Question for Tampa/Clearwater Offshore Anglers

[BWConquest]

I've been getting reports of Dolphin in our waters. I fish at 30 miles quite a bit and have yet to see Dolphin out there. I really want to get my hands on one. I have never caught one and want to make it happen.

Can anyone confirm (or deny) that Dolphin are reachable in a 25 footer leaving out of CW pass? Can anyone pass any double secret info on how I can catch one (or hopefully more)? Anything that has worked for you in this area.

Furthermore is there any way to target them here, or is it just a byproduct of pulling for Kings, etc. Should I even bother trying to target them.

Also, any techniques that have worked particularly well for Dolphin here? There are not many days where I see big weedlines out there. Can you bump troll stingers for them in Tampa/CW?

What is the minimum depth I need to get out there to target Dolphin specifically.

I'm well aware of how you guys in the Keyes and on the E. coast and how you guys catch them all the time. I'm really looking to hear directly from people in Tampa/Clearwater area that have themselves caught them and have first hand experience pulling in dolphin on their boats.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. As you can see I really want to get my hands (hooks) on some dolphin.

[gordo35]

I have seen them both here(launch out of Fort Desoto) and back home off of Mississippi in as shallow as 60', BUT the water has to be right- blue water, temp in their preferred range, etc. I have had a few come out from under the boat while anchored up bottom fishing but most of the ones I have caught have been off of floating structure. We caught about 20 last year off of an old strofoam marker buoy about 30 miles out using jigs.
If you see a large patch of grass, either troll it or pull up to it and throw live or chunk baits or jigs at it.

[bluewatermafia]

i fished with my uncle out of johns pass last summer. we ran out about 50 miles in his 24 seachaser and ran into some schoolies out there. they came up while we were bottom fishing. we threw some live greenies at them and put a couple in the boat. i don't think we would have been very productive if we had been hunting for them but they were a nice finish to a box full of red grouper and big mangos.

[spearfisher3122]

I am from Sarasota and I fish up your way quite a bit. Dolphin are out there but definitely a lot more rare than in the keys or on the east coast. We catch them on occasions but don't usually hunt for them around here. Like gordo and BW said, the waters have to be right and you need to look for weed lines or floating structures. More than likely if you go out hunting for them specifically you will probably come home empty handed more times than not. You might get lucky here and there but it is definitely going to be a challenge. If you decide to go out hunting for them make sure you are equipped to do some bottom fishing or king hunting as well so that you can at least come back with something.

Good luck.

[grouperkng]

I have cought them out here only a hand full of times. Mainly bottom fishing the shallowest was 75 ft w of clearwater. They were all very small. I just used jiggs as they came up to the boat. Out in the grounds you will have them around the boat in the morning sometimes if you leave your underwater lights on over night.

Friends have done well out around the steps but your not going to be taking a 25 ft boat out that far.

Best bet is to trailer down to the keys or the east coast. Fish was caught of big pine key with a good friend of mine.. 64 and change

Jon

[whitetrash34]

See them in the middle grounds regular, also south west towards the loop you can get into them good as well as blackfin marlin and sails.

[Prop Blast]

The dolphin are out there, just not in the quantity or quality that you will find off the east coast or in the Keys. Our west coast dolpin season is just getting started. June, July and August are the prime months.

They are found where the water is clean -- that may be 15 miles off the Clearwater/Sarasota area, or 80 miles. Some favorite spots to find them are at the western edge of Egmont Channel and "Tuna Alley" (an area coined by the late Capt Larry Hoffman) which is about 40-50 miles out of John's Pass at a headding of 240 degrees.

A lot of guys who find them do it as a "secondary" catch. They're anchored up over hardbottom grouper/snapper fishing and they show. You can "encourage" them to show by chumming with a combination of live bait and chunked dead bait. Don't chumm too much -- that'll just bring sharks. Keep a couple of 15lb or 20lb spinners ready with white bait or jigs and have a ball.

Finally, if you're desparate to catch dolphin, take a long weekend and trailer over to Stuart and put yourself up at the Priates Cove Resort, keeping your boat in the water at their marina.

PB

[TwentyFourSeven]

Run Southwest from Clearwater as far as you can safley go. 100' or deeper. Just anchor up bottom fish and chum.