THE GULF'S DANCING DOLPHIN

SOUTHERN STAR MAGAZINE June 1990
by Jim Lee

A glint of yellow-green flashed beneath the weed line. Then a powerful streak sliced toward a skipping bait.
The bull dolphin shot out of the water, smashing the bait from the air. The rod pumped in it's holder, and the reel began to sing. The fish was in the air, then down, running across the other lines. It leaped, twisted and peeled off more line. What a way to meet one of the most colorful acrobats in the sea.
These beautiful blue-green and yellow brawlers are pelagic fish. They roam the seas following the bait fish, which follow the warm upwelling ocean currents. When you find thick pods of bait fish, such as ballyhoo, flying fish, sardines, or other schooling sea life, such pelagic predators as dolphin are not far below. When you see weed line or other flotsam off the bow, the game, like your pulse, quickens. Where there is sargassum there could be fish.
Weed lines are made as breezes push floating sargassum together. Since smaller fish and other sealife take refuge here, it's a great feeding ground for predators. Other flotsam such as boards are great targets to skip a bait past. More often than not a dolphin waits here to ambush its dinner.
Being the first boat on a weed line is important. This means there is a good chance there are fish somewhere under the weedline that haven't been spooked or caught. If you're lucky enough to find seas flat and glassy, you might spot fish under the cover from a long way off.
In the Gulf of Mexico a lucky angler might find smaller dolphin as close in as 60 feet of water. Usually, however, they are more prolific and often in deeper waters.
Although you might find them anywhere throughout the "Gulf, the fastest way to dolphin country on the Central Gulf Coast, is west our southwest where depths drop fastest. Thirty to 80 miles out normally produce warm currents that hold predator fish.
The Gulf Stream pushes warm water up into the Gulf of Mexico. This warm body of water is the Loop Current, often pushed back down in wet years by the mighty Mississippi river. This action often breaks off or splits off a large warm eddy of water that can come in very close to the west coast of Florida, bringing dolphin with it.
By utilizing an on board thermometer that monitors surface temperatures, the Loop Current, or parts there of can be located. Even a slight rise in water warmth could indicate the presence of the main body of the Loop Current or a large swirl broken off the main body. In any event, warmer water indicates the presence of bait fish and of course, dolphin.
Often dolphin run in pairs, a bull and a cow. They can also run in small and large schools. When you have a good fish on, don't bring in the other lines. If, however you have a very large fish, or can't control it with the tackle you are using, then do so. Sea conditions can also weigh in this decision by keeping at least one of those jumping, running whirlwinds in the water it excites the others. Therefore you have a very good chance to pick up more fish.
Dolphin have ferocious appetites and will attack natural baits or artificial. Plastic artificial are usually trolled faster than natural baits. This allows the boat to cover more ground. It also causes the fish to strike fast at movement. If moved slower, sight and smell might make the baits less attractive. Dolphin will often attack even the big marlin plastics. But an artificial that matches the approximate size of natural targets such as ballyhoo or flying fish will do the best job.
If you like natural swimming boat, as some sailfish hunters do, there are many choices. Dolphin will take ballyhoo, mullet, mackerel, or natural strips. Strips are normally made from the belly of bonito, salted and cured, or mullet sides. They can be skipping or swimming, but any way you do it, dolphin will usually take most any bait you dangle across their noses.
A teaser often helps to attract dolphin as well as other fish. There are many different teasers, but a splasher, plunger or mirrored seems to work best. Some anglers use two teasers. One is often a splasher and the other a daisy chain of squid, birds or even beer cans. But what ever the reason for attacking a bait, dolphin are real acrobats. When you get one of these lively fish to the boat, be sure to keep the line tight. They often jump close to the boat where many are lost.
An ambitious dolphin can make you wish for a 6/0 reel and a 50-pound rod. But, the truth is, a lessor rig is usually better. You have more fun and whip this fish just rapidly non a 20-pound outfit. This applies to most fish up to 70 pounds or so. Terminal tackle is usually wire in the the 60 to 80-pound class. Hooks with natural baits range from 6/0 to 8/0. Often plastics may have slightly larger hooks and work just as well.
When happening upon a school in moderate seas, another angle to catching this critter may present itself by putting the boat in neutral and pulling out light spinning tackle. A yellow jig, fly or cut bait can often promote frantic activity.
When having enough fish in the box for dinner, the fun can really begin. Pre-rig your light spinner with a plastic coated wire leader and cut the hook's barb. This way you really test your skills and watch the tactics of dozens of fish.
In a catch and release session you will actually try techniques you'd never , ever attempt otherwise. Each hookup of these special C & R sessions allow a sharpening of skills unobtainable elsewhere. Perhaps these dolphin can teach you some tricks to use for that special fish we always expect to meet. Most larger schools are made up of smaller "chicken" dolphin, all running the same size. But some where out there is a 50-pound bull and when you find him, he will definitely test your skills and tackle.
In heavier seas, dolphin will be running slightly deeper than normal. for these fish to strike a school of bait fish or a trolled bait, they have to come up from deeper water at great speed. When working in this manner they rocket straight into the air, turn nose down and wiggle before plunging back into the sea.
Whether using live bait, dead bait, strips or lures; trolling or drifting; casting with light, moderate or heavy tackle or fishing in mild choppy or heavy seas, the dolphin presents a challenging, exciting angling opportunity. And once a dolphin is hooked, you'll also become "hooked". Maybe for life.