Species › Global · Open Ocean & Worldwide › Mahi-Mahi
Saltwater · #25 most targeted in the US
Mahi-Mahi
Coryphaena hippurus · dorado, dolphinfish, dolphin
Photo: ZeWrestler · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
Overview
Mahi-mahi are among the most colorful fish in the sea: iridescent blue-green backs, golden-yellow sides flecked with blue spots, a long dorsal fin running almost the length of the body and a deeply forked tail. Males, called bulls, grow a tall, squared forehead; females, called cows, have a rounded head. Colors flash and fade in seconds when the fish is excited or dies. The smaller pompano dolphinfish (Coryphaena equiselis) is a separate species.
Mahi live in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide and are present off every US coast with warm water: the Gulf Stream from the Carolinas to the Keys, the Gulf of Mexico, Southern California and Baja in summer and fall, and year-round in Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. They are one of the fastest-growing fish known, reaching 20 pounds in a year and rarely living past four or five years, which makes them resilient to fishing pressure.
They are surface-oriented pelagic predators that hunt flying fish, small tuna, squid, juvenile jacks and the small fish living under sargassum weed lines, floating logs, pallets, kelp paddies and fish-aggregating buoys. Schools of small to mid-sized fish gather under anything floating; big bulls and cows travel in pairs or small groups along temperature breaks and rips. Water above about 70°F (21°C), blue color and floating structure are the three things to look for.
For anglers, mahi are the offshore fish that saves the day: when the marlin and tuna will not cooperate, a weed line usually holds dolphin that eat ballyhoo, chunks, jigs and flies and leap all over the ocean. Fast action, light tackle and some of the best fish on the grill make them the most popular bluewater species in Florida, Hawaii and the Gulf, and a 50-pound bull is a true trophy.
Where & when
Florida and the Gulf Stream peak from April through June as fish migrate north with the warming current, with a second run in fall; the northern Gulf and Mid-Atlantic canyons fish best in summer, Southern California sees mahi on kelp paddies in late summer and fall, and Hawaii has them year-round with a spring peak.
How to catch
Gear
Lures
Baits
Regulations
Dolphinfish are federally managed in the Atlantic and Gulf with a daily bag, a vessel limit and, in some states, a fork-length minimum; a saltwater license is required and rules differ by state and federal zone, with Hawaii and Pacific waters under separate management.
Records
IGFA all-tackle world record: 87 lb (39.46 kg) — Papagallo Gulf, Costa Rica, September 25, 1976 (Manuel Salazar). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.
Frequently asked
Is mahi-mahi the same as dolphin?
Yes. Mahi-mahi, dolphinfish and dorado are all names for Coryphaena hippurus, a fish, not the marine mammal. Mahi-mahi is the Hawaiian name adopted by restaurants to avoid the confusion; East Coast anglers still call them dolphin and Spanish speakers and West Coast anglers say dorado.
What is the difference between a bull and a cow mahi?
Bulls are males and develop a tall, blunt, nearly vertical forehead as they grow; cows are females and keep a rounded, sloping head. Bulls grow larger, and most fish over 40 pounds are bulls. Both show the same blue-green, gold and spotted coloring.
Where do you find mahi-mahi?
Under anything floating in warm blue water above about 70°F (21°C): sargassum weed lines, logs, pallets, kelp paddies, buoys and oil rigs. Look along color changes and current rips offshore and watch for frigatebirds working flying fish, which mahi are usually chasing.
How fast do mahi-mahi grow?
Extremely fast. Mahi can reach 15–20 pounds within a year of hatching and spawn several times a year starting at a few months old, which is why the stock withstands heavy fishing. Few live past four or five years, and even the 60–80 pound giants are only a few years old.
Bite forecast — Mahi-Mahi
Recent catches
Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Mahi-Mahi.