Here in Florida, springtime is highly anticipated as the “dolphin run.” No, not Flipper – we’re talking about the fish, aka mahi mahi or dorado. No matter what name you like to call it, the dolphin is one of our favorites as it’s gorgeous, acrobatic, hard-fighting and delicious. Though dolphin are caught year-round, May is often the prime month, with April and June also having their moments moments when conditions align. It’s this alignment of current, food, and often floating sargassum weedlines that creates the perfect combination to troll or sight fish for dolphin.
Finding Weedlines for Dolphin
Finding a good “liquid structure” is key to finding dolphin. That is to say, current edges and the weed lines that form in them can be an ideal spot for dolphin to feed. The edges of the Gulf Stream, both West and East are prime areas to check. Temperature breaks of even a few 10ths of a degree can indicate the sheering edges of two different water bodies. Bait such as flying fish and the many types of small fish associated with the sargassum weed are one of the most important factors.
In the old days, we just ran east watching for changes in water color, bait, weeds or slicks, and boiling edges of the current. We still do all of that but we now have the incredible advantage of satellite imaging from SatFish. I can pull up SatFish at home the night before and see the edges of the stream or any eddies using the SST charts. In the morning, I can check the latest on the SatFish app on my phone. I can select some starting points that have potential and save the coordinates.
I prefer real-time shots but sometimes clouds are blocking where I want to see. That’s where SatFish software gives us 3-day composites and “cloud-free” options to give the whole picture. We also look at Chlorophyll imaging and current flow as these can indicate hard edges that can be a dolphin highway. Using this technology can be a huge advantage to knowing where to start thus saving fishing time and fuel.
Make notes as you explore and cross through various layers of water. Know that an edge is rarely continuous so you may find a patch of weed line that lasts a while and then fades out. What you fished in the morning is constantly on the move to the north. It is a fluid structure and ever-changing. That’s why having SatFish is such an advantage to any type of trolling. Balancing your time is the trick. Give an area a fair shake, but don’t waste too much of your day if it’s not happening; move on and look for new water. This is always the trick to fishing.
Baits for Catching Dolphin
Trolling rigged ballyhoo and strip baits in a variety of presentations is deadly for these highly predatory fish. Trolling #20 or #30 outfits allow anglers to cover ground looking for a body of water that’s holding fish. Teasers of any variety are great to help pull dolphin into your spread.
Further down in South Florida, fishermen use more live bait and set up along the current edge and let the fish come to them. Capt. Bradley Hunt runs the Way Maker in New Smyrna and says, “We like to carry live bait to make the most of fish gathered on floating debris or when following a hooked fish. Both of these scenarios are classic dolphin behaviors.”
