OT - Offshore fishing

[triggerfish1976]

I need some advice on offshore fish locations and charters. I am not an avid fisherman and have only did some onshore fishing a handfull of times since moving here 7 years ago. I want to hire a charter to take me and a few of my friends out for a full day mainly to target Dolphin fish. I am not reserved to just fishing out of Tampa and will pretty much go out of any coastal area in FL except the keys. What is the best time of the year to go Dolphin fishing and in what area?

 

[mattliu]

those little guys love the open deep water and the sargassum weedlines. i'm no expert but you're gonna probably wanna go pretty far south and switch coasts.

 

[mattliu]

matt, did you see that your instincts seemed right about getting 4 waveboxes. and what happened to triggers being too much of a bioload ?

 

[Warnberg]

For Dolphin I would suggest you go down to Marathon in the keys in about 2 to 3 months.

 

[triggerfish1976]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9339060#post9339060 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mattliu
matt, did you see that your instincts seemed right about getting 4 waveboxes. and what happened to triggers being too much of a bioload ?

What?

 

[Sailor_jon]

I go down to Islamorada every May for a Dophin fishing tourney. There is no shortage of those guys..everything from 10 ponders to 50 pounders. Its a hoot! Call one of the boats at Bud and Marys marina, or at Whale Harbor, and see if you can split a party sometime..they usually will.

 

[mrferrit]

i would advise going to the other coast your not gonna get any where near dolphin inside 100 miles over here

 

[Warnberg]

I hate to post a picture like this in a reef forum....

June 2005, Marathon Humps.... we had the school so agressive they where biting bare hooks. I lost one on this morning about 50 lbs.

To give you an idea, we left the dock at 5 am, ran about an hour, caught 3 limits, ran back an hour, this picture was taken at 8:35 am.

 

[triggerfish1976]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9340102#post9340102 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Warnberg
I hate to post a picture like this in a reef forum....

June 2005, Marathon Humps.... we had the school so agressive they where biting bare hooks. I lost one on this morning about 50 lbs.

To give you an idea, we left the dock at 5 am, ran about an hour, caught 3 limits, ran back an hour, this picture was taken at 8:35 am.

No worries. This does not compare to seeing shark fin hunters in Japan. When I was in college I did a short internship in asia and saw this first hand. Made me want to puke.
Anyway, I have always been facinated by Dolphin. I think they are such a beautiful fish and have always wanted to see them in the wild so I figure if I am going to spend the money on a charter I mine as well get take the opportunity to finally see them.
I also want to eventually fish for Permit as well. I know they can be caught locally so when is the best time to fish for them?

 

[Warnberg]

You are correct about these fish in the wild, the colors are incredible to say the least and they really light up and jump when caught. They also taste great.... Nothing quite like fresh mahi.

Just for every ones info, these fish where split among 4 families and eatin....

I have not done any permit fishing so can't help you on that one.

 

[Sailor_jon]

They are a schooling fish - and only live about 3 years..from what I've heard. So even the biggest ones are only 3 years old. The eat non-stop and will chase anything edible. When you find a school..you keep one on a hook to keep the school together and then you can catch a bunch of them. I only go once a year...and spilt the catch with 5 guys. We end up with about 10 lbs of fillets each. Good stuff! They like warm water, thats why its best in end of April to End of June..then its too warm for them..and they move on.

 

[GlobaLPimP]

Those guys are kind of small Anyway, I used to be a commercial grouper fisherman and we used to catch a lot of dolphin on our way out. We would start running into them about the same time the bonita would start to hit - right off our coast around 25 miles out from tarpon springs all the way out to around 80 miles out. We trolled spoons and squid skirts - just look for the weed/grass lines on top of the water. Now grouper...that's another story - we would catch about 800 lbs a day with electramate reels and heavy rods. Sell them for $2.90/lb wholesale...I just can't bring myself to pay $17/lbs in the store anymore! What a mark-UP

 

[2swift]

Marathon in june east of seven mile about 2 4 miles look for the weed lines.

 

[Makchell]

Dolphins are an amazing fish. I believe they can start reproducing at 3 months of age! They grow so fast and have a short lifespan. Caught a 25lb Mahi last year in the keys in July. HEad out inot the gulfstream and start looking for weedlines in a bout 600 feet of water for the big guys. Schoolies are found about a mile or two off the reef lines down there. have fun!