CyberAngler

Every weekend I come out of the hillsboro inlet and troll the reefs out to about 200 feet with ballyhoo and catch some nice kings but I want some of those dolphin. If anyone knows good spots for Dolphin or what methods to use to catch them please respond. Thanks

Kingfish are found around reefs because that’s where their food source lives. Although dolphin can occasional be found around reef lines they are predominantly an open water fish found in offshore waters, often much deeper than 200 ft.

Just like reefs hold bait for kingfish, you must find offshore structures and conditions that draw bait, and subsequently draw dolphin. So, how do you find, “good spots for Dolphin”?

Here are some suggestions. As you venture out past the reef, look for any of the following – these would be likely places to troll your baits:

1. Look for birds. Birds often indicate the presence of bait. Diving birds are an even more certain sign of bait and fish activity.
2. Frigate Birds (AKA man-of-war birds) are specifically known follow large fish like dolphin, marlin or other pelagics.
3. Look for flotsam (floating debris). Bait and dolphin appreciate the shade of a nice board to tree.
4. Look for weed lines, eddies and color changes indicating and meeting of two differing bodies of water, or the presence of an upwelling.
5. Abrupt changes in water temperature - also indicate a boundary between two different water masses or an upwelling.

So, just like kingfish, dolphin are constantly foraging for food. Learn to identify the places where bait might congregate in the open ocean.

What i do, is first ill look for birds, many times you wont find them. Then ill look for debris in the water (wood, buckets, whatever) if you can find either look for a nicely structured weed line. You should have no problems finding those. Try and concentrate deeper than 200 feet. Ill stay
at around 300 to 600. Ask local tackle shops where dolphins are reportedly staying. Ill use a 5 line spread w/ 2 islander skirted ballyhoo
Blue/wht on the outriggers. Ill have a blue/ wht teaser in the middle
and regular ballys at the ends. If you do that you should have no problems. Just remember, you must hit the water before the sun warms
it. (EARLY If its noon , add a downrigger to get a big bally deeper

Does distance from shore matter in catching Dolphin?

You are not going to catch dolphin near shore. You usually have to be in water deeper than 100' – just to use a round number. How far from shore 100' depths are found will depend on where you are...

I knew you couldnt catch them near the shore, I just didnt know if going out 20 miles was different from going out 40 miles. Is the deeper the water the better?

SFloridaMarlin wrote:...I just didnt know if going out 20 miles was different from going out 40 miles. Is the deeper the water the better?

Not necessarily. Sometimes they'll be in close to the reef in 100'-300'. Sometimes they'll be in the middle of the Gulfstream in 3000'. Refer to the post above... Instead of looking for a specific depth or distance, look for conditions that will draw fish. The number one thing I do before going dolphin fishing is ask around and inquire where they're being caught the day before my trip. This will give you a frame of reference.

Sounds good, thanks for the help.

Im kind of a novice fisherman. Did the little lakes, went out in the gulf with cousins, and streams as a kid, but never really knew a whole lot about fishing. Im sure weather affects whether or not you will catch fish, but does like bad weather make it worse to catch fish, does a cooler day make it better? What is the ideal weather?

SFloridaMarlin wrote:Im sure weather affects whether or not you will catch fish, but does like bad weather make it worse to catch fish, does a cooler day make it better? What is the ideal weather?

You just opened another can of worms. The more questions you ask and the closer you look, the more you begin to see the all the intricacies involved in fishing and how each factor effects fish behavior.

Water temperature is a HUGE factor in any type of fishing.

I'm no expert, so here's a link to some fish/temperature information:
http://www.sstcharts.com/howtouse.shtml

"The more you look, the more you learn, the more you realize how little you know"