Dolphin Fishing 101
Seb. Inlet Produces The big ones!
- May 20, 2009
- 0 Comments
- By Story/Photos By Matt Badolato
Being as close as we are to our beloved Gulf Stream, we are fortunate to experience mostly likely the most phenomenal dolphin run in the entire world. Every spring these lime green delicacies cruise up the coast around May en masse and as of writing this, it has begun! Every week I’m getting more reports of more and bigger
dolphin from Miami to Jax, but the heart of the action is right here in Central Florida. We see some of the biggest bulls and tight-packed schools than anywhere else!
For some reason we’ve been having some kind of weird cold-water upwelling that is causing our beaches to have a brown tint and a smell not unlike the New Jersey Shore. Plus the temps are way down all the way out to the Gulf Stream which means we’ve got to travel a good distance to get to nice, clean deep blue water. But hey! We’re used to going 25+ miles out in search of fish anyway, so no biggie. Since the cold water extends so far out, the edge of the stream (where the warm water current meets the cold inshore water) will have the fish concentrated like sardines in a can.
So basically, to find dolphin in May and June, have some ballyhoo rigged and ready and head offshore. As soon as the temperature starts jumping up from the low 70’s into the mid-70’s or 80’s, it’s time to start dragging baits. Often you will see an abrupt color change in the water. This is an excellent place to fish because the color change usually marks a break in the temperature. The fish may be on either the warm or the cold side, so try zig-zagging across it until you find the dolphin chewing.
Another thing to look for is current rips on the surface and of course, bright yellow weedlines. Troll along and through these and there’s sure to be dolphin and wahoo on the prowl. The dolphin fishing has been most consistent in the depths between 200-300 feet, simply because that’s where the edge of the Gulf Stream has been. However, if you find yourself on some fishy looking water in those depths and you’re not catching, don’t be afraid to head out deeper if conditions allow.
My dad found some great weedlines in 300’ last weekend, but didn’t start catching fish until he made it out to 700’! My favorite bait for a dolphin is a naked ballyhoo (that means without a skirt of any color) and rigged to swim with a 1/2oz egg sinker under his chin. When this rig is made right it looks like a school of live ballyhoo are swimming behind the boat and trust me friends, it is DEADLY on all size dolphin. I prefer to use 80-100 mono leaders, but don’t be afraid to use wire if you prefer.
I think I get more strikes on ballys rigged with mono, but there’s always a chance a wahoo may crash the party. Last year I landed a 40lb wahoo that ate a naked ballyhoo on a mono leader, but that was just pure luck! It’s always important to have a couple baits out with a skirt of some color in case the dolphin or whatever are feeding on another kind of baitfish. I usually put out a combination of lures and naked baits and when I know what they are feeding on, I’ll switch ‘em out and put out more of what they like.
My favorite lures for dolphin to use with ballyhoo are a blue/white Islander, either a jet-head or flat chugger-style or the same lure in green/yellow or black/red. Fish aren’t as picky as fishermen make them out to be, so most brand lures are good to use. I also like Todd’s Lures. I’ve caught loads of fish on them and they last a long time.
If possible, rig up a bunch of baits the night before a big day of bluewater trolling. This saves valuable time the next morning and as soon as you see signs of fish, there’s no scurrying to get some ballyhoo rigged up. Fill a cooler halfway up with ice and lay down a layer of aluminum foil to lay your rigged baits on. Don’t let the
ballyhoo touch the ice because freshwater screws them up. Poke some holes in the foil to let the ballyhoo drain if they get wet. Sprinkle some Bionic Brine or even just kosher salt on the bally bellies so they stay touch on the troll. And make sure you keep the plug at the bottom of your cooler open so the water drains out as the ice melts. You can keep ice solid in a cooler for days with that simple little step!
Well, if there’s any interest in a ballyhoo rigging seminar, shoot me an email at triplehelix@mail.com and maybe we can put something together at my house one evening. The sea is forecasted to be pretty angry this coming week so there’s no better time to brush up on some skills.
Below are some photos from my offshore adventures the past few weeks out of Sebastian Inlet. Enjoy!