DOLPHINS A THING OF BEAUTY
THERE are few, if any, fish in the sea that are more colourful and beautiful than the mighty mahi mahi (dolphin fish).
They are the ultimate triple threat: not only do they look amazing, they are also incredibly fun to catch (often putting on Olympic-quality aerobatic displays) and to top it off they are very good eating as well.
The great news for the Gold Coast is they are already out in our waters and with summer on the way we are going to see the numbers increase.
Fortunately for us fisherman dolphin fish have earned a reputation for being one of the true dunces of the sea. Their growth rate is prolific. In fact most dolphin fish are very young, even the biggest (20kg) are only a few years old.
Their strong growth rate has them constantly feeding – for many this is their downfall.
Their appetite overrides any risk factor and that makes them an easy species to target.
Most of the dolphin fish caught here are the by-catch of anglers targeting marlin.
They are constantly moving and will not hang around water without any bait.
The other easy way to attract dolphin fish is to find any object in the ocean that is floating near the surface.
Dolphin fish are surface fish and never dive deeper than 5m.
FADs (fish attracting devices) are regularly used to attract dolphin fish and either trolling or floating baits towards the FAD is a successful method of catching them.
There is a wave rider buoy off PT Lookout that is a favourite for anglers targeting them this time of year.
When trolling for dolphin fish I have found trolling the current lines to be very successful; use a skirted lure and be prepared for a double if not triple hook up as they often move in large schools.
My tip is to have a spinner rod rigged up ready to flick.
The water temp is still a touch cooler than ideal for them at the moment but we are seeing a few smaller ones get caught, especially around Sullies reef off Jumpinpin bar.
You don’t require very heavy tackle – an 8-10kg outfit will do the job.
As for lures the brighter the better: they love bright colours and don’t be afraid to troll a lure close to the boat. In fact I have found quite often the closest lure to the boat is the one that gets hit first.
If you are lucky enough to catch one be aware of bringing them on board. They go crazy when landed, flapping around and causing chaos.
If you don’t have a donger on board it is best to stand back and well out of the way to avoid any hook injuries.
Or if you have a spike there is a spot about 2cm above the eye that will instantly kill the fish – it is the best method if you plan to eat them.