Ten amazing dolphin photos and tips on how to catch them.
Pat Ford
The colorful and acrobatic dolphin fish knows many names, including "dolphin," "dorado," "mahimahi" or just "mahi." No matter what you call them, these game fish are favorites of anglers around the world for their abundance, good fight and excellent table value. Get a glimpse into the dolphin's world and score a few tips on how to catch them in this photo gallery captured here by master marine photographer Pat Ford
Dolphin will readily pounce on trolled lures of all types, but jet heads, small chuggers and feather jigs or Sea Witches are some of the more popular choices.
Dolphin love blue water. Be sure to check your local chlorophyll charts before you head out to find that perfect break.
Dolphin congregate around flotsam, whether it's a floating log, weed patch or a bit of trash. Never pass up a prime opportunity when you find one of these gold mines offshore. Anglers should also familiarize themselves with reliable fixed structures like trap floats, an edge where weed lines form or FADs.
Besides flotsam, always be on the lookout for sea birds when offshore. Frigates and terns will often hover over feeding game fish and point you in the right direction to find some dolphin.
Once you locate a school of dolphin and hook one, keep that fish in the water at the side of the boat. The rest of the school will usually take note and follow their buddy right to the boat.
These acrobatic fish also respond well to dead baits. Drift bait chunks or troll ballyhoo to dial in dolphin. Avoid heavy leaders when drifting dead baits.
Dolphin feed heavily on flying fish, and they like that blue-and-white color combo.
This dolphin is about to become a fish sandwich. Be sure to clear the deck before bringing a gaffed dolphin aboard -- they often have a lot of fight left!
A trophy bull makes an ideal candidate for the fish box, but take your glory pic as soon as possible before the fish's brilliant colors fade.
