# Best way to catch chicken dolphin?



## FishVan

My son and I starting to venture off shore more now that we have a bigger boat. We came across a floating log the other day and saw a few small (chicken?) dolphin swiming under it. We threw a large silver spoon at them, they followed it, but did notbite. I suspect it was because they were too small and the jig was too big.

What is the best way to get chicken dolphin to bite and if you land one are they worth keeping?


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## no woryz

very light tackle with no lead if possible...they will hit cut bait, and a good strategy is to get one hooked solid and leave him in the water while you catch others...seems to keep them in the area longer...and they are great to eat....soft meat so be tender with it...I have shot one with a speargun and tore it completely in two....good luck..


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## reelthrill

When a school of chicken dolphin swim up to our boat, we will throw a small jig at them. You can usually pick up several like this. When the rest stop biting, just tie a small single hook straight to your monofilament line and toss out a small piece of fresh cut bait. You will catch a bunch more.


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## FishVan

Thanks for the advice, hope to post a successful report soon.:letsdrink


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## Chris Couture

Be sure you have a washdown pump though! Those things will bloody up the deck in a hurry!


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## true-king

Any small white jigs like you would use for bonita will work.


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## Corpsman

Got one on a gotcha this past weekend. They will hit almost anything.


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## Ultralite

electric chicken...


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## REDFISH101

i always catch them on a single hook with squid headsthats my favorite.:letsdrink


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## Captain Woody Woods

let em grow up to be big gaffer dolphin.

but if you must catch them, they'll attack a sabiki rig with a quickness. i had a little snoopy pole with me the other day offshore because we had been seeing a bunch of them and i just tied a barbless pompano jig to the line just for some light tackle excitement though. released em all


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## reelthrill

> *The Blue Hoo (5/21/2009)*let em grow up to be big gaffer dolphin.
> 
> but if you must catch them, they'll attack a sabiki rig with a quickness. i had a little snoopy pole with me the other day offshore because we had been seeing a bunch of them and i just tied a barbless pompano jig to the line just for some light tackle excitement though. released em all


Chicken dolphin do not grow up to be big dolphin. They are a totally different species. When a big bunch of chicken dolphin come up to your boat, notice that they all have the same rounded head. There are not bulls and cows mixed together. It is possible to catch smaller dolphin that are not chickens though.


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## lobsterman

Reel thrill: You are wromg on your assessment of chicken dolphin. The reason for the rounded head is immaturity not difference in species.


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## reelthrill

They are definitely a different species. Chicken dolphin do not grow up to be big dolphin. We have been through this discussion before. My brother works with all the marine biologist that will tell you differently. I have caught juvenile male/bull dolphin before that have the squared off head.


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## konz

I'm no expert but after a quick search on the ol' internet I came across this

"Common dolphin have a notch near the front (of the anal fin), but pompano dolphin do not."

http://www.floridasportsman.com/sportfish/dolphin/S_0005_Dolphin_Description/index.html


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## Captain Woody Woods

> *reelthrill (5/21/2009)*
> 
> 
> 
> *The Blue Hoo (5/21/2009)*let em grow up to be big gaffer dolphin.
> 
> but if you must catch them, they'll attack a sabiki rig with a quickness. i had a little snoopy pole with me the other day offshore because we had been seeing a bunch of them and i just tied a barbless pompano jig to the line just for some light tackle excitement though. released em all
> 
> 
> 
> Chicken dolphin do not grow up to be big dolphin. They are a totally different species. When a big bunch of chicken dolphin come up to your boat, notice that they all have the same rounded head. There are not bulls and cows mixed together. It is possible to catch smaller dolphin that are not chickens though.
Click to expand...


you are WRONG. the term "chicken" refers to their size, not their species. you may be thinking of a different species, which DOES run smaller in size, called the pompano dolphin. you can distinguish these from regular dolphin (coryphaena hippurus) from the number or dorsal rays and one hasa square tongue patch, and the other has a round tongue patch, if i recall correctly.



> *reelthrill (5/21/2009)* I have caught juvenile male/bull dolphin before that have the squared off head.


BULL refers to the sex. which in males does yield a nearly vertical forehead. so in effect, you can have both a bull pompano dolphin, or even a bull chicken dolphin (juvenile male), or a mature male dolphin (coryphaena hippurus)


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## John B.

there are to species of dolphin, and yes, you can catch a male dolphin that has a rounded head and they are only 14"

do a search, the thread is about 47 pages long.

on that note, the best way to catch them is a speck rig, 6' of 50lb mono, and a broomstick.


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