'Tis the season! Or the start of it, at least. May is our kick off month here on the Crystal Coast of NC and an exciting one at that. The big Blue Marlin start to make their appearance, the Wahoo are always around of course and the Yellowfin have started to move out. This month you can bet your all of your chips on the fact that the infamous Mahi Mahi, aka Dorado, aka Dolphin will be making their debut.
May is the time of the year where we start to see our "Gaffer" dolphin show up. This is the perfect time to get that bucket list fish checked off of your list. Of course, while we target these giant pelagic specimens of brilliant colors and top shelf table fare, you can count on having the chance of snagging a Blackfin, a leftover Yellowfin, a Wahoo and even a billfish. But let's face it, we are trying to put that 30, 40 or even 50 pound once in a lifetime fish on the deck.
Be sure to look for structure, and by structure, I mean anything that looks different whether it be on the surface, in the air or under the water. Examples of structure are things like; birds, floating debris, color changes, current rips, grass or weedlines, Flying fish, etc. In the world of offshore fishing, the word "structure" can be very vague. So like I said, just look for something different or out of the ordinary.
Choosing the right bait is not really hard. Mahi have 2 things on their minds: Eat and make more Mahi. with that being said, they will eat anything you throw in front of them. We like trolling Shortrigger BattleAx skirts over rigged ballyhoo as well as small plugs, poppers and chuggers. The latter 3 can be pulled naked with no bait and will be just as productive. Always remember, once you've hooked up and you have a fish boat side, leave it in the water for just a few seconds and see if his/her friends come up to see what all the fuss is. This is the perfect chance to pitch a bait and start a feeding frenzy. In some cases, you can turn one fish into multiple. We like to have a small bucktail jig and a "dink" ballyhoo rigged and ready on a 6000 series spinning rod, within reach at all times. Being ready for the party before it starts goes a long way when it comes to filling the box. If you would like to see a video on how we rig our baits, check out my YouTube channel link on the "Watch" tab and be sure to subscribe for weekly videos.
I hope you found this info helpful and please feel free to comment or ask questions. I will be glad to offer any advice I can and I'm always willing to try out new ways and tactics so don't hesitate to share any info you have as well. I mean hey, maybe we will see you out there or better yet, maybe you can book a trip and fish with us! We always share info regarding our tactics and the step by step what, when, where and why of your trip.
Until then, tight lines and remember: Ya better do it today because tomorrow might not show up!!!
