How to Prep Ballyhoo for Trolling: Easy Step-by-Step Guide with Video
Ballyhoo is one of the most effective natural baits you can put in an offshore trolling spread. Whether you're targeting mahi-mahi, tuna, sailfish, wahoo, kingfish or other pelagic species, a properly prepared ballyhoo can make a huge difference in how your bait swims behind the boat.
But before you rig your ballyhoo and send it over the side, taking a few minutes to properly prepare the bait is important.
In this guide, we'll show you how to prep ballyhoo for trolling so your baits are ready to rig, swim naturally and spend more time catching fish.
Why Proper Ballyhoo Prep Matters
You can have the best lures in the game, but if the ballyhoo it isn't prepared correctly, the bait may not perform the way you want.
The goal is simple:
You want a firm but flexible ballyhoo that can be rigged straight and troll naturally through the water.
A poorly prepared bait can become stiff, spin, wash out quickly or simply look unnatural.
Watch our video below for a complete demonstration of how we prepare our ballyhoo before trolling.
We highly recommend Dead Bait Solutions Bait Brine and Bait Salt for properly brining your trolling baits. Whether you're using freshly caught bait or store-bought frozen ballyhoo, starting with a quality brine is essential to help preserve, firm, and toughen your baits so they hold up better and fish longer in the spread.
Lures we highly recommend to rig in front of rigged ballyhoo: