Preparing Frozen Ballyho for Trolling Dolphin & How do u Bleed a Dolphin

[etqglenn]

I have read several articles on the subject. Each article talks a lot about using sea salt on the bellyto keep the bait from becoming mushy.While the articles mention using baking soda as well, they do not talk about how much/where/when to use it. Any inputand/or astep by step processs for keeping the bait fresh would be appreciated.

Also, do you bleed a dolphin like a tuna once it hits the deck?

[happyfisherman]

The dolphin will bleed nicely all over without any effort on your part.

[JBW]

There is a write up on how to bleed a fish in this months saltwatar sportsman magazine. The article simply says cut the fish's throat from one pectoral fin to the other. never tried it myself, but will give it a shot next time. As far as frozen ballyhoo, I would just thaw them out in the package in a bucket of saltwater. once thawed prepair the bait then put them in a cooler but not directly on the ice. In the cooler you can add brine mix to the ice.

[OutOfTheLoop]

If we pre-rig baits, we will brine them with a mixture of deionized salt (Sea or Kosher) and baking soda as they rest in the cooler tray over night. (a medium sprinkling only, like sugar on cereal) We usually will only go through that trouble during tournaments; else, we will thaw and rig baits as needed. When we are rigging as we need them, I’ll throw a thawed pack of bait into a 5gal bucket of saltwater/ice slurry.

I’ve never not bled a Phin, and had a problem with the meat. Tuna, absolutely, Wahoo, Phins, never unless we catch them in the first day of an over-nighter, just keep them packed in ice.

On day trips, I’m adding a 5gal bucket or two of seawater to the fish box ice. It keeps down the slime that oozes out of the skin and the fish are keeping more of their color.

[ccat]

Best way to bleed a dolphin is stick a gaff in them, throw them in the bottom of your boat and 2 minutes later your boat will look like you've been killing pigs, after chasing them from bow to stern while they are flopping and throwing blood on everything including your t-top throw them on ice and proceed on to the next fish.

[Tireless]

happyfisherman - 8/16/2006 3:26 PM

The dolphin will bleed nicely all over without any effort on your part.

Roger that! I have ruined more white t-shirts with phin splatter than I care to remember.

[OutOfTheLoop]

Whoops, double post.

[OutOfTheLoop]

happyfisherman - 8/16/2006 3:26 PM

The dolphin will bleed nicely all over without any effort on your part.

Unless you're in a kayak

[Cracker]

OutOfTheLoop - 8/17/2006 9:12 AM

Unless you're in a kayak

While I have heard of people being transported out to offshore grounds then kayak fishing for offshore species...I dont think thats too much of an issue...Course there is probably an idiot out there right now trying to catch a grander from a yak..Go figure

[Clam_Alert]

ccat - 8/17/2006 9:57 AM

Best way to bleed a dolphin is stick a gaff in them, throw them in the bottom of your boat and 2 minutes later your boat will look like you've been killing pigs, after chasing them from bow to stern while they are flopping and throwing blood on everything including your t-top throw them on ice and proceed on to the next fish.

An old trick is to pour a good dose of beer down the dolphin's throat when getting it to the boat, which will immobilize/kill it almost immediately. Although it wastes beer, it avoids the bloodbath that ccat notes. I would use this trick for the handful of gaffer dolphin picked up while tuna or marlin fishing, but it's too much of hassle and expense for peanuts which get thrown right in the box.

P.S. The dolphin's I've caught haven't really seemed to have a beer preference

[Glenn]

Best advice for your bait is to buy quality baits from someone like Baitmasters. Pay the extra money/shipping...then the extra prep work is not really needed. IF I prep them the night before, I will sprinkle the belly with Koser salt/baking soda or Bionic Brine. I will do this if for some reason the bait is "suspect". But honestly, Baitmasters baits are bulletproof...right out of the bag. Just thaw them slowly and you're in business.

Good luck!

Glenn

ps - I would never waste BEER on a dolphin - ha ha

[djwhitman]

I second that Glenn. But we've been burned early in our offshore fishing days and are now paranoid so use the bionic brine everytime anyway. Are there any NEGATIVES to using bionic? I usually like to prep at least 2 dozen baits the night before and then slide on skirts as the conditions warrant and it seems to make the baits really last. I'm not sure where to get those hoos around here.... Good advice though, it's near impossible to make mush swim huh?

I also second the 'bleeding' a phin thing, nuttin like a gaff and the bottom of the boat to bleed one all over everything. Took my daughter for her first offshore trip(11 yo) and we caught 31, 25 of them gaffers.... also the washdown quit on about the 3rd fish.... my god.. you've never seen suck a mess. We had her gaffing, rigging, wiring(smaller fish), hoisting, unhooking, icing down and carrying mahi all day.... she was SSSOO upset at the dock,, when i asked her the problem, she said, "Mom's gonna kill me, how can I ever get all this blood and crap outta my clothes and HAIR"... 1 1/2 minutes later she was asleep.... also caught 2 coolers of snappers and such, left dock at 3:30am, back at 8pm.. lol.... We're still cleaning the boat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Catch'm up!!
DJ Whitman