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Tsutomu trolling lure with a clear bullet head and a blue, pink, and silver skirt laid out on the covering board with the water alongside the boat

Hook Placement for Trolling Lures: Why I Don't Try to Hide the Trailer Hook

September 23, 2026

I get asked all the time whether the trailer hook needs to hide inside the skirt. It does not, and there is a good reason: marlin swat the back of the lure first, and a hanging hook that flops at trolling speed looks like a fish tail. I also cover when to size up from 9/0 to 11/0 and 10/0 hooks based on skirt bulk.

View from a sportfishing boat stern with trolling lines running into open Pacific water, island ridgeline on the horizon

Trolling for Ahi: The Exact Speed, Direction, and Zone Pattern I Use in Hawaii

September 17, 2026

I fish slower than most guides recommend, and almost all of my bites come on the downwind pass. Here is the zone system I use, including the exact speeds and the two-mile radius rule that keeps me in the fish.

When to Use Which Ahi Lure: A Hawaii Seasonal Guide

When to Use Which Ahi Lure: A Hawaii Seasonal Guide

April 10, 2026

Ahi don't behave the same way year-round. Water temperature, bait migration, and current patterns all affect what's working on any given day. Here's what we've learned about matching lures to conditions in Hawaiian waters.