Fire Up the Mahi-Mahi

Mahi-mahi are one of those species that’s almost always willing to bite. Almost. But on occasion they do get lockjaw, which is doubly frustrating because (unless you’re trolling) you can usually see them swim right up to your baits before they turn their nose up and swim away without eating. So, what do you do? You need to get those fish fired up.

These are several ways to get those fish into an instant feeding frenzy. The next time you see a mahi or a pack of ’em and they refuse to bite any baits, try these tricks:

• If you have any live baits of any size, snip the tail off a couple and toss them in. Once the fish get a couple of free meals, competitive feeding begins.
• Cut a hook off a leader, snip the tip off the mantle of a squid, thread the leader down until it comes out by the tentacles, then tie the hook back on. Reverse the hook and pass it through the squid’s head between the eyes. Then toss it out and allow it to free-fall. The tentacles will wave enticingly as it sinks, and mahi can rarely refuse it.
• Put on a ballyhoo, and troll in tight circles around the fish or flotsam while jigging the rod.
• Put on a heavy, shiny spoon, drop it to 100 or so feet, then rip it back to the boat at top speed. The fish usually won’t hit it, but they will give chase – and get excited.
• Try a surface popper.

And if you haven’t already done so, drop all your leader sizes to 30-pound fluoro and use small (1/0 or so) hooks. Minimizing what those fish can see will go a long way in getting them to bite, too.