Mahimahi, also known as dolphin not the mammal or dorado are predatory fish that will be identified anywhere in tropical or subtropical water, the World more than. The Florida Keys are a great location to fish for mahimahi. They’re a deep water fish that live in schools. Mahimahi are anywhere from 8 to 140 lbs. Typically not over 40 lbs. They’re recognized for fishing charters their aggessive behavior and for acrobatic ariel displays when they get hooked. Mahimahi are a colorful fish. They’ve a wealthy green dorsal fin that runs the full length of its body. the head could be the biggest component of the body the body just prior to the tail could be the smallest. The back of the mahimahi is wealthy green, the sides are yellow and/or blue and also the belly is yellow or white. The fish’s colors can modify quickly. The fish in the picture is often a female, weighing 34 lbs.
The top occasions to fish for mahimahi are between April and June or October and December. Be sure to uncover on the list of Key West fishing charters which will accomodate your intention to catch mahimahi. They are able to generally be identified no less than three miles from shore in water about 120′ deep and not deeper than 275′. Although mahimahi are deep water fish, they generally hunt close to the surface. To find a school of mahimahi look for frigate birds or any kind of floating seaweed or debris, specifically Sargasso. The floating weed beds present shelter for bait fish and as such, attract mahimahi. Frigate birds feed on bait fish so they are able to sometimes be seen flying above the floating debris or weed lines. Look for bait fish, especailly bait fish jumping out of the water. In the event you can uncover debris or even a floating weed line of Sargasso just off the edge of a reef that’s a great location to fish for mahimahi.
Quite often you’re able to attract schools of mahimahi by teasing them with little baitfish for example sardines or ballyhoo in nets or hookless lines while the boat is trolling slowly close to the debris. You can actually also chum the water with live bait. In the event you see frigate birds you may attempt throwing a ballyhoo at them to obtain the birds stirred up. That can stir Key West fishing up the fish. Either process can sometimes goad the school into a kind of feeding frenzy, making them simple and easy to catch.