Targeting Mahi During the Second Migration

In case you missed catching mahi off the Florida Keys in the course of the spring run, don’t fret. There’s a second alternative proper now—between August and October—when one other migration pushes by these waters.

A Second Season 

In recent times, anglers encountered constant and typically higher fishing for mahi within the Florida Keys starting in mid-August. This secondary migration peaks in September and continues into October, given gentle ­climate. College-size fish are typically bigger this time of yr. And there’s nonetheless a stable likelihood at cracking that 30-pound mark. What’s extra, the waters are far much less crowded. It’s considered one of my favourite occasions to focus on mahi within the Florida Keys.

Many imagine it is a new mahi season. Nonetheless, I’ve focused mahi off Key Largo this time of yr because the late Nineteen Seventies. I’ve ­picture ­albums stuffed with associates and myself with stable catches made in September, together with fish weighing greater than 30 kilos. This second mahi season rivals the primary run—and sometimes exceeds it ­just lately—given the strain on these fish and warming floor waters.

Outdated salts again within the day believed these mahi had been merely spring-run fish migrating again south and rounding the Florida Keys, fattened up a bit. Latest information now signifies it is a second migration developing from the Caribbean. Regardless, this time of yr has lengthy been established as a peak mahi interval all through the Florida Keys.

Tweaking Your Methods

Techniques for the second ­mahi season mirror conventional searches for weed traces, particles and birds. Nonetheless, birds skinny out throughout fall, making it more durable to find migrating fish. Operating-and-gunning is standard on this fishery in spring, however trolling turns into extra advantageous proper now.

Most of our early fall successes come on weed traces and scattered weeds wealthy with bait. I’ll cease by the floating construction and fan-cast a topwater plug such because the Rapala Magnum Xplode 130. If ­mahi are close to, they’ll clobber the plug or comply with it to the boat. That’s after we can use spin deal with to catch them.

If mahi don’t reply to the chugger, however the space appears promising, we’ll deploy a pair of flat traces and troll for half-hour. This tactic has confirmed very fruitful throughout this era. In a single occasion, YouTuber Erica Lynn and I dragged two baits alongside a bait-rich line and restricted out on mahi briefly order. If fish are hanging alongside a weed line, you possibly can rack up the numbers rapidly by placing out a full ­trolling unfold.

Observe the Flying Fish

Flying fish are an ignored indicator. Notice the zones the place they’re in, and troll if conventional floor findings are nonexistent. One caveat when fishing pockets of flying fish: Mahi typically selectively feed on them and ignore different choices. To crack that code, mimic the dimensions and coloration of those flyers together with your baits. For instance, if the flyers are small, we’ll troll small ballyhoo with tiny blue-and-silver skirts. If the flyers are massive, medium-size skirted ballyhoo get the nod. 

A newer benefit for mahi, particularly later within the season, is finding sturdy plankton concentrations. Fish Mapping, from SiriusXM Marine out there on Garmin, Simrad and Furuno shows, reveals the whereabouts and strengths of plankton fronts. Of all of the Fish Mapping options, I discover this essentially the most helpful. Robust plankton concentrations entice bait—together with flying fish. Given good bait concentrations, mahi and different gamefish must be round. I recall three distinct fall days when sturdy plankton fronts led us to ­mahi, with no different floor options round.

Learn Subsequent: The Significance of Defending Mahi

Backside Construction Issues 

If weeds, plankton fronts, rips or flyers coincide with deep damaged backside, you hit a gold mine. Even when no floor indicators exist, troll over deep backside constructions between 500 and 750 toes. Ought to the sting of the Gulf Stream or a filament from it wash over such backside, rips and nutrient-­wealthy upwellings typically end result. These nutrient zones entice forage and gamefish. A ROFFS Ocean Fishing Forecast Evaluation exhibits such ocean-circulation options and their relationships to offshore backside contours and constructions. I test these ­sources prior to each offshore journey.

As a basic rule when ­mahi fishing, maintain a number of spinning outfits rigged and prepared for schoolies. My spin-tackle buffet includes a chugger, a bucktail and a number of other live-bait hooks. Baits embody an entire ballyhoo (for bigger mahi), squid, ballyhoo chunks and native reside baits. 

To carry a college near the boat, hook just a few fish, go away them within the water, and maintain the boat transferring ahead slowly. Then, in assembly-­line order, hook one other ­mahi and proceed to boat one of many ­early ones. Maintain this tactic going till you’ve boated sufficient fish for you and the crew. After that, take pleasure in some catch-and-release fishing. Chum the college ­sometimes with just a few chunks of ballyhoo or reside pilchards.

The second mahi season has lengthy been my No. 1 time to catch them within the Florida Keys. In case you’re within the Keys when a magical push materializes, you’ll expertise the identical success.