Fly Fishing Reel Girl

Fly fishing, trolling and fishing tips for catching Dorado more commonly known as Mahi-mahi. I recommend you read about bass and trout fly fishing and maybe pick up a tackle or fly tackle guide or advice for which flies to use for catching Dorado but I recommend flies that float and are shiny such as streakers, squids, poppers, mackerels, and minnows but live bait is most always best.

Dorado is a shallow water eater. Like a trout, the Dorado eats closer to the surface. A few ways to seek out a Dorado is to look for frigate birds circling or diving for food. About 20-30 miles off shore you may see in the distance a flock of birds circling what may be seaweed, kelp beds or debris. This is where you are likely to find a Dorado as they live in waters not more than 1000 ft. deep but feed at less than 150ft.

They hang out in kelp or seaweed beds because they eat crustaceans and fish such as mackerel, crabs, flying fish, squid and even zooplankton. It has also been determined that Mahi are very intelligent fish. They are actually trainable and can distinguish between colors and also be taught tricks. In some areas of the world Dorado are held captive for entertainment purposes. Which I must say is pretty friggin’ neat!

It is recommended when trolling that you use 30-50 lb. test gear or equipment like trolling rods and heavier test line apx. 50-60 lbs but I saw this video on YouTube where this guys says he caught his Dorado using 12lb. test line, so…if you are using a weak rod and line make sure your spool has a lot of line on it and try not to resist because if you have to much tension it will just snap your line and you are gonna lose. You might consider getting a reel harness as well because you will probably be all over the place.

They are aggressive fish, easily excitable and besides that, they are super fast. They can swim around 50 knots which is about 60 miles per hour. That is enough to uproot a tree! So seriously, if you do not have the right fly fishing equipment, or gear get aquatinted with good fly tying practices and be patient. If you are using line or gear that is less than desirable, you will want to employ good fishing techniques when reeling um in.

Using the bait and switch method for catching a Dorado is probably the best because they do move so fast. In short, the bait and switch method is to leave a lot of slack on the line with a kite, bait runner or fly reel. The idea is that you will want the Dorado to first take the bait and swim away. When your fish has taken the bait, let the line run a few seconds before hooking. If you allow the kite to run or leave slack in the line, the hook will naturally catch.

With a fish like a Dorado, you will want to have her/him hooked very well because they are showy fish. They jump, fight…they put on an exciting show they may even flash colors at you too!

So look for kelp or seaweed beds off shore in waters anywhere from 1000-150 ft. deep, or for loose debris such as wood planks and drift board; frigate birds such as the pelican or large sea birds diving or circling out in the ocean.

Toss in some chum, pilchard or sardines (baitfish) to get them excited or troll. If you are not trolling with your boat you can also troll by slowly reeling in your line or moving your line side to side. If you are fishing from a stationary position, be sure to leave your bait runner on or leave a lot of slack in the line, and wait few seconds before snaring. Fly fishing reels are awesome for Dorado.

If you do not have a vessel you trust enough to take about 20-30 mile + offshore you can check the landings and fishing reports for the best charter trip to take. Keep in mind that charters not cheap but you are also paying for a guide, advice and even rental equipment. They also make great little getaways. Good Luck!