Fresh Ballyhoo Pompano Beach

Fresh ballyhoo Pompano Beach

It’s from September through February when ballyhoo are plentiful and targeted by commercial netters with a vengeance. In years past, ballyhoo were heavily pursued as far north as the Palm Beaches. Today, with the three mile net ban in effect, that fishery is no longer viable, thus the culmination of all commercial efforts takes place throughout the Florida Keys, and never any further north than the Dade/Broward County line.

 The commercial fishery, which feeds the insatiable appetite of offshore anglers up the entire eastern seaboard with tens of thousands, and sometimes hundreds of thousands of ballyhoo per week, is actually comprised of three distinct, yet nearly identical species. The average angler would have difficulty seeing the difference.

Ballyhoo are members of a group of fish known as halfbeaks, for their small, beak-like mouths. This popular baitfish is found outside the entire perimeter of Florida, but is most abundant in the near-coastal waters off the southern portion of the state, especially in the Florida Keys, where they are often seen schooling by the thousands. 

Offshore anglers consider ballyhoo to be the number one natural enticement for billfish, dolphin, wahoo, and tuna, and are worth more then their weight in silver during prestigious, high-dollar tournaments. Easy to rig and extremely effective, ballyhoo have at one time or another been found in every single offshore cockpit from coast to coast. To fully appreciate the bait’s true value, one must first take a close look at the ballyhoo’s short, but expansive life cycle. 

The next time you need fresh or frozen ballyhoo, spend a minute thinking about where you can buy these precious baits. Aces bait and tackle.