At times there seems to be a ton of dolphin ( Flipper) in the harbor. Anyone ever accidentally hooked one? Or are they smarter than that?
even if you managed to hook one, you wont stop it… you would need a 120w international and a fast boat.
off ocean city md, i followed a school of dolphin 5+ miles at 15kts… they lead you to the tuna.
I’ve never hooked one either, but they sometimes steal a fish. I’ve heard of it happening but never seen it. I think they are mostly smarter than that. And like jughed said, you sure wouldn’t have it hooked for long !!
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
I was fishing in Florida in early April (Tampa) and Flipper was everywhere, and yes they can get hooked, briefly. The hook doesn’t seem to “set” and it comes back…empty of course.
Off of Destin, Fl we use to catch Hardtails and a group of flippers would come in and take them off of your hook for you. Was pretty cool. We never hooked one but they seemed to know the hook was in the front so they only grabbed them towards the tail.
I had one momentarily get wrapped in my line while surf fishing on HHI. My drag screamed, I grabbed the rod out of the spike, he jumped 4-5 times while blistering towards the horizon. Suddenly the line went slack and I got the entire rig back, butterflied pogie intact.
Was a nice adrenaline dump anyway.
I am pretty sure they can “see” a hook with their sonar. We have them eat all the b-liners and short pinks that we release offshore, but they won’t get near a hooked bait
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NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
I hooked one near the Wando Terminal. It was the most exciting 3 seconds I’ve ever had on the water. When the dolphin took off, it looked like a torpedo on steroids. When the line popped, it shot back towards me and wrapped all around the rod. Took me at least twenty minutes to cut all the line off.
■■■■■■■■, that got my laughing, thanks
I was fishing off a causeway bridge with my g-dad way back. We were bottom fishing. Had a pod come by between our lines. Just as g-pa says “I sure hope they don’t get on my rig” - screeeeeeeeeeam. OH - SOB - before he could get his knife out it spooled a 300 Mitchel. Might have lasted 20 seconds. That sucker left there like a rocket.
J Ford