Mahi travel in schools, and when one gets hooked, the rest often follow it to the boat. With the right approach, you can catch several fish from the same school instead of one. Here is how to keep the action going.
Leave the first fish in the water
The most important rule: do not bring the first hooked mahi aboard right away. Keep it in the water near the boat. The rest of the school will usually stay close to it.
Have pitch rods ready
Keep two or three spinning rods rigged with small hooks and ready to go. Bait them with chunks of ballyhoo, squid, or cut fish.
Pitch baits to the school
Cast baits near the hooked fish and the school. Mahi will often compete for baits. As soon as one is hooked, keep it in the water and repeat.
Chum lightly
Toss a few small chunks of bait in the water to hold fish near the boat. Do not overdo it; you want fish hungry enough to eat your hooked baits.
Always keep one fish in the water
Before you boat a fish, make sure another is hooked and in the water. This keeps the school interested.
Clear the trolling lines
When the first fish bites, clear the other trolling lines to avoid tangles with hooked fish circling the boat.
Know when to stop
Mahi can be caught quickly when a school is fired up. Keep only what you need and stay within current bag limits. Release smaller fish quickly and carefully.
Where to find schools
Schools often hold around weed lines and floating debris. See how to fish weed lines offshore and where to find mahi.
After the bite
Once you have your fish, put them on ice right away. See how to clean mahi.
