Call them what you will—dolphin, mahi-mahi, dorado— it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that in May they are here in Grand Bahama big time! Dolphin are the perfect game fish. They are prolific breeders, fun to catch and best when you eat them like Bahamians do: grilled with peas and rice, coleslaw and fried plantains. Yum! So let’s catch one.
When fishing for dolphin, I like to have a mixed spread of lures, two artificials, and two medium ballyhoo with skirts. Run the artificials out long and the ballyhoo short. Dolphin can be found off the coast of Grand Bahama Island in water from 150 to 500 feet. When “hunting” for dolphin territory, watch for weed lines, “structure” floating on the surface, color changes and temperature changes. The birds will always tell you a story, especially the frigate birds. Troll between four and eight knots but decide what is working best after varying your trolling speed. Dolphin are typically surface feeders so keep your baits near the surface. Here is a little trick: when you catch your first dolphin, bring the fish close to the boat and let it thrash about. This will attract others in the school. Another tip: on calm days, troll with a large mesh chum bag. If you catch a yellow fin tuna do not be surprised as they are still biting off Grand Bahama!
FORECAST BY: Nathan Moody
Old Bahama Bay, West End, Grand Bahama Island
Phone (242) 350-6500 Fax: (242) 346-6494
Email: nmoody@ginncompany.com
www.oldbahamabay.com
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