Mahi ?s

[MichaelScott87]

I'm headed to Nags Head the week of july 4th. I'm bringing my 23' CC and wanna do some dolphin fishing. Which inlet is easier to get out of hatteras or oregon? How far out will I have to go from each one? I know I've heard reports of dolphins being farely close to shore is this still the case? I don't have outriggers so I'm gonna run 6 lines, 2 on each side and 2 down the middle. What line lengths should I be running. Should I run my back 2 as flat lines? As you can see I have quite a few ?s as I've fished quite a few times on charter boats but never had mine out for anything more than cobia and spanish. Any help would be appreciated.

[TAT-TUNA]

Both Inlets can be tuff...but I would say Hatteras for ya and follow someone out..be ready to go at 5:30 at teachs lair..now as for you spread and 6 lines depends on the wind..you will be fine with 6 just on a light wind day...

.................................................. ..................... long/ blue & white

................................flat./daisy chain pink

.................................................. .................................................. .middle/hot pink

...................flat/ naked

.................................................. .short/daisy chain pink or blue & white

stagger your lines with out rigger this way less tangles

run a a few daisy chains to make your spread look bigger hot pink 4 1/2 inch squid skirts 5 on a chain kill the mahi..
this is what I would do...good luck catchem up..

[Ben S]

Hatteras is probably more straightforward but will be rough with a strong south or southeasterly wind and outgoing tide. Oregon Inlet is not bad if you watch the channel markers and leave yourself a gps trail to follow back. Don't worry about running the crack and don't psyche yourself out. Last time out I just took the main marked channel on purpose..no problem. OI will be rough on a North or North east wind and outgoing tide. Lot of water runs through there so maintain your power at the Bonner bridge and/or follow a charter out. Don't cut the bouys too shallow after you get over the bar as you may get onto breakers on the shoals. Just take your time and head on out towards the C bouy if you want to play it safe.

Warmer water and weeds will probably be closer in Hatteras.


Easiest thing to find temp break is go to Rutgers online and get their free Satellite sea surface temps and check ones from early in the morning to get an idea where the temp break is. The afternoon shots are fooled by the sun warming the water during the day.

Mahi like water temps between 72 and 80 degrees and they love a weedline because it usually holds bait. So ride east or southeast until you find warm cobalt blue water and weedlines. When you arrive put out your spread and look for signs of life...flying fish, tiny fish on the weeds, etc. Expect to run to the point...40 miles or so. Get a Captain Seagulls map as it will show major fishing structures and give you Loran numbers and GPS numbers to see where you are.

Keep your lures simple medium ballyhoo on sea witches trolled in any position you like....see where you get the most hits and adjust accordingly. Dolphin love meat. Make sure they swim well and run them far enough back that they swim under the surface. Get someone to show you how to rig one before you go out and how to solve the simple problems. Helicoptering....etc. Bring plenty of rubber bands.

Be prepared for the chicken mahi (5 to 10lbs or so) as they can save a trip. Have 2 or 3 light spinning rods...15 to 30lb test with a 50lb leader and a circle hook or J hook say 5/0 to 7/0 or small 1/4 oz white/pink/green bucktail jigs tipped with bait or not tipped ready to cast. If you find chickens then try to bail them...ie keep one hooked and then hook up another then bring the hooked one in. That keeps the school near the boat. Eventually they wise up and move on.

Bring a gaff and plenty of ice.

Of course make sure you have the Tuna Permit and all the necessary safety gear for offshore fishing.

Ben

[gary49]

If you want Mahi, Hatteras is where you want to go. It just doesn't make sense to go out of OI with the long run when you can trailer another hour and find Mahi (sometimes) a few minutes out of the inlet, as in at the Tug Wreck. We have had very good results heading up toward the Smell Wreck and fishing anything that looks promising. That is out of the stream, but you will find blue water, weed and bait up there generally. The Smell wreck is roughly 17 miles from the Sea Buoy at Hatteras. Pink is the hot color in summer at Hatteras. Mahi like meat, but bite anything when they are in the mood. The other thing is that you never know what you will find out of Hatteras. Definitely want to pull a planer and a Drone Spoon, because Wahoo and Kings are good possibilities. We caught a really nice Sailfish a few years back 14 miles out of the inlet in that general direction. Hatteras tides are interesting to say the least, the outgoing will run at least a couple of hours past low tide, so watch it whenever the wind has any South in it or there are swells from the South. Good luck, it ought to be big fun.

[fishduck]

OI is much easier to run. If conditions are right the fishing will be as good as HI. You can run out to C tower and fool with some AJs and there should be good Mahi fishing with a fair chance with a Tuna.

Good Luck,
Fishduck