Fishing for chicken dolphin

On our recent trip with captains Brant Peacher and Lance Powers, we ventured out in the Gulf off Pensacola Beach.

While running across the open water on a slick calm, day, we saw what looked like a school of bonito on the surface. It turned out to be a school of dolphin, also known as mahi-mahi. The action was continuous.

These fish are not to be confused with the mammals known as a dolphin or a porpoise. t

Locals call the smaller fish chicken dolphin. They run in large schools and will hang around a boat for hours. These fish are excellent to keep and eat. Dolphin are also very colorful fish and stand out well in the clean Gulf waters.

It’s easy to catch chicken dolphin when they are just hanging around the boat. We caught them on spec rigs. You get a bite on just about every cast, sometimes they miss it - sometimes you get two at a time. It’s like fishing in an aquarium.