Headed out today with Sr, Jr, one of his friends and his dad. Was not really sure what to expect with only a few reports and mostly smallish dolphin. Dropped lines at the ledge and trolled for 30 minutes or so. One other boat there said they had a couple dolphin. Did not see much life and heard some radio chatter about a weed line offshore so we headed that way.
In about 235ft we found the line and started to follow it North and pick at the fish. Found some decent size fish and had steady action. Got lucky and we were the only boat on the line we could see. We followed it towards the 226 hole and finally found a spot to cut through and turn back South. The fish were tight against the weeds so we had to fish very close.
On the way back South the center rigger trips and line is just barely creeping out. I dropped it back and set the hook and a nice sail starts to give us a show. Handed the rod to my son, who wants to catch his first billfish bad and he fought the fish hard for 2-3 minutes before pulling the hook.
Packed up the trolling gear around lunch to try a little bottom fishing. On the way to our first spot, we notice the water boiling and pull up to find tuna busting, sharks feeding, and fish scales thick in the water. I threw out a jig and Sr put a cigar minnow on a flat line. He hooks up and I assume it is a shark until we see color and a nice blackfin. School never came back up after that so we moved on and caught a few bottom fish before rolling home on a slick calm ocean.
Finished with 9 dolphin, a blackfin, pull hook on the sail, and some bottom creatures.
We never made it deaper then 230ft yesterday. Fished down south from 170-230. Ended the day with 7 Dolphin… slow, but still trollable out there. Ocean was perfect!
Okay, a question from an inshore guy. We fish down in the Keys a couple of times a year. We go out as far as 8 - 10 miles on good days (when the water looks like it does in the above pics). We often see weed lines like that and know they usually contain fish. I don’t have outriggers and am not really set up for trolling. I do have a Battle 6000 on a pretty stout rod and a Penn 320 GTi with 50# line on a solid rod. What if anything can I try around such weed lines to maybe hook up with something?
Not trying to steal your thread, just seeing the pics of the weed lines you found made think about it. What a great day and a couple of lucky kids!
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
DF, we pull our little 18’ boat to the Keys every summer. I’ve got outriggers but almost never use them, too much trouble and clutter on a small boat with small crew. We troll 4 or 5 lines, plus teasers, catch dolphin, wahoo, sailfish, tuna, cuda… seen marlin jumping but haven’t caught one, yet.
Once you cross Hawks Channel, bout 5 miles, and cross the reef you are in 100 feet of water and it falls off fast. We usually find the best wahoo bite around 250 feet. Dolphin can be anywhere from the reef line out to way deep feet. Just look for birds, weeds, or floating junk and you will find dolphin. Summer time they are mostly small. Sailfish seem mostly to run right along the reef, 100 feet of water or so.
In mid summer the winds are usually very calm and seas flat. Go out early and get in before the afternoon thunderstorms show up.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
One more suggestion, since you don’t have a lot of trolling tackle. Troll your 2 rods and a teaser or 2 along the weed lines and look for dolphin under them as you go. My wife can spot schoolies under weeds from 50 yards Stop the boat and throw out a couple handfuls of silverside minnows, every bait shop has them, or cut squid or ballyhoo. Get them eating the chum then put a silver side on a bare hook, no weight, light trout/red size spinning rod and toss it to them. Lots of fun! When you catch one and get it to the boat, leave it in the water and the school will come to it. Chum a little more, hook another one, always keep one in the water and the school will stay with you usually.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
Thanks, that is great info. What would you recommend using for bait when I troll and what should I use as a teaser? We saw dolphins last year tearing up a baitball but were so in awe we watched too long and then didn’t know what to do to try and hook one. It was frustrating, they were shooting under the boat 50 or so feet below us in water about 160’.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
I’m afraid we’ve hijacked the heck out of this thread, I do hope the OP doesn’t mind. Sorry for that.
DF, I troll mostly ballyhoo, both naked and skirted. Usually pull one big Yo-Zuri deep diving plug too. It is a fish catching machine. Wahoo seem to prefer black and purple, dolphin brighter colors. For teasers, I like the Boone bird daisy chains and squid daisy chains. Teasers work. You can rig 5 beer cans on heavy mono a few feet apart, tie them to a stern cleat and raise fish. Create a ruckus Most bait shops in the Keys sell pre-rigged ballyhoo on wire or mono, add a skirt of choice or pull it naked. Easy.
But if you come across dolphin in the weeds, never hesitate to stop and throw any lure,jig, gulp bait, bass lure or whatever you have at them, they will probably eat it.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
As for Two Sons, I apologize for veering off path with your thread. I certainly never intended to do so. Seeing your photos made me think of our last trip down to the Keys and at my age when you think of something you better say something or you’ll forget. Again, accept my apology and thanks for sharing your great day. I know little about offshore fishing and what I see excites me.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
