Oh Where, Oh Where is Mr Mahi?

IAMSECOND

This time last year, the sargassum was thick at 300' 700' and 1100'. Pull up to a large weed mat, chunk and start reeling in 24" - 30" fish. This year, no weeds to speak of, troll for hours and pick up one or two. What's your take? My adult sons are coming into town the first week in August and would like to get on some Mahi out of the LWI.

Garysmo

I agree it's been slow for awhile now

MangroveMark

They have been long lined in the Caribbean for decades. Few make it to the Keys any more and are pounded up from there.  There are tiny ones coming through.The Oregon Inlet boats are killing them now; bailers, slingers , gaffers and  bigger that migrate up east of the Bahamas.

conchydong

Try the Kona coast.

IAMSECOND

They must be somewhere around here. Last time this year I caught two limits on two trips. Someone is catching Mahi in SE FL.

Capt. Scott

As poor a dolphin year as I can remember...not just locally...nowhere near the numbers/sizes as typical from Key West to Hatteras....not hearing anything good from the Bahamas either

brianb

A week ago or so plenty of people were getting limits of schoolies. In may there were bigger ones around, as usual. It's the middle of summer, the worst time to catch a decent mahi.   West wind pushes weed away, we had west wind for a number of days, East pushes it in.  Stop blind trolling.  No different than any other year, maybe more schoolie limits than i've seen before. 

IAMSECOND

Good advice thanks

demersalangeler

 Last year we found a lot of weed, but the dolphin were a slow pick of flipper's. Didn't find as many shorts as this year. 
 This year not as much weed & all of our fish are caught pitching baits. We've been getting on the peanuts & sorting threw 20-40 to get a few flipper fins. None so far blind trolling. 

fishthe772

It's definitely been few and far between this year. The most success we've had this season is working the 8 mile reef line with live baits whenever we couldn't find weed. Kinda strange year seeing as we've gotten decent size dolphin (albeit only a handful per trip) and large blackfins much shallower than usual.

HAIR-LARIOUS

Go south fish the keys they are everywhere. Last week the shoot out did not catch one dolphin in 77 boats . It’s fricken summer !!!  More th  as n we need for weeds . 

IAMSECOND

Both Juno Bait and Palm Beach Post report spotty Dolphin bite with no real pattern. The salient advice from @fishthe772 is the pattern to fish. I'm going out next week a few times, so I will let you know how I do. Tight lines people, may the gaff be with you!