Rigged Right For The Way Mahi Feed

For trolling, a keel-weighted lure over a natural bait is hard to beat — you get the scent and profile of ballyhoo with a presentation that tracks straight. Green/Yellow and Pink/Blue are the consistent producers, which is no accident: mahi are cannibalistic and feed on smaller mahi.

Yes. Dorado, mahi-mahi and dolphinfish are three names for the same species, Coryphaena hippurus. Anything built for one works for the other. Worth noting this is the offshore saltwater fish — not the golden dorado of South American rivers, and not the gilt-head bream sold as dorada in Europe.

For ballyhoo, 6–8 knots. For cigar minnows, 4–5 knots. Because the lure protects the bait's head and keeps it tracking, you can run the upper end of that range without washing the bait out.

No. Mahi are not toothy the way wahoo are, so monofilament rigging is sufficient. TrollTrue rigging is available in either monofilament or 7-strand wire — the wire is worth carrying if you fish water where a wahoo or king could turn up in the same spread.

Ballyhoo is the staple and what most anglers run. Cigar minnows are oilier so they leave a better scent trail, and they are cheaper and much faster to rig — which matters when the bite is hot. The same lure handles both, so you carry one rigging setup and run whichever bait you found that morning.

On the trailer (stinger) hook. The nose hook's only job is holding the baitfish in place, the same role a pin plays in a traditional pin-rig — it has no effect on the strength of the rig.

Wire is a necessity for wahoo fishing rigs. 7-strand wire is the standard — it's less prone to kinking and ties easily. TrollTrue rigging is available in either monofilament or 7-strand wire.

For ballyhoo, 6–8 knots. For cigar minnows, 4–5 knots. For a more aggressive approach, high-speed trolling at 10–15 knots works too, but that's a specialized setup, not this standard wahoo trolling rig.

Run them behind a planer — wahoo occupy more of the water column than many other pelagics, and deeper baits account for a higher percentage of strikes. Opt for a setup where the main line breaks away from the planer once a fish is hooked.

Yes — skirts, sea witches, and similar attractants can be trolled in front of TrollTrue lures. Also works with planers, downriggers, or trolling weights.

On the trailer (stinger) hook. The nose hook's only job is holding the baitfish in place, the same role a pin plays in a traditional pin-rig — it has no effect on the strength of the rig.

Most anglers will have the best results using the TrollTrue 60 lb rigging in either monofilament or 7-strand wire. This rigging consists of a 4/0 live bait hook as the nose hook and a Size 1 4X treble hook as the trailer hook. This rigging is recommended up to 30 lbs of drag. 100 lb rigging is available in monofilament, or 7-strand wire. The nose hook is always a 4/0 live bait hook as that is what fits the lures. Trailer hooks are available is a variety of sizes and styles including treble hooks, circle hooks, and J-hooks.

It depends what's running. Toothy species like king mackerel and wahoo call for 7-strand wire, since straight mono can get cut off. For mahi, tuna, and most other offshore species, monofilament or works best. TrollTrue rigs are available in either, up to 100 lb test in custom builds.

Both work well with TrollTrue rigs. Ballyhoo tend to swim best around 6-8 knots. Cigar minnows are stiffer and more fragile, and will wash out at higher speeds — they need to troll at 4-5 knots. Ballyhoo will always swim better than cigar minnows because of their more slender and flexible bodies.

On the trailer (stinger) hook. The nose hook's only job is holding the baitfish in place, the same role a pin plays in a traditional pin-rig — it has no effect on the strength of the rig.

Yes — TrollTrue rigs are left open specifically for optional skirts. Slimmer options like squid skirts tend to work best since they add flash without restricting the water flow that keeps the bait swimming naturally.

Most anglers will have the best results using the TrollTrue 60 lb rigging in either monofilament or 7-strand wire. This rigging consists of a 4/0 live bait hook as the nose hook and a Size 1 4X treble hook as the trailer hook. This rigging is recommended up to 30 lbs of drag. 100 lb rigging is available in monofilament, or 7-strand wire. The nose hook is always a 4/0 live bait hook as that is what fits the lures. Trailer hooks are available is a variety of sizes and styles including treble hooks, circle hooks, and J-hooks.

Absolutely! You're the boss. Customizations include color combinations not available directly from the website. Packs of 60 lb rigging can be ordered in any combination of monofilament or 7-strand wire with no difference in price. Packs of custom rigging can be ordered in lieu of the standard 60 lb rigging at the same bundle price. The difference in the custom rigging is they come two (2) rigs per pack instead of the standard three (3) rigs per pack. If you want any customization on your bundle, place the order using any of the colors and text/call your requirements (910.995.2485). Include your 4-digit order number. Don't email the customizations as we ship orders quickly and may not see the email.

The optimal trolling speed is the speed that maximizes the action of the baits. Several factors can influence what that speed may be including bait position in the spread, sea conditions, and type of baitfish. Expect to troll ballyhoo in the 6-8 knot range to maximize their action. Cigar minnows are more fragile and stiffer. They will likely not ever "swim". At speeds greater than about 4-5 knots will likely wash out.

TrollTrue lures work seamlessly with everything you'd normally run on a traditional pin-rigged ballyhoo — from skirts and daisy chains to planers and downriggers.

The short answer is the nose hook is not intended to hook fish. Fish will always be hooked on the trailer hook. The purpose of the nose hook is only to hold the baitfish. It serves the same function as the pin in a traditional pin-rig. The nose hook should always be a 4/0 live bait hook as this is what fits the lures. The nose hook as no effect on the strength of the rig.

Most anglers targeting king mackerel run 7-strand wire because a king's teeth will cut through straight mono. TrollTrue's standard rigging is available in either monofilament or wire, up to 100 lb test in custom builds — the nose hook is always a 4/0 live bait hook to fit the lure.

Both work with TrollTrue rigs. Ballyhoo tend to swim best around 6-8 knots. Cigar minnows are stiffer and more fragile, and will wash out at higher speeds. They need to troll at 4-5 knots.

On the trailer (stinger) hook. The nose hook's only job is holding the baitfish in place, the same role a pin plays in a traditional pin-rig — it has no effect on the strength of the rig.

Yes — TrollTrue rigs are left open specifically for optional skirts. Slimmer options like squid skirts tend to work best since they add flash without restricting the water flow that keeps the bait swimming naturally.

Watch the bait beside the boat for a minute before dropping back. Ballyhoo generally look best around 6-8 knots; cigar minnows can handle a bit more speed. Adjust until the bait is swimming naturally, not dead-sticking or spinning.