Skip to main content
  • Visitors
  • Meetings
  • Sports
Visitors
    • Beach Houses
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Condos
    • Hotels
    • Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • RV Parks & Camping
    Friends on the beaches in Alabama
    Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?
    Tent camping in Gulf Shores, AL
    The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Children at Waterville USA in Gulf Shores
    How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation
    All Places to Stay
    • Beaches
    • Attractions
      • Arts & Culture
      • Coastal Crafters
      • History & Museums
      • Indoor Activities
      • Popular Attractions
      • All Attractions
    • Amusements & Entertainment
      • Mini Golf
      • All Amusements & Entertainment
    • Fishing
      • Fishing Seasons
      • All Fishing
    • Outdoor Activities
      • Back Bay Blueway
      • Biking
      • Birding
      • Gulf State Park
      • Hiking
      • Motorcycle Runs
      • Nature & Parks
      • Shelling
      • Tours
      • Trails
      • All Outdoor Activities
    • Water Activities
      • Boating
      • Diving
      • Equipment Rentals & Outfitters
      • Jet Skiing
      • Kayaking
      • Marinas
      • Paddleboarding
      • Parasailing
      • Sailing
      • Snorkeling
      • Dolphin Cruises
      • Cruises
      • All Water Activities
    • Shopping
    • Golf
    • Nightlife & Bars
    • Signature Experiences
    Gulf State Park Beach
    10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Wharf Ferris wheel
    Ten Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Dad and kids hunting crabs on Alabama's beaches
    Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast
    All Things to Do
    • Annual Events & Festivals
    • Community Events
    • Concerts
    • Events Calendar
    • Holiday Events
    • Live Music
    Hangout Music Festival
    Hangout Music Festival - Event Page
    Blue Angels
    Blue Angels
    Live Music
    Live Local Music
    All Events
    • Fan Favorites
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Food Trails
    • Recipes
    • Seafood
    Perch at The Lodge
    The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches
    Pouring a cup of coffee
    The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Cobalt the Restaurant Orange beach
    4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night
    All Restaurants
    • Order a Vacation Guide
      • Order a Printed Guide & Brochures
      • View e-Guide
      • All Order a Vacation Guide
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
      • Couples Newsletter
      • Destination Newsletter
      • Fishing Newsletter
      • Golf Newsletter
      • All eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Maps
    • Getting Here
    • Weather
    • Welcome Centers
    • Couples Getaway
    • Family Vacations
    • Beach Safety
    Gulf Shores, Alabama
    Nine Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Vacation
    Beach house kitchen
    5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation
    Dog Pond Lake Shelby
    Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation
    All Planning Tools
    • 10 Family Activities
    • 14 Public Beaches
    • 21 Rainy Day Activities
    • 5 Things I Learned From My Vacation
    • 8 Things to Know Before Your Vacation
    Couple biking on the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf Shores, AL
    Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels
    Teen friends on Sail Wild Hearts in Orange Beach, AL
    Six Teen-Approved Things to Do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
    Waterville USA
    5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach
    All Blogs
  • Deals
    All Deals
Visitors
    • Beach Houses
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Condos
    • Hotels
    • Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • RV Parks & Camping
    Friends on the beaches in Alabama
    Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?
    Tent camping in Gulf Shores, AL
    The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Children at Waterville USA in Gulf Shores
    How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation
    All Places to Stay
    • Beaches
    • Attractions
      • Arts & Culture
      • Coastal Crafters
      • History & Museums
      • Indoor Activities
      • Popular Attractions
      • All Attractions
    • Amusements & Entertainment
      • Mini Golf
      • All Amusements & Entertainment
    • Fishing
      • Fishing Seasons
      • All Fishing
    • Outdoor Activities
      • Back Bay Blueway
      • Biking
      • Birding
      • Gulf State Park
      • Hiking
      • Motorcycle Runs
      • Nature & Parks
      • Shelling
      • Tours
      • Trails
      • All Outdoor Activities
    • Water Activities
      • Boating
      • Diving
      • Equipment Rentals & Outfitters
      • Jet Skiing
      • Kayaking
      • Marinas
      • Paddleboarding
      • Parasailing
      • Sailing
      • Snorkeling
      • Dolphin Cruises
      • Cruises
      • All Water Activities
    • Shopping
    • Golf
    • Nightlife & Bars
    • Signature Experiences
    Gulf State Park Beach
    10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Wharf Ferris wheel
    Ten Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Dad and kids hunting crabs on Alabama's beaches
    Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast
    All Things to Do
    • Annual Events & Festivals
    • Community Events
    • Concerts
    • Events Calendar
    • Holiday Events
    • Live Music
    Hangout Music Festival
    Hangout Music Festival - Event Page
    Blue Angels
    Blue Angels
    Live Music
    Live Local Music
    All Events
    • Fan Favorites
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Food Trails
    • Recipes
    • Seafood
    Perch at The Lodge
    The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches
    Pouring a cup of coffee
    The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Cobalt the Restaurant Orange beach
    4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night
    All Restaurants
    • Order a Vacation Guide
      • Order a Printed Guide & Brochures
      • View e-Guide
      • All Order a Vacation Guide
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
      • Couples Newsletter
      • Destination Newsletter
      • Fishing Newsletter
      • Golf Newsletter
      • All eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Maps
    • Getting Here
    • Weather
    • Welcome Centers
    • Couples Getaway
    • Family Vacations
    • Beach Safety
    Gulf Shores, Alabama
    Nine Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Vacation
    Beach house kitchen
    5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation
    Dog Pond Lake Shelby
    Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation
    All Planning Tools
    • 10 Family Activities
    • 14 Public Beaches
    • 21 Rainy Day Activities
    • 5 Things I Learned From My Vacation
    • 8 Things to Know Before Your Vacation
    Couple biking on the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf Shores, AL
    Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels
    Teen friends on Sail Wild Hearts in Orange Beach, AL
    Six Teen-Approved Things to Do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
    Waterville USA
    5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach
    All Blogs
  • Deals
    All Deals
Meetings
  • Home
    All Home
    • Plan Your Conference
    • How Can We Help
    • Why Our Beach
    • Services
    • FAQs
    • Getting Here
    • Restaurants
    • Things to Do
    • Calendar of Events
    All Plan Your Conference
    • All Meeting Spaces
    • Unique Meeting Spaces
    • Accommodations
    All Meeting Spaces
  • Reunions & Weddings
    All Reunions & Weddings
    • Meeting Planner Toolkit
    All Toolkit
    • Connect With Us
    • Submit RFP
    • Subscribe Today
    All Contact Us
  • Stories
    All Stories
Sports
    • All Events
    • Book>Direct
    • Perfect Game World Series
    • Gulf Shores High School
    • Beach Races
    • Orange Beach High School
    All Events & Special Rates
    • All Restaurant Sponsors
    • On-the-Go Dining
    All Restaurants
    • All Attraction Sponsors
    All Attractions
  • Business Sponsors
    All Business Sponsors
  • Facilities
    All Facilities
    • Facility Info
    • Leisure Events
    • Our Services
    • Planner Toolkit
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter
    All Bring Your Event
  • Sponsors
    All Sponsors
  • Stories
    All Stories

Chicken dolphin don't squawk at food

A Part Of The What's Biting Series

July 29, 2020

I am always very cautious whenever I am writing or talking about dolphin fishing. I never want anyone to get the wrong idea of the species being targeted. Dolphin fish, also known as Mahi-Mahi or Dorado (the Spanish word for golden) are not to be confused with one of our most popular attractions at the beach – the dolphin that is a mammal.

Highly prized for their soaring leaps, beautiful colors and how great they taste, dolphin are always an offshore crowd pleaser. Dolphin are a unique fish in the Gulf of Mexico. They are one of the fastest-growing fish and usually live no more than four years. They can reproduce at a very young age, and since their time is limited, they are voracious eaters and always on the move.

Plenty of dolphin are caught in open water, but most are found near some type of structure. Weed lines or anything floating are prime locations to hold dolphin. Dolphin are prone to hit any lure you may have in your spread, but they also will make very quick work of a bait cooler of rigged ballyhoo. ‘Chicken dolphin’ are smaller, younger fish but no less hungry and can be found as close to the beach when the conditions are right.

Last week while trolling in about 450 feet of water, northwest of the one hundred fathom curve, I came across a what looked like a top to some type of wooden crate. It was probably two feet by two feet, but under it was a school of hundreds of chicken dolphin. I immediately marked the spot on my GPS and made one pass by the debris and hooked one on a lure.

Knowing the school wasn’t going to stray far, I then rigged up a spinning a reel to cast to the fish. Dolphin will hit anything from cut bait to any small, fast moving, preferably shiny lure. The key to catching multiple fish is to have multiple rods ready to go.

Once one fish is hooked, if you’ll leave that fish in the water. The rest of the school will stay with that fish. This allows you to make casts at the other fish in the school. Even if your boat drifts off whatever you found floating in the water, most times the school of fish will move with your boat.

While it is fun to catch them, how many will you feel like cleaning after your trip? On our last trip, we could have probably kept fifty fish, but my personal preference is to eat and give away fresh fish, not frozen, so I only kept ten. If you want some for the freezer, there is nothing wrong with that, but after cleaning ten when I got back to the dock I was certainly glad I didn’t have to clean anymore!

Mahi-Mahi Orange Beach
Plenty of dolphin (Mahi-Mahi) are caught in open water, but most are found near some type of structure.

Icon of a hotel
Find Your Perfect Place to Stay
Places to Stay Search Lodging Options
icon of a guide
Where Your Journey Begins
Order a Vacation Guide Order a Free Vacation Guide
Email icon
News from the Coast
Subscribe to Our E-Newsletter Subscribe to Our Enewsletter

Share This

Jim Cox
Jim Cox (1323 Posts)
Jim Cox is an avid inshore, offshore, and big game fisherman. He has twice qualified for the prestigious IGFA Offshore Championships in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. He is the past president of the Mobile…

You May Also Like

Bulls on the Beach

8 Things to do in September in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

Alabama Point Orange Beach

10 Fun Facts About the Gulf of Mexico

Wharf Ferris wheel

Ten Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

Surf Fishing Gulf Shores

Surf Fishing in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

Gulf Shores Museum

Exploring the History of Alabama's Gulf Coast

Shell Beach Orange Beach

10 Fun Facts About Orange Beach & Gulf Shores

Order a Vacation Guide Subscribe to our Enewsletter
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Logo
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Trip Ideas
  • Press
  • Partners
  • Responsible Tourism
  • 1-800-745-SAND
  • [email protected]
  • Privacy Policy
  • Linking Policy
  • Employment Opportunities
Copyright 2022 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. All rights reserved.
  • Order a Vacation Guide
  • Subscribe to Our Enewsletter
  • How can I help with your vacation?