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Mahi Mahi time

1K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  Gary Thompson 
#1 ·
Salt water reports have been slow, so I thought I would put up some blood and gore porn.

My bro and I got into some Dorado off Elbow Cay, Abaco, Bahamas in early May. Trolling Ballyhoo on gear going about 8 knots, and you would see these guys out of the corner of your eye coming from 100 feet away to the bait, so fast they looked like they were just skimming the tops of the waves 'till they smacked the bait. Quick release on the drag to let the "wounded" bait flutter, shut down the boat, and wait for the return grab, a power hook set, then BAM, off to the races.

The trick was to keep the fish on and not land him, and keep it within a short distance from the boat until his buddies swam back to see what the fuss was about and you could cast a fly to 'em. One back cast and let loose with the biggest flies I've ever had to cast. Looked like half chickens. Two handed strips for speed, and POW, my 10 wt was bowed and the reel singing tropical tunes. Since one guy was on the decoy fish, and the other casting, didn't get any good pics of leaping fish, but they aerialize and somersault like few fish I've ever seen.

After the first few fish were gaffed and in the box, I suggested to the captain that, since we had more than we could eat, we should start C&R 'ing. He laughed, said it was too early for Coke and Rum. Besides he had a lot of mouths to feed. He and his wife run a private care home for mentally handicapped children, the only one on Abaco. So, it was God's work being done to keep fishing till the deck ran red and everything was splattered with Dorado blood. I felt like a freaking pirate; Aarrghh, take no prisoners says the Captain! 15 in the box, half again as many LDR'd.

But dam, fresh grilled Mahi Mahi steaks, ceviche, washed down with rum drinks or Kaliks, I truly felt thrice blessed: stupendous fish to catch, fishing with my bro, and goods eats! The photo on the beach with the smaller fish in the sand is an African Pompano, lesser cousin to the permit but fights well; fun stuff on a 7 wt rod.
 
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#3 ·
Thanks Stonefish; and I believe you're right as to the fish ID. I was catching those on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Island. The Pompano leveraged the current from waves against their flat body to make repeated strong runs in the surf, and were plentiful on sandy beaches at dawn or late afternoon low light.
 
#4 ·
Jim,
They are a great fighting fish for their size. I remember the first one I caught in Mexico. When I brought it to the boat I couldn't believe a fish that size gave that type of pull.
Brian
 
#6 ·
Whew.....well done Alpine. The fish looks nearly identical to me, except for distribution. I was pleased with myself just to be able to identify it as a Pompano:

Trachinotus rhodopus - Gafftopsail pompano

Distribution:
Eastern Pacific: Zuma Beach in southern California, USA to Peru, including the Galapagos Islands.

*******************************************

Trachinotus goodei - Palometa

Distribution:
Western Atlantic: Massachusetts (USA), Bermuda, and the Gulf of Mexico to Argentina
 
#8 ·
Thanks guys, the wife and I have been going down to Grand Bahama Island.
Beside the guided bone fishing I have been fishing off the jetty and catching something that looks like a small mouth bass with yellow fins and tail, silver body. Sorry my photographer had to go to her Doc appointment and we didn't get any pictures of those fish.
Nice to know there is Pompano in the surf.
The condo we stay at is on the Atlantic side of the island.
We are going back in Sept.
Do you mind telling me what kind of fly you were using in the surf?
Thanks Gary
 
#10 ·
Gary, the "Palometa" pompano I found were never to distant from coral heads but out in the sandy flats around them. I was using tan shrimp imitation with bead heads (Abaco Shrimp go to http://www.mustad.no/products/premium/signature/sign_flyt_video.htm) or sz 6 tan or yellow over white clousers.

I was casting over the surf, letting it sink on a long leader, stripping it back with short pausing strips. The larger Pompano were present in the early morning and late in the day (and so were the sharks); juvenile were present throughout the day (and so were the baracuda). I could have used a 6 wt rod easy enough for the fish if I could have punched through the wind with it, but used a 7 wt loaded with 8 wt floating line. Next Spring I'm bringing an 8wt tropical Outbound Intermediate line. I usually kept the 10 wt rod handy loaded with wire bite tippit, as I got sawed through a couple of times by big fish that I never did get a look at. Tropical beach fishing: you never know what is going to take a swipe at your fly and the diversity is simply amazing. I caught lots of fish species, most of which I'm still figuring out the names for. At least some of the local names I was given were incorrect. The photos show the harbor view from the back, and out front of the house where mutton snapper could be had.
 
#13 ·
Salt dog
Sharon and I stay just down the beach from Port Lucia. I have been fishing off the jetty that feeds the harbor and catching a fish that looks like a small mouth bass with yellow fins, silver body.
I took my 10' 8wt with floating line and lost some cudas.
This next time I'm going to bring my 10' 7wt and 8wt, rig the 8wt with some wire for the cuda.
The yellow fin fish were tough on leader also, I would have to retie every third or forth fish.
 
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