Captain Judy Helmey
Miss Judy Charters
"Kicking Fish Tail Since 1956!"
124 Palmetto Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31410
912 897 4921 or 912 897 3460 fax
www.missjudycharters.com
August 25, 2008
Happy Fish Day!
Saltwater inshore, offshore, blue water fishing report, Freshies Suggestions, and "Little Miss Judy's story! Thanks for reading! Captain Judy
Send your fishing questions directly to Captain Judy fishjudy2@aol.com
Blue and Green Water
A Few Need To Know Tips About "Mahi Mahi" AKA Dolphin fish
The first thing that I would like to mention is the fact that this probably can be listed as one of those most colorful fish. It doesn't matter whether it's a small one or the biggest bull ever they still "light up" when they are just about to eat! They sport beautiful colors of green, yellow, and blue! Once you have seen this fish's attitude un-fold just a distance glance makes you completely aware of its presents.
My long time first mate Captain Ali Young use to play this game with any potential dolphin that might be in the area. She called it the "Hansel and Grettle plan. As she cleaned and cut bait she would throw out those bits and pieces that would semi-float. I'm not talking about filleted discarded carcasses, but small pieces of internals and skin. Heck, if you threw out lots of large pieces you would definitely get the attentions of the toothy monsters referred as sharks. Believe me if there was a school of dolphin down current this trail of food would get their attention.
Captain Ali's bait board was always so neat. She really kept it clean and each bait type had its own pile. So therefore she always had an array of different types of bait. Now comes the question, "how much different kinds of bait are there? Well, here's the answer to this bait question..
Squid
Squid sounds as simple as it can get. However, depending on its size you can use it whole, chunked up, or cut in strips. The head is always interesting to most fish. It offers up its own tantalizing appeal. Squid heads tastes good. And those flowing tentacles while in the current always get a fish's attention. At this point a dead squid head could be called "acting just like live bait." I can't say that I eaten squid head raw, but I have battered it and fried it. It was very good! The good thing about large squid is that when cleaning it for cutting up you get a lot of stuff to cast a float. These parts send out a great scent that fish such as dolphin pick up from far distances.
Fillet fish/stomach walls
Filled fish parts are another good bait source. You can fillet a fish, chunk it up, steak it, strip it, or just cut it into small pieces. Whatever the case maybe it's always suggested to leave the skin on. Some master of the baiting universe might scale their fish before filleting it up for cut bait. It's really up to the one cutting up. Hap-hazard-ly scaling a fish first before filleting for bait is a good idea, because those loosen scales is definitely going to send out a dealing smelling card. The falling off of loose scales in the scheme of things is good. Whatever you come up with I'm sure will become a winning plan.
Before filleting and after scaling it's suggested to cut the belly wall out. This is the fish's part that covers the stomach, which holds the internals. The good news about this piece is that the outside does well in water and so does the backside of this piece. This section is not like the backside of a fillet, because there is no open meat value. The stomach wall, when stripped offers some great aerodynamics when being pulled through the water or allowed to just freely flow in the currents. Tunas, dolphins, swordfish, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, Wahoo, little tunny and shark are just a few fish that don't have many scales. These fish mostly have a skin covering and their stomach walls make for some great long lasting bait.
Loose Eyeballs
Although I'm sure you might think I am totally crazy or mentioning this as a potential bait source. However, they do make a great bait, float a bit, and definitely gets the attention of schooling dolphin. To get the eye out all you need is a scoop like tool. We used small cream spoon. The sharp end of your fillet knife doesn't work too well. Get yourself an eye-scooping tool! You don't have talk about this at all…. The bigger the eye balls the better!
Things already eaten!
I can't tell you how many times I have picked regurgitated things up off the deck and put them directly on the bait board.. Fish no matter where they feed eat the strangest things. Things that come up that haven't been overly exposed to stomach acids work just fine. Here's a list of things to look for…eels in tact or parts and pieces, octopus or squid parts and pieces, small shells such as clams and conchs, sea cucumbers, sea horses, and any other small whole fish intact, parts, and pieces types. I have to add that we have found in the stomach content everything from chewing gum to chicken bones.
All or some of these things you can find on Captain Ali bait board at any given time. These select baits are good for chumming as well as bottom fishing. With all this being said, "its only just bait" at least until it's introduced to a fish, then it becomes a grade "A" ticket to a "solid hook up!"
What's all of the bait for?
The bottom line to all of bait gathering is so that you will be ready in the event that you have any dolphin visitors. When a single or a school of dolpin comes to your boat there was a reason. They come for the shade made by the boat, which could mean a possible food source. The one thing that you must know when dealing with this fish is that their attention span is limited. The food source will keep them around, because is their main goal. Food source or something else has to reel them in. Having a bait board full of different kinds of baits helps in the scheme of things.
Dolphins don't have a very long attention span. So therefore when a school or single fish comes to your boat I suggest throwing some bait right at them. If it appeals to them it will be eaten. However, if it's sucked in and immediately spit out it's best to sparely throw another few pieces of something else. The secret to keeping their attention is keeping their attention. Now I know that doesn't make any sense, but it's true. If the dolphin spits out your tossed bait offering you had best throw something that taste entirely different or has a different texture. You only have a few seconds to do all of this, because if you don't do it right your dolphin fish catching opportunity will swim away.
Dolphin's Eating Attitude
Dolphin whether large or small in a school or not are the most finicky eaters in the ocean. They will eat just about anything, but the fish itself decides when this takes place. The rule of thumb in the dolphin-feeding world is the fact that they might eat anything you throw but they have a short attention span. I have seen dolphin come to the boat eat anything that you throw out in one second and then spit it out the next. As a fisherman you always think that you are quick enough to set that hook before they spit it out. However, they are very quick for sure!
Captain Ali and I always say, "this is fish has the most attentive mouth we have ever seen. The reason being is that in a split second they can determine whether or not to eat something as well as detect any hidden metal AKA "your hook" quickly. Another thing about dolphin is that you wouldn't expect at least by looking at them is that you can almost hand feed them. They aren't real nervous like other fish such as those in the mackerel family. You can actually watch them as they make their moves on food as well as your hook.
If a school of dolphin comes to the boat it certainly can be an interesting catching event for sure. The most dolphins I have ever caught out of one school counted out to be around 60. I wish I had a video camera for this "Chinese fish catching fire drill!"
Big dolphin "Wake Makers'
When we trolled the blue waters I could most of the time "call the ball!" This is my term for screaming, "fish just about on" before it actually takes the bait. When a large dolphin, 20 pounds plus, charges your surface pulled bait it basically "makes it's own personal wake." With a trained eye you can see the fish coming from a distance. When a fish such as this decides on being in the attack/eating mode they turn the lights on and go into the charging mode. From my boat's bridge I use to see this all of time as we fished the blue waters of the Gulf Stream.
On a usually calm day it was easy to pick out a charging dolphin. However, when there were wind ripples or lots of wave turbulence the charging mode was harder to pick out. Once you get it, you get it for sure. Most large bull dolphins are accompanied by one of two cows. I had best explain: The bulls are the male dolphins, which sport the blunt head. The cows are the females that aren't usually as large and have a more rounder head design.
Over they years of fishing Captain Ali and I came to a few conclusion when it came to be visited by a "Bull accompanied by a cow!"
Big Bulls
When this fish charges what you are pulling, it's probably going to eat!" Once focused on certain bait or potential food source "tunnel vision occurs" in this fish's mind. With that being said, "bulls charge hard and basically crash the bait at hand!" Since this fish doesn't have a big set of teeth like a king mackerel or Wahoo, they basically suck it in and let the "pull downs" in their mouth direct it to the throat! Big bulls look for bait that's easy to swallow sending the signal that real large ones might be a turn off. This is a fish that is very feeding size oriented! With that being said, if you feel all you have are large bulls in the area, "pull the larger rigged baits!" However, if you want what's there, don't want a lot of mashed baits I suggest pulling rigged baits that are less than 8 inches in length. .
Cows Southern Bells for sure!
The song comes to mind "She's a Lady," by singer Tom Jones when I try to put the erratic attack patterns of cow dolphin's music. There is quite a bit of difference from a bull and cow bite. Firstly, bulls once focused will charge and eat what's on hand. However, the ladies aren't like that at all. Here's what they do..
I have seen the ladies cruise through my spread damaging all surfaced pulled bait while not even touching a hook. Their specialty is mashing and threshing the bait and leaving it to the side. To this day I still wonder why they don't just eat it instead of mashing it. Once the lady makes a run through my baits those retrieved looked as though someone has basically stepped solidly on them. In other words "bait made flat as a pancake!"
Dolphin Deal
Next week I will write about what to do with all of this bait that you have so carefully collected, how to keep those dolphins around the boat, what to do when you hook one up, and much more!