Shrimply Delicious

Not only are dolphin smart, some would swear they get smarter as the day progresses. Maybe it’s from increased fishing pressure or brighter skies and improved visibility, but by early afternoon, even active schools following their hooked brethren to the boat sometimes refuse to eat. You could throw the kitchen sink at them and it wouldn’t matter. This is when a live shrimp impaled on a thin wire circle hook tied to 20 lb. test fluorocarbon is worth its weight in diamonds. It’s the stealthiest presentation we know of. Plus, the tasty critters are easy to find, affordable, easy to keep alive and with all of those legs frantically kicking, are so enticing that they never go ignored!

Rules of Engagement

You’ve worked so hard to find fish that the last thing you want is to stop fishing and have to re-rig in the middle of a hot bite. Worse, you don't want to suddenly find that all of your rods are out of commission at the same time. If that happens, you won’t be able to keep the nearby school engaged and you stand to lose an awesome opportunity at feeding fish. Don’t learn this lesson the hard way. Always make certain you have extra outfits rigged and ready at all times!

Rules… What Rules?

When dolphin fishing, there are no rules! Just when you think you have these vibrant fish figured out, they do something completely off the wall. In order to be consistently successful, intuitive anglers need to be flexible, versatile and must be willing to look outside the box. While some days, trolling weedlines works best, the very next day, big numbers of dolphin may be captured out in the open far from any structure. In the morning when the sun is still low to the horizon, green/yellow skirted ballyhoo may work best. Yet that same afternoon, blue/white may be the hot combination. While west winds shut the fish off, easterlies may trigger a hot bite. In reality, what successful dolphin fishing boils down to is simple; if you're not finding success, don’t get frustrated. Bend the rules and try something crazy. You may be surprised at the results.

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