In the video above I talk about how to catch mahi-mahi. If weeds are a major issue then run the lines closer behind the boat and slow down a bit so there is less engine turbulence. They will defiantly still pick up weeds but not as many as heavy lures. A great thing about these lures is they pick up fewer weeds than most trolling lures. When going offshore there should definitely be some chuggers on the boat. The chugger head is concave like a popper and makes noise, splashing action, and great bubble trails. These work well without being rigged with ballyhoo but are a common skirt to place over ballyhoo. They can be used right in prop wash 15 feet behind the boat or on mid-distance lines set out on outriggers. These will work great to catch small schoolies and large slammer-size mahi-mahi.Ĭhuggers and mini chuggers are my favorite lures to use for mahi-mahi. These come pre-rigged with a 150-pound leader line and number 8/0 Mustad hooks. The colors included are blue-clear with glitter specs, green with glitter specs, and pink. These fully rigged chuggers are six inches in length and have soft pusher heads. Here Are the Best Mahi Mahi Fishing Lures and Baits Pitch baits can then used to catch lots of fish very quickly. Having good mahi-mahi trolling lures on board is very important so the first fish can be hooked which then keeps the school close to the boat. In some locations, additional attractants are adding to the trolling setup such as hookless spreader bars and dredges. There are lots of great lures and baits for mahi-mahi. Some days the mahi-mahi are skittish and picky with baits and other days they will bite an empty hook! Once live bait is used that particular school of mahi-mahi may not bite dead bait anymore so it is a good idea to start out pitching dead bait. If the school is close to the boat a whole dead squid is a great pitch bait to use.ĭead bait is typically all that is needed to pitch to the mahi-mahi but if the school of fish is not biting switching to live bait such as goggle eyes, cigar minnows or pilchards is a great option to have. This cycle is repeated until the school of mahi-mahi leave. Once a second mahi-mahi is hooked the first mahi-mahi can be brought in. The second mahi-mahi should be caught by pitching a ballyhoo hooked through the nose close to the other mahi-mahi that is on the line. Keep the fish in the water about 20 feet behind the boat until a second mahi-mahi is hooked. The big difference is capitalizing once one fish is caught while trolling. Some boats catch three mahi-mahi all day and others catch 60 mahi-mahi. Mahi-mahi can swim at over 55 mph so don’t be afraid to try faster-trolling speeds if fish are not hitting lures at slow trolling speeds. This is done by placing them far back or outside of the turbulence area of the wake. Some lures need to be in locations fish can easily spot them. This can vary based on weather conditions, types of lures, and the size of the boat. A six to seven mph troll speed is typical for mahi-mahi. Once a good fishing location is found the baits can be pitched or trolled close to surface structure or activity. When fishing for mahi-mahi it is also common to catch sailfish, marlin, tuna, tripletail, and wahoo. Once one of these is found there is a good chance mahi-mahi will be around if it is the correct time of year. Upon reaching blue water look for Sargassum Alge weed lines, debris, fish surfacing or diving birds. The general strategy to find mahi-mahi in south Florida is to travel past the reef into blue water 200 feet or deeper in-depth but the mahi-mahi will be near the surface. Mahi-mahi are found scattered in the open ocean generally in warmer waters near the gulf stream. Mahi-mahi live in surface waters and eat fish, crabs, squid, and shrimp. These bright colored carnivores are the fastest-growing fish in the world, growing up to 1 inch per week and gaining up to 3 pounds per month. Mahi-mahi are also called the dolphinfish or dorado in Portuguese. These are tropical fish that seasonally migrate thousands of miles each year. My favorite type of fish to catch is, “mahi-mahi baby”! That is what we usually say during the excitement of catching mahi-mahi.
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