[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith New Year’s behind us 2015 is looking pretty good. The water temperature has dropped and we finally got some north wind to help migrate the fish south. February should provide continued sailfish action along our six and eight mile reefs, an increase in dolphin catches, and bottom fishing should be on the upswing from what was already a great winter.
Although, not typical, last year we had an extremely productive mahi season starting in February. I think a lot of that had to do with us having a mild winter and our water not getting as cold as it normally does. As soon as the weather turns and we get a few warmer days in February, expect the dolphin fishing to get good again this year since we are experiencing a similar weather pattern.
When targeting sails we still use dredges and ballyhoo rigged on circle hooks this time of year, but when the mahi show up in big numbers and size, it’s a good idea to switch over to some bigger baits and J hooks. Adding a little color or splash to your spread goes a long way when dolphin fishing. Dolphin are very aggressive fish. When targeting them, we will often increase our trolling speed to a little over six-knots, and we will sacrifice our dredges for chain teasers. When you get the bite, it’s a good idea to keep the boat moving, but slow it down. Often, other dolphin will be in the same area and will be more apt to bite when you’re already hooked up and still in gear. A well full of live bait or some pre-cut chunks of bonito or squid work well to keep them around the boat and help take advantage of an opportunity. If dolphin fishing is anything like it was last February and March, culling is a great idea too. Dolphin are one of the few fish that it’s easy to distinguish if it’s a male or female. Last year fishing was good enough where you could let all the females swim free and still come home with a box full of mahi. On a number of days last year, we even let the bulls swim away if they were on the smaller side. Hopefully with all of us doing this more and more often, our dolphin fishery will begin to thrive again. Have a great month and I hope all your outings are Off the Chain!
