedar with a hook shoved up its rear end. I have no clue why fish bite this, but it works great. If you are looking for a budget setup to catch some dinner, buy a few of these and a handline setup and call it good. You will catch tuna and mahi no problem. If you’re only going to have one lure on the boat, this is the one to have. Dollar for dollar this is the most cost effective lure out there.
Yo-Zuri Bonita
My favorite fish to eat is wahoo. I love wahoo fish tacos. This is my preferred lure for catching wahoo. The reality when trolling is that you need to have baits at different levels in the water column. Big game fish don’t always feed at the surface, so you need to try to get some baits lower in the water column. The Yo-Zuri Bonita will troll around 10 – 15 feet deep or so. I have great luck with these on wahoo.
Williamson Big Game Catcher – 8 Inch
This is my favorite lure bar none. I catch more fish on the Williams Big Game Catcher than any other lure I own. I have them in every color. I usually go with the 8 inch version, but have some 6 inchers around as well. We’ve caught mahi, wahoo and tuna on these. Eventually the hooks wear out or rust, so I have spare Mustad 9/0 hooks for when that happens. Once you have caught several fish on one lure, especially wahoo, the skirts are going to be shot. Wahoo have sharp teeth.
Clarkspoon
The Clarkspoon has been catching fish forever. We use these to great effect in the Chesapeake, I’m excited to use them in tropical waters. They catch fish, period. I rig them with an in-line weight about 30 feet in front of the lure to get it down in the water column a few feet.
Yo-Zuri Magnum 7 Inch Sinking Trolling Lure
This is a trolling plug that is going to get below the surface. With all of these diving lures, it’s better to use braid instead of monofilament line so there is less water resistance against the line. This helps get the lure deeper in the water column. I still use monofilament mainly, with no issues, but braided line would be better.
Billy Baits Mini Turbo Slammer
These little trolling lures are great. I use them on hand lines and have had great success with them. They swim on the surface and create a trail of bubbles. A great, inexpensive lure that is a proven fish catcher.
Rapala X-Rap Magnum 30
This is very similar to the Yo-Zuri Magnum 7 Inch Lure, the X-Raps are a proven fish catcher. I don’t think you can go wrong with either of them.
Krazywolf Fully Rigged Daisy Chain
Many anglers swear by putting birds and other teasers in their spread to create more commotion in the water. This simulates a baitfish ball and entices game fish to strike. These Krazywolf Daisy Chains come fully rigged with everything you need. I put them behind hand lines and leave them behind the boat all day.
Drone Spoon
Spoons catch fish. They are shiny, move around, and generally look like a little bait fish. I have used spoons all the way from Canada to Grenada. They are great lures that are pretty inexpensive, work great and are pretty darn durable. Remember to use a snap swivel or in-line swivel so your line doesn’t get twisted.
Make Your Own Lure
I bought a bag of 6 inch squid skirts, mylar skirts, and some Mustad 9/0 hooks and I have made plenty of lures that catch fish. I have a good friend that swears by this. Plus if you ever run out of lures on a passage, you can just make your own.
Let me know if there are any other lures out there that need to be added to this list. These are by far the lures we’ve had the most success with and keep buying.