Quick Cast:
 Area Reports
 Find-a-Guide
 Forums
 Tides

Departments:
 Articles
 Books
 Clubs & Orgs.
 Fishing Reports
 Feedback
 Forums
 Fly Fishing
 Guides & Charters
 Links
 Photo Gallery
 Reef Locator
 Regulations
 Software
 Survey
 Tournaments
 Travel
 Weather
 Home

Administration:
 About Us
 Advertising
 Contact
 Privacy
 Terms of Use
 Web Development

How do you catch those Dolphin

The Palm Beaches to Key Largo

Moderator: admin

How do you catch those Dolphin

Postby EddieP2 » Sat Jan 17, 2004 10:18 pm

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
EddieP2
Newbie
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2004 10:08 pm

Postby RudyGomez » Mon Jan 19, 2004 12:56 pm

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.
Rudy Gomez
CyberAngler Webmaster
User avatar
RudyGomez
How about cuttin’ some bait?
How about cuttin’ some bait?
 
Posts: 1432
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2003 10:08 pm
Location: North Miami Beach, FL

Postby Martins Loonacy » Thu Jan 29, 2004 4:44 pm

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 :shock: If its noon , add a downrigger to get a big bally deeper
Martins Loonacy
Newbie
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2003 9:30 am

Postby SFloridaMarlin » Thu Jul 08, 2004 11:31 am

Does distance from shore matter in catching Dolphin?
SFloridaMarlin
Newbie
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:11 am
Location: Miami

Postby RudyGomez » Fri Jul 09, 2004 10:58 pm

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...
Rudy Gomez
CyberAngler Webmaster
User avatar
RudyGomez
How about cuttin’ some bait?
How about cuttin’ some bait?
 
Posts: 1432
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2003 10:08 pm
Location: North Miami Beach, FL

Postby SFloridaMarlin » Mon Jul 12, 2004 9:50 am

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
Newbie
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:11 am
Location: Miami

Postby RudyGomez » Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:34 pm

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.
Rudy Gomez
CyberAngler Webmaster
User avatar
RudyGomez
How about cuttin’ some bait?
How about cuttin’ some bait?
 
Posts: 1432
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2003 10:08 pm
Location: North Miami Beach, FL

Postby SFloridaMarlin » Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:19 am

Sounds good, thanks for the help.
SFloridaMarlin
Newbie
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:11 am
Location: Miami

Postby SFloridaMarlin » Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:23 am

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
Newbie
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 10:11 am
Location: Miami

Postby RudyGomez » Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:11 pm

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. :roll: 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"
Rudy Gomez
CyberAngler Webmaster
User avatar
RudyGomez
How about cuttin’ some bait?
How about cuttin’ some bait?
 
Posts: 1432
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2003 10:08 pm
Location: North Miami Beach, FL


Return to Florida - Southeast

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests

Copyright © 1997-2024, CyberAngler - All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy :: Terms of Use
For Questions and comments please use our Feedback Form

Back to the Top
cron