# Is dolphin fishing always this good



## GrandIsle (Jul 2, 2015)

At the end of August and September?

I'm approaching my limit of 10 every time I go out now (and I take short two hour trips) and I'm usually in the thick of them within a few hundred yards offshore. It's getting to the point that I don't understand why anyone doesn't kayak offshore to pick up these fish. 

It's my first year here, so is this expected every year? How long does the dolphin bite within a mile last til


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

Nope, this is a first, with all the Chickens around.


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## duckhunter38135 (Nov 27, 2014)

I asked the same question the other day but got no reply. Following for answers.


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## wde414 (Jun 5, 2014)

How are you catching them?


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

Typically, I have observed the further east you travel, the better your chances of catching those types of pelagics closer to shore. But a few factors fall into play also. 
Having said that, I have been seeing some cleaner water coming up the west coast of Florida, on the sat views, into the panhandle area the last couple weeks- increasing the chances of that near shore bite! And Chris V's report a few days ago catching those dolphin on the beach- I'd have to say this is not a typical pattern. And last year was not this good.
But- they are typically going to be in the areas of that clean / blue water coming in, and within the temperature range they like, and are going to follow the bait and / or structure they like (normally best near floating debris and weed lines).

Where are you fishing GrandIsle? ...Pensacola? ....Panama City Beach?

Best bait I have used is live- cigar minnows, etc- anything with a wiggle to it. And I like having some chum or chunk bait with me in the boat to throw out and keep any followers around for a bit. I found they'll typically wander off if you don't keep them interested and fed. And using the same lure gets old quick- they learn fast!


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

No, its not always this good. Typically we see them this time of year until about mid October off the beach but not in numbers like we are seeing now. This is insane.


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## GrandIsle (Jul 2, 2015)

I'm fishing between Pensacola and Navarre

I'm trolling 3 rods
One with a top water plug made for specs and reds
One with a rattle trap
One with just a plain hook and sometimes I put a plastic on it

I'm of the opinion, for the most part, that specific baits catch the fisherman more than the fish. Hungry fish like pretty much anything and these fish are hungry.
However I'm going to start trolling plugs made for sailfish because I really want a sail and this will hopefully thin out the chicken dolphin. There are some really nice dolphin in the mix. I hooked into one the other day that probably was 20-25lbs before losing him at the boat. I should probably make a gaff.


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

GrandIsle said:


> I hopefully thin out the chicken dolphin.



Gotta Love it, this guy is trying to thin the Chicken Dolphin!!

Have you ever heard of that??


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## iJabo (Jul 6, 2013)

I don't know whats with the high activity, but I need to get back to Pensacola to join in before it ends!


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## Salt Lines (Apr 4, 2013)

GrandIsle, I made a hawaiin gaff (ie a spear) and like it much better for kayaking. It really lets you control the fish and is easier to use from a yak than a hook gaff. Can be made pretty cheaply from Home Depot parts, I used a threaded stainless steel rod and it holds the fish firmly (of course you will probably end up spearing multiple mahi at once given your luck). This video shows how to make one:


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

Salt Lines said:


> spearing multiple mahi at once given your luck).



I love it, a Multi-Chicken-Dolphin-Gaff, go figure.

I remember years ago, when one was caught close to shore everyone called BS!!


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## Gotfw (May 10, 2013)

*Dolphin Gaff*

Thanks for the info.


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## Zacvuittonet (Oct 11, 2014)

The chickens are everywhere. It may seem absolutely nuts but if you find bait around 20' down drop a biki and reel it in slow when they hit. They will follow and take sanctuary under your yak allowing you to destroy the dolphin. The bait will stay the whole time you are out there and if you can get over the fact of something blowing them up while they are under your yak you sir have turned yourself into a mahi magnet.


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## Zacvuittonet (Oct 11, 2014)

Gotfw said:


> Thanks for the info.


Good luck to you!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Yes, they will hang around the yak _for a bit._ If you don't constantly keep one in the water and feed the rest they will get bored with the yak before long and move on. The last three times I've had the Mahi around the yak, they only stayed for short periods of time, even with hooked fish in the water. Keep some chunks cut up at all times so you can easily throw enough out to generate interest.


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## Zacvuittonet (Oct 11, 2014)

If there are mahi around the baitfish won't leave your yak. Your the barrier keeping them from getting hit by the birds. Saturday I had maybe 200-250 cigs under my yak the WHOLE trip. But they will shift showing you what side the fish are on. Be ready with an "injured" bait. The cigs will tell you where to throw


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Zacvuittonet said:


> *If there are mahi around the baitfish won't leave your yak*. Your the barrier keeping them from getting hit by the birds. Saturday I had maybe 200-250 cigs under my yak the WHOLE trip. But they will shift showing you what side the fish are on. Be ready with an "injured" bait. The cigs will tell you where to throw


 I didn't say the bait won't leave the yak, I said the Mahi might....and the baitfish may too. It happened Monday and it has happened before. The bait would hang around for a bit and then disappear. Anyway...


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## Zacvuittonet (Oct 11, 2014)

Ah well I imagine they didn't leave because I couldn't keep the chicken Dolphins off my line. Maybe it was location or the way the wind was blowing or hell maybe it was just us having an unusual amount of solar flares!! Or maybe I'm just a beast and they felt protected. Yeah, that's it! I'm sure of it!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I'm going with solar flares or the fact that oil prices fell again.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

LoL. I'd be willing to wager that no one in our area has caught more yak dolphin than me. Not being a d-bag but when it comes to those guys I've had incredible success. Saying that, I agree with Chris. 

Bait will stay with you and I've had days where I didn't even need my bait tube, just drop down and catch bait as needed. However, I've NEVER had dolphin hang around more than a couple of minutes.


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## Zacvuittonet (Oct 11, 2014)

Haha. Made my day guy! Good luck to you all! Hopefully I'll see some of yall out this weekend


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## Zacvuittonet (Oct 11, 2014)

JD7.62 said:


> LoL. I'd be willing to wager that no one in our area has caught more yak dolphin than me. Not being a d-bag but when it comes to those guys I've had incredible success. Saying that, I agree with Chris.
> 
> Bait will stay with you and I've had days where I didn't even need my bait tube, just drop down and catch bait as needed. However, I've NEVER had dolphin hang around more than a couple of minutes.


 I was talking about the cigs staying not the dolphin. As long as they feel the need to hide they usually won't budge. Which means fish!!!! I wasn't disagreeing I was just telling what I experienced and how I got the cigs to come to me in the first place. It was super rough the day I was out and I don't believe the mahi even knew what I was. I'm relatively new to the salt life from a yak but I knew enough to figure out why the cigs were assaulting my transducer ha


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

The bait takes shelter no matter if there are predators around or not. On flat calm clear sunny days the bite can be DEAD yet the bait will just happily swim a yak all day. I think youre over thinking things.


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## Zacvuittonet (Oct 11, 2014)

I'm not doubting you at all but I watched the mahi blast through the school over and over and over. I figured they slammed against the bottom of me so they didn't have to look up for birds while watching the 360 degrees around them. It was pretty neat watching the load of minnows shifting to the left right front and back of my kayak trying to hide ha. I would just watch them shift and fly line a live cig the other way and bam! Guess it was just a good day.


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