Experience some of Florida's best fishing
Considering a guided charter fishing destination in Florida or The Bahamas?
Dolphinfish
| DOLPHINFISH Family: Coryphaenidae Genus: Coryphaena Species: hippurus |
 |
Taxonomy
Coryphaena hippurus. Synonyms include Scomber pelagicus, Coryphaena fasciolata, Coryphaena chrysurus, and Ecterias brunneus.
Common Names
The common English name for this fish causes much confusion. The fish known as the "dolphin" is not related to the marine mammal of the same common name (family Delphinidae).
Description:
Bright greenish blue above with yellow on its sides with a capability of flashing purple, chartreuse, and a wide range of other colors; Its body tapers sharply from head to tail with irregular blue or golden blotches scattered over sides. Its anterior profile of head on adult males is nearly vertical; The head of females more sloping. The single dark dorsal fin extends from just behind the head to the tail and its anal fin is concave and extending from anus to tail.
Geographical Distribution
The dolphinfish is distributed in tropical and subtropical waters throughout the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. It is abundant in the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Current, and throughout the Caribbean.
Fishing Methods
In the Gulf Stream, along the Treasure Coast, Dolphin fishing remains reliable through July. Catch dolphin by trolling dead and live bait or small artificial lures Charter fishing off of Stuart and Jupiter gives an angler a wide variety of species to fish for depending on the time of year and where you fish. If you wish to hone your angling skills or learn how to catch Dolphin, when or where to fish for the species you haven't fished for before, book a teaching charter. As an overview, consider these tips:
Trolling
- Trolling speed is between 4 ad 7 knots, just fast enough to make the bait work properly. A properly working bait will be skipping along just under and on the surface.
- Live Baiting
- Drift a weed line with a freelined live ballyhoo.
- Kite fish with the same live bait.
Bait to Use
- Natural Bait - Ballyhoo, Mullet or mullet strips
- Artificial Baits – Sometimes artificial baits out fish the natural baits.
But where are the fish?
- The fish you pursue are in or close to the Gulf Stream. Dolphin may follow a school of flying fish closer to shore, but they will most surely be in the the Florida Gulf Stream.
- In blue water, look for weeds and flotsam. Anything floating on the surface of the water will attract dolphin. Weedlines can be several miles long and will find boats trolling along both sides of a long weed line. Just get in line and follow the leader.
Birds!
- Always look for the birds. Sea birds follow schools of dolphin waiting fro them to find a school of baitfish. You can spot a school of feeding fish by watching for a flock of diving birds. As you move to the birds, you may find that the feeding fish are not dolphin. Never mind that – just get some baits out. Larger dolphin will follow schools of other fish – like false albacore or bonito – and feed along with them.
- The Frigate bird holds a special place in a dolphin angler’s heart. They will find and lock onto a big dolphin and follow it for miles, waiting for it to feed. If you spot a cruising frigate bird, make an effort to stay with it. This is where most of the really big dolphin are caught.
