# what's a good bait to troll for dolphin



## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

after fishing all day yesterday and having a very slow day i found some dolphin about 20 miles south of orange beach. we caught 2 about 25-30 #'s. broke anoyher bigger one off at the boat (bad gaff) . i was fishing live bait for amberjack when i found these. i plan to go back next weekend. if anybody has any suggestions on baits that i can troll for these fish it would be a big help. i've never fished for these. also how fast do i pull them and how for back. thanks for any advise. joey


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

i troll naked ballyhoo or a blue/white illander with a ballyhoo about 75 yards behind the boat at around 6 knots


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## Tim_G (Feb 22, 2008)

I agree, naked ballyhoo is a must. I troll a blue/white sea witch with ballyhoo. These colors seem to work best for dolphin. Also, I keep a naked hoo rigged ona spinning rod for several reasons: most important is when you are reeling in a dolphin and it gets within site, toss out the naked hoo as far as you can past the fish. Dolphin tend to school and you should be prepared. Also when I come up on something large that's floating, I will go to the bow and pitch the hoo under it. So many reasons to keep a pitch bait. Good Luck !!


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## Tim_G (Feb 22, 2008)

oh yeah, 6-7 knots is a good speed.


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

blue/white for dolphin n black/purple for wahoo


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## kalebk (Sep 27, 2009)

i've had luck with purple yozori bonitia or with pink skirted balleyhoo:bowdown


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## kalebk (Sep 27, 2009)

6-7 knots is the speed


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## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

> *BigBrandon89 (9/27/2009)*i troll naked ballyhoo or a blue/white illander with a ballyhoo about 75 yards behind the boat at around 6 knots


DING DING DING.........

X2


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

wow i cant believe EVERYBODYS agreeing on this :clap


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Did someone say naked ballyhoo yet? I caught this one on a naked 'hoo a few weeks ago and you won't believe how fast we were going; about 6 knots!


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

6 knots? NO EFFIN WAY!!!


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

thanks for all the help. i plan to try it this weekend. jlw1972


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## Northern Pike (May 19, 2009)

stupid question... what is a 'naked' ballywho? I assume this is just a raw fish on a hook? How would you hook it??

Thanks!


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## fisheye48 (Sep 28, 2007)

> *wunderbar1 (10/6/2009)*stupid question... what is a 'naked' ballywho? I assume this is just a raw fish on a hook? How would you hook it??
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!


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## Northern Pike (May 19, 2009)

magnificent. thanks fisheye!!


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## firerave (Nov 10, 2009)

Ballywhoo or cigar minnows. Naked or colored. You will have to play around to see what color does best for that day or if naked works best.


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## Eastern Tackle (Jul 6, 2009)

> *TIM_G (9/28/2009)*I agree, naked ballyhoo is a must. I troll a blue/white sea witch with ballyhoo.




Me too. I will start the day though with half b/crystal and the other half all pink sea 1/2oz witches. On a 8 line spread I will do this:



- Nakeds on the flats or short shorts, depending on how the boat is rigged.

- shorts - pink on port, b/w on star (sometimes 3/4oz heads)

- longs - b/w on port, pink on star

- shotgun - purple/chart, sometimes behind a yellow bird (wahoos)

- planer - red/blue/silver flash in the fall, or black/red in spring. (wahoos)



-teasers - B/W islander chain on starboard with bally chase, pink squid chain on port



If you are in them good they will eat everything, other days they will get picky. I will start another thread on my squid rig for dolphin. When the chickens are here, its deadly. 



But the above is my day in day out deal with a few other odds and ends mixed in, like some custom lanterns I tie with squirt squids. The only thing I use Islander for is chasing giant bluefins and teasers. Don't think for a second that 400lb marlin won't eat a b/w witch.


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