Dolphin
aka Mahi Mahi and Dorado (Spanish)
Prized by anyone who can apprciate beauty and has taste buds, this magnificent fish is more prized than ever now in the 21st Century.
Dolphin were at one time considered "bait stealers" by the pioneer sportfishermen in South Florida, as they were targeting strictly Marlin and Sailfish. Now, for several reasons, the Dolphin or Mahi Mahi is regarded as a triple crown in a sportfish as it is extremely beautiful and with jumps and greyhounding similar to that of a Blue Marlin, It fights with absolute determination, and Dolphin is excellent on the grill.
Dolphin will be found along rips, weed lined, floating objects, and even inshore in the reef edges. I have actually caught one Dolphin in less than 40 feet of water.
Dolphin are fairly easy to spot when they are feeding as they will almost always have birds on them (unless the feeding just started). Sometimes, as with Tuna, the Dolphin will chase their prey at nearly 20 knots making it impossible to get a bait in front of them. In those situations, knowing damn well that Dolphin are in the water and eating, I leave them in search for some that I might actually be able to catch.
With bright neon aqua blue forehead and tips of their pectoral fins (when "lit up") the Dolphin shows you when they are excited. Those of you who have been frustrated by Dolphin that are not eating will notice the absence of this bright neon sign at those times. When they are super excited however, and competition from other Mahi Mahi for the bait is heavy, a bare hook will actually work. (I have done it)
Dolphin can be found almost anywhere there is warm water and we have them here off of Palm Beach almost all year with the heaviest times being Spring and Summer. Many times we need only run to 100 feet (less than a mile) to find them cruising the reef and feeding while at other times you will need to venture 25 - 30 miles to find the right conditions.
The Florida Keys have an excellent Dolphin bite that runs from May through August making it almost impossible to come home skunked.
The Bahamanian waters will hold some very nice sized fish as the Dolphin seem to hang around a bit giving them a chance to grow.
The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Canyons get their fair share of large Dolphin as well as they have had plenty of time to feed while migrating northward.
Of Course, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, The Pacific (all over) and just about anywhere but the Arctic will make a home for the Mahi Mahi.
On this page, you will find many lures that Dolphin love. I would suggest having all of them on board as they cross over to Wahoo, Tuna, Marlin, and Kings.
I like to start out a day of Dolphin Fishing with a spread that has almost all color combinations in it and when I see the pattern du jour forming, I will start pulling in lures that haven't been touched and switching to the model and color that is getting the most attention.
Multi Bait rigs - You gotta start using these! They are extremely poular among Bluefin Tuna fishermen and Yellowfin Tuna fishermen in the northeast, yet many people down south don't even know they exist. I had seven of eight trolling caught fish (six Dolphin and one Wahoo) one day eat one of our Bird/Bone Head Chains, with the only other trolling fish caught on a spreader bar rig.
Three weeks ago, we had a 45lb Dolphin and four others eat a Blue & White Cone Head/Squid Chain with the smallest fish being barely larger than the Cone Head hook bait! This proves that the smaller Dolphin are not intimidated by the size of this lure rig. We caught two other Dolkphin that day, one on a Rainbow Cone Head/Squid Chain, and the other on a Green Tuna Bandit. By the way, these three rigs were the closest rigs to the boat.
But, Do not be fooled into thinking "bigger is always better" as I almost always have a Steel Head (or two, or even three) out in my spread. I became a believer in small baits when one day while working charters in Islamorada out of Bud & Mary's, aound 20 miles out with absolutely flat calm water, I watched not one, not two, but around 23 LARGE Dolphin swim with their heads pushing water, fast and straight to my long rigger bait (a naked Ballyhoo) but not eat it. The Dolphin actually swam right past it without slowing down! Then swim directly to (and past) my short rigger bait with a skirted ballyhoo, and continue swimming hard and straight to my little tiny 1/2 oz tuna feather only 40 feet back from the transom and crash it! This happened all day long as I would see a Dolphin coming and shout "long right rigger!", "short Right!', "Right Flatline!!!!" I do not think we caught a single Dolphin that day on a Ballyhoo as we watched them swim right past the rigger baits (sometimes within 1 foot) and straight to the feathers.
I will also troll single Tuna Bandits, single Hard Heads, single Bone Heads, etc and actually had a 550lb (approx) Blue Marlin eat a Black & Red Hard Head only 20 feet behind a stopped boat while reeling in the baits! Too bad it was on a very light rig, but we received an eyeful of greyhounding and jumping for around a minute before his tail wrapped up the line and broke off.
Stop by our Fishing for Dolphin page to find a more complete tutorial on the methods for catching Mahi Mahi.
Tight Lines!
