How To Choose A Mahi Mahi Lure For More Fish
As one of the prettiest and tastiest fish in the entire sea, the Mahi mahi is truly a saltwater lure fishermen’s dream. Fishing for dorado with lures is a sport that is effective and fun. They will readily hit a variety of different offerings and presentations. Many anglers choose to bring one type of lure with them to catch all of their fish. Others choose to bring an entire box or bag of different approaches to target these fish. Either way, both catch Mahi. The best Mahi mahi lures generally have a few notable characteristics and the best ones in the bag can vary from day to day. It is really up to you to try them all out to see which ones work best to target this fish.
As the days and weeks go on, you will generally find that certain baits may work better in certain areas as well as at certain times of the year. Other times, you will find the fish and can catch limits on multiple patterns. Always make sure to fish the weed lines, structure, and cover when you are after them. Most of the fish you will catch will be chasing the baitfish around into trees, weeds, and other disturbances. Also, make sure to check that your fishing lures have a few key features that will help you catch fish easier. We have a few choices of baits that really do catch fish.
Lure Design Is Key
The easiest mistake to make when choosing a lure is to select the wrong design. What preferences the fish have tend to vary. Usually though, a plastic jig or squid bait streamer with a silicone skirt will work well to get them to bite in most places. They can also be taken on crankbaits, poppers, spinners, and jigging spoons. Depending on the depth that the fish are swimming at, you may need to choose a lure design to successfully fish the strike zone.
Always Choose The Right Color
Matching the hatch is absolutely critical if you want to be successful. Okay, it isn’t but that doesn’t mean that one color will not outperform another on any given day. There are great color options to try out first. Aside from matching the natural forage in the water try using mackerel, anchovy, pink and white, green and yellow, and white and purple to start off with. If those don’t work, tie on a different lure style and try out the same colors. Color can make or break fishing.
Make Sure It Targets the Right Depth
There are many lures that are designed to target different depths of the water column. This can make or break your fishing success. Dorado are blue water fish which means they usually can be found swimming around 121 below sea level. Because of this, it is always best to use a diving fishing lure rather than a topwater one. You will almost never find them near the surface so make sure that you do not have any floating baits tied on. All of the baits dive deep below sea level.
1. Squidnation Slammer Chugger
Probably the most effective way to catch mahi is to use a chugger head. There are many brands out there and they all work. That is not really a topic to travel into to “deep”. Anyways, we believe the Slammer Chugger from Squidnation is one of those baits that is versatile, effective, and easy to use. It dives deep enough to get down to where the fish are and the “chugging” action really does work to attract big bites. There are a trio of colors to choose from which also makes choosing a fishing lure that much easier. The low price is also something to consider.
2. Chasebaits Ultimate Squid
When the fish are not feasting on and filling their bellies full of delicious baitfish, dolphinfish are getting fat by eating good old fashioned, ocean-salted, calamari. With his in mind, the squid is a primary food source and lures that imitate them are some of the best you can use. The Chasebaits Ultimate Squid is the perfect representation of a natural squid and it even swims the same. There are two different sizes that can be used. One is over five inches and the other is over seven inches. Both work well and they are inexpensive too. With three colors, its a must-have.
3. Squidnation Rubber Bullet
The Squidnation Rubber Bullet is a cousin to the slammer but it comes with a pointed head that allows it to glide through the water better. It also has a lip around the base behind the head if you want to tie hair around it. This is so you can turn it into a bucktail jig or squid rig. This also makes it extremely easy to rig live bait such as ballyhoo on a circle hook. There are a few colors to choose from and its already very effective by itself. You can also turn it into a compound rig by positioning it on to a daisy chain rig. We also love the modest price tag for what you get.
4. Williamson Ballyhoo Combo
Many live bait fishermen that target these fish use many baits but the most popular one is the ballyhoo. The ballyhoo is a forage fish to dorado and having a bait that can match it can be really beneficial to your success. The Williamson Ballyhoo Combo mixes two of the most effective ways of catching dorado into one fishing lure. The bait mixes the chugger head style which is the most effective and also throws on an artificial ballyhoo body for good measure. The result is a lure that you should always have with you if you are stuck between choosing one over the other.
5. Offshore Anglers Daisy Chain
For everyone who needs a little more profile and presentation in the water, the right choice is a daisy chain. The Offshore Anglers Daisy Chain is a rig that is full of squid baits. They work best for when your trolling your boat although they can still be casted with practice. It looks exactly like a school of baitfish or squid swimming through the water. You can also replicate rigs like these by making them yourself. The idea is that the fish will see the lures swimming through the water and they will attack the trailing one which is usually also the biggest. Its very effective.
6. Got-Cha Cedar Plug Daisy Chain
Cedar Plugs are a very bland but very effective bait choice. You wouldn’t think that fish will bite an unpainted piece of wood with a hook in it but they still do. After that discovery many years ago, the cedar plug is still one of the most popular mahi-mahi baits in the tackle boxes of anglers today. The Got-Cha Cedar Plug Daisy Chain is a rig that combines one of the most popular lures and equips it on a daisy chain rig which is great for causing reaction and feeding strikes. It comes in a few colors too if you want something to better match the forage.
7. Billy Baits Turbo Slammer
The turbo Slammer is one of those fishing lures that will see everybody using. It is very popular and this is for a good reason. They just work. They come in a decent amount of colors and the action on them is just excellent. Most anglers that you find that catch this species will have at least one Turbo Slammer tied on. Although they are great by themselves already, they also make incredible baits to rig onto the end of a daisy chain rig. They are inexpensive, effective, and available almost everywhere. If your going to get some baits, try them out.
8. LiveTarget Shrimp
Shrimp is yet another universal bait choice for the saltwater angler. The LiveTarget Shrimp is really one for realism. It has a soft plastic body and even mimics the limbs and natural movements of real shrimp. This lure is pretty much a jighead coupled with a very pretty soft plastic bait. Because of this, all you have to do is cast it out and let it drop down to the depth that you want to fish at. Most predators will hit it as it falls before it even gets to the bottom. It has one hook but it can also be modified to hold a trailer hook or a treble if desired.
9. Rapala X-Rap Magnum Slashbait
I don’t normally see a whole lot of people that like to throw the Rapala X-Rap when the fish are aggressive. The X-Rap is a deep diving jerkbait that attracts almost all species of predator game fish. Coupled with the classic Rapala wobble and sharp VMC fishing hooks, the x-rap also have a deep diving lip that lets it run deeper when allowed. The magnum version is great for trolling for big fish when they are reacting to their environment. The X-rap is one of those baits that comes in every color under the sun and can be found almost everywhere. Try one out.
10. Offshore Angler Island Popper
The popper can be an extremely deadly presentation for when the fish are hitting topwater. Popping surface disturbers like the Offshore Angler Island Popper make for a very effective presentation. You can also troll them at deep depths to get explosive reaction strikes from bigger fish. This particular popper comes in four colors, two weights, and two lengths so that you can match the forage in the area easily. Try throwing them on a big rod with a stiff leader for the best results. Another good addition is that you may also catch other fish on it too.
So What Are The Best Mahi Mahi Lures That Catch Fish?
To summarize, the best lures for Mahi-mahi are the ones that you put in front of them. No fishing lure can ever substitute finding the fish and catching dorado is no different. The dolphinfish may be a little choosy when it comes to baits but every fish does this. All in all, you will have to bring a lot of baits with you so you can see what you are successful on. Try a lot of these fishing lures out until you find one that works. When you find it, keep using that same bait and bring it different colors next time.
Absolutely attack those weed lines whenever you see them and never forget to chase the bait around so you can find the fish. Practice is the key. Do you agree with our list? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts.