Fishing Friday: All About Ballyhoo
Do you know a good ballyhoo from bad? And, does it make a difference anyway?
I don’t understand why ballyhoo are such an effective bait in all offshore waters from Maine to Texas. It makes no sense at all—few are found north of the tropics, and they certainly aren’t the main forage species for fish swimming around in Hudson Canyon. Yet their effectiveness is undeniable. If, that is, you have good ballyhoo. Far too many offshore anglers merely grab the top pack off the freezer shelf at the bait shop, without giving them so much as a second glance. The pros, however, know ballyhoo quality makes a difference. Here’s how to tell if the ‘hoo you’re checking out are up to snuff.
See the yellow tint all over these ballyhoo? That's a sure sign of freezer burn.
1. Check the fins and skin for freezer-burn. If they look yellowed, that’s a sure sign. Not only will these baits stink of rot, they’ll quickly fall apart when you start trolling—so reject them.
2. The eyes should be clear, and shouldn’t be sunken in or dried out. Cloudy, shriveled eyes indicate baits that are old or were poorly cared for.
3. Make sure the fish have their scales. Ballyhoo that are roughed-up may lose a large number of scales, and they won’t have the same shine when you pull them through the water.
4. Look at the beaks. Even if you rig a split-bill or break it off entirely, a bunch of broken bills tells you that this pack of ballyhoo got banged around.
5. Glance at the gut. If it’s imploded or squashed flat, instead of being slightly rounded, the fish was smashed at one point or another. It’s likely the gut area will rip open, when you use the ‘hoo.
Finally, let’s consider one tip for trolling your ballyhoo: always, always, always hold it over the side of the boat and make sure it’s swimming properly, before you set it back into the spread. Far too many anglers rig it then set it, without a visual confirmation it’s swimming well. Even the best riggers out there will get a bad swimmer now and again, and if you put it in the spread instead of rejecting and replacing it, you’re not going to catch as many fish.
