Mahi Mahi/Dolphin Fish

[Hornblower]

Hello fellow Ausfishers,

I would like some information from that vast pool of knowledge on Ausfish about Dolhpin Fish or Mahi Mahi, whatever you want to call them.

I have done a search but could find no information on them on this sight other then their eating qualities, and I would like to go and chase some. These are the questions I have for you all, out there who are in the know:

1) Is it too early to chase them out of the Southport Seaway yet, or is the water temp up enough to get into some?

2) What is the best method to catch them? i.e. bait, lure, SP etc.

3) Best general area off the Southport seaway to look for them and what to look for to find them?

Thanks in anticipation guys,

Cheers ;) ;)

[jpart10]

I have fished for them once on a charter boat out past brisbane bar and we were quite successful with fish all over the metre mark. Im not sure when there arround but the method we used to catch them was trolling very slowley with a Half pilly on a size 5/0 snapper hook with a light ball sinker. in a matter of secconds we were smashed. We had 15 on the charter with all of us catching at least 5 of them. and a few snap offs my appologies to the Deckie ;) I rekomend 100 lbs trace with a length about half the size of the rod u are fishing with.

Cheers
Jpart10

And good luck

[Clint06]

I have never targetted them specifically and im not sure that there are many people that do actually target them. I always considered them more of an incidental catch.
Everything i have read says they love hanging around any floating structure.
The most reliable spot i know of is the wave rider buoy off north straddie, although ive only fished it a handful of times. While most of them were small they were almost suicidal when i was there. We burleyed them up with chopped pilchards until they were swimming around the boat then sent out unweighted pieces of pillie on a single hook.
I can remember that we were getting them in winter but i think in summer they are more prolific.
I know the guys who troll out wide for marlin often catch them as well and they seem to get the bigger fish.

[fishing_mik]

is there any fads or fish traps up that way if there is dolphin fish love hanging around them try trolling lures ,spinning metal lures evan throwing a half pilly near the fads will get u one if your after a big one live bait is the go


mate i am down shellharbour way so cant help you with any spots but summer is generaly the best time when water is warmer



mik

[Phil-Fishbin]

yes they are around. and yes out from the seaway ,.. Haven't seen many but the odd one has hung around the boat for a while , one very big one{over 10kg anyway} and a few smaller ones all on different days between the 24s and 36s. wasnt chasing them and couldnt get them to bite on the floatlines {was smashin knobs on big bottom dwelling baitballs..frantic ;D ;D ;D} but i could have nearly gaffed the big bugger he came that close. ::) but they wouldnt even eat the burley, but as i said , havent seen any great numbers of them yet ,, soon I hope. 8-) . Didnt have a troll or cast any slugs or plastics at them tho.

[beaross]

My mate caught quite a few last year in the December-February period. Most were caught East of Cape Moreton on trolled squid skirts, he seemed to think Green was a good colour. One also fell to a floated pillie at Hutchies.