Summer time has arrived and the dolphin have been waiting. I have a great feeling for this summer, you can’t imagine how good it’s been all year and from my past experience this year is going to be the year of the dolphin.  I expect to see some big fish hit the docks this May! Last year there were a few really big fish, I mean 60+ pounders, but instead most of captains and recreational fisherman hammered the 20 pounders and caught 10-15 daily.  That really fills the box up with some quality fish. However, hunting the big ones means turning down the gimmies and focusing on that one big one!

When trying to hunt down the big fish, you have to be prepared, have baits rigged and ready, and extra pitch rods in case of a foul up.  It can happen at the worst time and it usually does.  I like having a pitch rod with a large ballyhoo rigged to the pitch rod.  I found when chasing big dolphin, at times you can’t always get up wind from them so having baits rigged to the hook on the pitch rod allows you to make the furthest cast without wondering if the bait is going to stay on.  By rigging the bait to the pitch rod you will have the confidence to make the longest cast to that trophy fish you’ve been wanting all these years.

One of the greatest sayings I live by is “Don’t leave fish to find fish.”  If you’re in an area where you are finding fish, make a mental note not to venture more than two miles either south or north.  If you stay in this avenue you should catch fish all day.  The biggest mistake people have is they leave an area where they are finding fish.   I see it all the time, as people think the further out they go the more or bigger fish they are going to catch.   I don’t mean stay within a 2 mile range where you caught a fish but extend that area to east or west, stay close  to that depth zone.  Most of the time dolphin will run in waves down a particular part of the ocean.   If you can find the avenue that the fish are coming down you will find the big one eventually.   When I first started running my Hydra Sport 33’ I over ran the fish all the time, but I have learned by my mistakes, and I slowed down and I analyze the waters more closely now before blasting off for deeper water.

It’s hard to find and catch that big fish you’ve been wanting.  Now they are no Marlin, but they do have impressive burst of speed, that will test any line and terminal tackle.  Most of the time we use 20# class rods for dolphin, but with the bigger dolphin you might want to have a 30# class rod available just in case you stumble across a monster dolphin.  Good luck out there, and always remember: keep what you need, and support our national fishing organizations who fight for our right to fish.  We have had unfair rulings against us because of the animal rights activists, but you can fight back by supporting any of the groups fighting for our rights.