SALTWATER RIG LIBRARY

Trolling Ballyhoo Rig

A ballyhoo rigged on a crimped hook with a wire pin and copper wire wrapped around the beak, so it swims straight behind the boat. Add a skirt for color.

Best forMahi, wahoo, tuna, sailfish

WhereBlue water, weed lines, FADs

MethodOffshore trolling

DifficultyModerate

Trolling Ballyhoo Rig — BigJoe rig illustration — Mono leaderSkirt (optional)Crimp + wire pinBallyhooJ hook insideCopper rigging wire

Rig diagram (component order)

Trolling Ballyhoo Rig: Mono leader, Skirt (optional), Crimp + wire pin, Ballyhoo, J hook inside, Copper rigging wire

Step-by-step how-to

Trolling Ballyhoo Rig — BigJoe step-by-step graphic — BigJoe step-by-step graphic

Step-by-step build instructions

1
Crimp a 7/0–9/0 hook to the leader with a short wire pin and copper wire under the crimp.
2
Thaw the ballyhoo. Squeeze it gently and bend it so it swims, not stiff.
3
Lay the hook alongside: the bend goes just behind the gill plate.
4
Push the hook in under the gill and out the belly at that spot.
5
Push the pin up through both jaws. Wrap the copper wire tightly around the beak, then snap off the beak.
6
Slide on a skirt (optional) and troll at 6–8 knots. It should swim straight, not spin.

BigJoe Tips

Rig the bait straight; a spinning ballyhoo gets no bites.
Soft, fresh ballyhoo swims best. Brine them on ice.
Wire leader or a short wire trace if wahoo are around.
Check every bait after a strike or weed.

Variations

Swimming rig: add a small egg sinker under the chin.
Skip-bait rig with no skirt for sailfish.
Circle hook on a rubber band for billfish release.
Single-strand wire leader for wahoo.

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Target Species

Mahi-mahiCoryphaena hippurus WahooAcanthocybium solandri Blackfin tunaThunnus atlanticus King mackerelScomberomorus cavalla