# Need info on Dorado?



## FlatsBoy10 (Dec 31, 2012)

I am fairly new to the Pensacola area and have a few questions about offshore. I grew up in Ft.Meyers and had to run almost 100 miles to hit blue water. Here I know its different but need some info... first...

How far out do you have to go to get into blue water? 
How is the blackfin and Dorado bite on the edge?
A lot of floating structure and how many of u catch Mahi on the reg?
Would u try to get to the edge with a 24 bay boat? 24 Nautic Star with 300yammy

Reason I ask because my girlfriend loves fishing and has never caught any pelagic and I would rather learn the area and catch them myself rather than paying charter... pride thing I guess but prob more of a challenge thing... thanks for all our knowledge!


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

Blue water varies anywhere from 25-40 miles dependent on weather conditions. I personally would never go that far in a single engine boat, unless I had a sister boat with me. Weed lines a lot of times hold fish, but usually just chicken dolphin. Bull and sow dolphin are caught easier by trolling for a variation of species and having wahoo, dolphin, and billfish lures out in your spread.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Pick your days and you should be fine going to the Edge; if your boat and engine are in good shape. Have a Sea Tow plan. Watch the weather during the day....don't let any high Cumulus, cells creep up on you. Don't take too many chances with them, work around them. Blackfins can be as close as the Pass this time of year and in the fall. Dorados habits are a function of blue water and current. If the bait comes in, they will also. Two years ago, on June 1st, we had so much bait around us at 20 miles out that we were catching Rainbow Runners in the upper column and pink Angel fish on the bottom. Things that I normally see only in South Florida. Wahoos stalk the Edge when the currents work in; especially around this time of year. You will see a lot of 'Bay Boats' out there on good days but be prudent. Keep your ear on the weather radio and don't hang out there if you hear about fast moving fronts from the north. Sometimes they travel at 50 miles and hour. Know the city names to the north so that you can gauge your distance from weather.


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## BILL MONEY (Jan 28, 2009)

panhandleslim said:


> Pick your days and you should be fine going to the Edge; if your boat and engine are in good shape. Have a Sea Tow plan. Watch the weather during the day....don't let any high Cumulus, cells creep up on you. Don't take too many chances with them, work around them. Blackfins can be as close as the Pass this time of year and in the fall. Dorados habits are a function of blue water and current. If the bait comes in, they will also. Two years ago, on June 1st, we had so much bait around us at 20 miles out that we were catching Rainbow Runners in the upper column and pink Angel fish on the bottom. Things that I normally see only in South Florida. Wahoos stalk the Edge when the currents work in; especially around this time of year. You will see a lot of 'Bay Boats' out there on good days but be prudent. Keep your ear on the weather radio and don't hang out there if you hear about fast moving fronts from the north. Sometimes they travel at 50 miles and hour. Know the city names to the north so that you can gauge your distance from weather.


 +1 .. i fish with a guy that takes a 18 McKee to ram powell ... not the most inteligent move but doable... head out just before a stalling high pressure or very slow moving high and you should be OK..


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

Mahi and Blackfin can be caught within a mile of the beach on occasion, really no need to go to the edge. Mahi regularly come in close to shore especially chicken size, Blackfin not as much but still very doable.


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## Scruggspc (Mar 20, 2013)

BILL MONEY said:


> +1 .. i fish with a guy that takes a 18 McKee to ram powell ... not the most inteligent move but doable... head out just before a stalling high pressure or very slow moving high and you should be OK..


Wow that guy has some [email protected]//s. 18 ft 115hp that's iffy 68 miles from the hill. I bet he he has some serious safety equipment.


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## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> Blue water varies anywhere from 25-40 miles dependent on weather conditions. I personally would never go that far in a single engine boat, unless I had a sister boat with me. Weed lines a lot of times hold fish, but usually just chicken dolphin. Bull and sow dolphin are caught easier by trolling for a variation of species and having wahoo, dolphin, and billfish lures out in your spread.


Why not?


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## BILL MONEY (Jan 28, 2009)

i go with him and a buddy that has a 52 ocean goes sometimes.. the boat is unsinkable but obviously will roll wet side up in the wrong condition.. He carries a eprib and other goodies in the ditch bag... 18" McKee and 150 yamaha .. 65 gal below deck and 30 on top.. make trip and usually home with 1/4 tank left...


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

20 foot boat to the Exxon rigs before. Only if it's right though. 

In your 24 foot boat, nipple and 131 are perfectly within reason. Hell, I went there solo once in a 17 with a 90 horse. Not the smartest thing I've ever done but ...


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## pilotkal (May 31, 2012)

I go to the Squiggles in my 25' single 250 verado a lot but you guys are making me wonder now.


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## marmidor (Mar 15, 2008)

SouthAlabamaSlayer said:


> Blue water varies anywhere from 25-40 miles dependent on weather conditions. I personally would never go that far in a single engine boat, unless I had a sister boat with me. Weed lines a lot of times hold fish, but usually just chicken dolphin. Bull and sow dolphin are caught easier by trolling for a variation of species and having wahoo, dolphin, and billfish lures out in your spread.


Say what? I have caught some of the BIGGEST fish on weed lines.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

marmidor said:


> Say what? I have caught some of the BIGGEST fish on weed lines.


Forgot to say that I'm fishing out of Bama, guys. 40 miles is a bit far for my taste in a single engine boat. In my experience, weed lines don't hold a lot of big fish, they can but I don't find a lot of them there.


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## BILL MONEY (Jan 28, 2009)

marmidor said:


> Say what? I have caught some of the BIGGEST fish on weed lines.


 this brings up one of the arguments i have with the guy in the McKee... he wants to highspeed troll for wahoo... and i want to pull a billfish spred... i have caught WAY more wahoo on accident than i ever did on purpose.. that being said i caught my largest to date on that little McKee 5 miles east of the bent leg after going straight to the nipple on a report from the previous day... we ran to the nipple... bait but ugly water... put the highspeeders out and ran to the bent leg... 19 knotts... damn hoo wanted that bait BAD !!!! i think 70+ was told 80 wasn't much of a stretch if it wasn't... I have done very well fishing weed lines ( many marlin, dolphin and wahoo ) on them... it is HOW you fish them and if they are holding fish... remember 90% of the fish live in 10% of the water... so if you have the bait... the color may not always have to be rite... there is a reason for the heavy concentration of baitfish...:yes:


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## marmidor (Mar 15, 2008)

BILL MONEY said:


> this brings up one of the arguments i have with the guy in the McKee... he wants to highspeed troll for wahoo... and i want to pull a billfish spred... i have caught WAY more wahoo on accident than i ever did on purpose.. that being said i caught my largest to date on that little McKee 5 miles east of the bent leg after going straight to the nipple on a report from the previous day... we ran to the nipple... bait but ugly water... put the highspeeders out and ran to the bent leg... 19 knotts... damn hoo wanted that bait BAD !!!! i think 70+ was told 80 wasn't much of a stretch if it wasn't... I have done very well fishing weed lines ( many marlin, dolphin and wahoo ) on them... it is HOW you fish them and if they are holding fish... remember 90% of the fish live in 10% of the water... so if you have the bait... the color may not always have to be rite... there is a reason for the heavy concentration of baitfish...:yes:


Yeah to me when I'm offshore and I come across a well made up weed line I feel like god has parted the skies and dropped me a golden gift!


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## TOBO (Oct 3, 2007)

Agree weed lines are blessing from above! Mahdi are almost always around some sort of floating something.


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## Smitty81 (Sep 19, 2012)

Caught lots of big fish on weed lines on single engine boats 40 miles offshore! We had a 40 lb bull under a weed patch not 20 miles out two years ago so there are some big ones lurking around weed lines and patches.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

marmidor said:


> Yeah to me when I'm offshore and I come across a well made up weed line I feel like god has parted the skies and dropped me a golden gift!


Yep that and floating debris....especially capsized catamarans and deep freezers with the occasional log for good measure.

Honestly in that boat I would concentrate on live baiting in 50-100' in the next several weeks. Plenty of mahi, blackfin are there occasionally, and usually some sailfish lurking too. Over the next few weeks check the kayak forum and watch what they land within a couple miles of the beach, you will see what I mean.


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## LITECATCH (Oct 2, 2007)

Give me a weedline over open water anyday!! We caught the winning 48 pound dolphin in the Pensacola International on a weedline. We also had a 36 and a 28 pounder in the tournament. We placed 1st and 4th from that weedline!!


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## LITECATCH (Oct 2, 2007)

Here is a shot!


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

FlatsBoy10 said:


> I am fairly new to the Pensacola area and have a few questions about offshore. I grew up in Ft.Meyers and had to run almost 100 miles to hit blue water. Here I know its different but need some info... first...
> 
> How far out do you have to go to get into blue water?
> How is the blackfin and Dorado bite on the edge?
> ...


Where are you out of. My buddy who I buddy boat with lives in holiday harbor over in perdido key. He is always looking for a buddy boat on the right days. But you can't really plan the days because weather and water always change. He has a 22 center console. I have a 23.
I know we have a trip somewhat planned for the weekend of the 27th. If the water is right. Which never is when you plan a trip. We plan on going to the edge/ oriskany/


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

JoeZ said:


> 20 foot boat to the Exxon rigs before. Only if it's right though.
> 
> In your 24 foot boat, nipple and 131 are perfectly within reason. Hell, I went there solo once in a 17 with a 90 horse. Not the smartest thing I've ever done but ...


I have done some stupid things just to go fishing myself. Before I ought my boat , all I had was a seadoo. So off I went 7 to 8 miles out of fort morgan. On a seadoo and fished under one of the rigs there. I flipped the seadoo, lost both my rods.... There for I bought a boat to do it the next time. I went offshore twice in my seadoo.... I never came back with fishing rods. 
One f the dumbest things I have ever done.


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## GWally (May 16, 2009)

Chapman5011 said:


> I have done some stupid things just to go fishing myself. Before I ought my boat , all I had was a seadoo. So off I went 7 to 8 miles out of fort morgan. On a seadoo and fished under one of the rigs there. I flipped the seadoo, lost both my rods.... There for I bought a boat to do it the next time. I went offshore twice in my seadoo.... I never came back with fishing rods.
> One f the dumbest things I have ever done.


Offshore fishing in a boat......enjoyable
Offshore fishing on a Seadoo.........Priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

LITECATCH said:


> Give me a weedline over open water anyday!! We caught the winning 48 pound dolphin in the Pensacola International on a weedline. We also had a 36 and a 28 pounder in the tournament. We placed 1st and 4th from that weedline!!


We got 2nd and fifth that same tourney on what I assume to be that same weed line. 42lbs and 36lbs BIG dolphin on weeds.:thumbup:


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

Here they are, bro-in-law caught them both.


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## marmidor (Mar 15, 2008)

Tobiwan said:


> Here they are, bro-in-law caught them both.


Dang nice pair!


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

Here is a couple more from earlier in the year while fun fishing


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

Weeds baby!


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## LITECATCH (Oct 2, 2007)

That last shot is awesome!!


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## Magic Mike (Jun 30, 2009)

Tobiwan said:


> Here is a couple more from earlier in the year while fun fishing


Um.... I would take this guy's advice haha. The proof is in the pudding


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