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Mahi mahi are some of the most fun fish to catch, especially when you encounter a school of them. We’ve had all of our rods hook up at the same time, leading to a frantic but exciting battle with multiple mahi mahi at once! But how do you catch mahi mahi trolling, and what are the best lures for mahi mahi?
Glad you asked! In this article, we’ll go over our top 7 best lures for mahi mahi as well as talk about how to fish for mahi mahi without a guide. If you know the best practices for catching mahi mahi they are quite easy to catch.
We’ll also go over what to look for when fishing for mahi mahi, along with details on the best lures for mahi mahi. We’ll cover sizing, colorways, and speed, along with the proper trolling technique for mahi mahi.
Let’s get started.
The 7 Best Lures for Mahi Mahi
1. MagBay 9 Inch Mahi Mahi Lure
Our number one best lure for mahi mahi is the MagBay 9 Inch Mahi Mahi Lure. This brand of lures just kills pelagic fish, and mahi mahis are included. We listed the MagBay 9 Inch Mahi Mahi Lure’s 12 inch cousin in our list of the best lures for striped marlin as well.
We recommend getting the MagBay 9 Inch Mahi Mahi Lure in either blue or green for mahi mahi. The brand’s sticker is strategically placed on the lure to imitate an eye. This lifelike addition proves irresistible to hungry mahi mahi.
2. Ballyhoo 12 Inch BallyBay Lure
Our number two best lure for mahi mahi is the Ballyhoo 12 Inch BallyBay Lure. The Ballyhoo 12 Inch BallyBay Lure has caught more pelagic fish for us than any other lure on the market, period. Its weighted design gives it the most natural action that mahi mahi simply can’t resist.
We recommend getting several Ballyhoo 12 Inch BallyBay Lures in both the blue and green colors for mahi mahi. The great thing about the Ballyhoo 12 Inch BallyBay Lure is that it works well for other species as well, so you have a chance of catching a marlin or spearfish too.
3. Capt Jay Fishing Daisy Chain 6.5 Inch Lure
Last on our list is the Capt Jay Fishing Daisy Chain 6.5 Inch Lure. We couldn’t put together a best pelagic fish lure list without having at least one Capt Jay lure on it! Capt Jay makes quality lures for all species of pelagic fish, including black marlin, albacore tuna, and sailfish.
We like to use a Capt Jay Fishing Daisy Chain 6.5 Inch Lure in the water when we’re going for multiples species – the smaller size of this lure also works great for wahoo and tuna too. It’s a great all-purpose trolling lure that deserves a spot on your boat. It’s also relatively affordable compared to some of the other lures on our list.
4. KMUcutie 9 inch Trolling Lure
The KMUcutie 9 inch Trolling Lure set is our bulk choice for the best mahi mahi lures. While the construction of the KMUcutie 9 inch Trolling Mahi Mahi Lure is not as solid as the other lures on our list, you cannot beat the price. And if you have ever lost a larger lure because you got snagged, you know the pain of losing a $30 to $40 lure!
The KMUcutie 9 inch Trolling Lure set is also a great choice for beginner mahi mahi fishermen. Learn what not to do using this lure, because if you lose one or two it doesn’t hurt as bad. The KMUcutie 9 inch Trolling Mahi Mahi Lure is also a great choice if you are fishing for other species along with mahi mahi, such as yellowfin tuna.
5. Boone Mahi Jet Rigged 6.5 Inch Lure
Several of our best friends who fish for mahi mahi on the regular swear by using the Boone Mahi Jet Rigged 6.5 Inch Lure. The best part is it is the cheapest trolling lure on our list! You can buy several Boone Mahi Jet Rigged 6.5 Inch Lures for the price of one Ballyhoo or MagBay lure.
We recommend always having a few Boone Mahi Jet Rigged 6.5 Inch Lures on hand in case you want to add an additional rod in the water. These are also great lures for Wahoo.
6. Krazywolf Fully Rigged Big Game Daisy Bird Lure
The Krazywolf Fully Rigged Big Game Daisy Bird Lure is a great choice if you’re looking for an alternative mahi mahi trolling lure. It is constructed with several small hoochie squids instead of one large one. Sometimes mahi mahi find this design more tempting than one large lure.
These also work great for Big Eye Tuna.
Buy a couple of sets of the Krazywolf Fully Rigged Big Game Daisy Bird Lure to try out next time you go mahi mahi fishing. We’ve found the pink colorway of the Krazywolf Fully Rigged Big Game Daisy Bird Mahi Mahi Lure to work best.
7. JIOUDAO Big Game Fishing Mahi Mahi Lure Set
Last on our list in the JIOUDAO Big Game Fishing Mahi Mahi Lure Set. This set of lures looks very similar to several other sets you can find online, however it is priced slightly less. And our friends that have fished it say there isn’t any difference!
The JIOUDAO Big Game Fishing Mahi Mahi Lure Set comes with six different lures all in the 9 inch size. We recommend fishing the green and blue colorways first for mahi mahi, then using the other colors if you don’t see any action. These also are great for Blackfin Tuna.
How to Fish for Mahi Mahi
Now that you know which lures are best for mahi mahi, we wanted to quickly go over how to fish for mahi mahi. Catching a pelagic takes a ton of work and resources. We want to set you up for success as easily as possible.
Tips and Trick for Catching Mahi Mahi
Here are our top tips and tricks for mahi mahi. We’ve learned these from years of fishing on our own as well as with guides.
- Catching mahi mahi is about covering water as much as possible. What do we mean by that? We mean that in order to catch mahi mahi you need to get your lure in front of them. Since mahi mahi are pelagic fish, they can cover many miles of water per day. So as a fisherman, they can be hard to find. The best way to combat this is to cover as much water as you can for as long as you can. Mahi mahi are also schooling fish, which means once you find them you’ll be set for the day. It is not uncommon to suddenly have three mahi mahi hooked up at once.
- Troll your lures at around 7 knots. This speed works well for many types of fish (like Sailfish), including mahi mahi. If you aren’t catching any fish, we recommend slowing down a half knot to see if that can entice a mahi mahi bite.
- Get multiple lures in the water. Along those lines (pun intended), you should have as many lures in the water as you legally can have. This allows you to present different colors to the fish and give them multiple chances to find something they like. Plus if you hit a school of mahi mahi, you’ll be best prepared to hook as many as you can!
- Once you’ve found them, stay there. Once you have found a school of mahi mahi, turn the boat around and keep hitting the same area. Don’t go somewhere else if you have found fish! Look for schools of birds or baitfish jumping as a tell tale sign (it helps to have proper fishing sunglasses too!)
What Depth Do You Catch Mahi Mahi?
Mahi mahi typically live at depths slightly over 100 feet to over 300 feet. As we mentioned earlier, mahi mahi are schooling fish that tend to hang out in the spot together. We like to troll back and forth while gradually getting into deeper water.
This maximizes the chance that if there is a school nearby, you will troll right through it. And as we said before, if you find fish don’t leave that area! It’s the most common mistake novice mahi mahi fishermen make.
What Does Mahi Mahi Taste Like?
Mahi Mahi tastes a lot like other white meat pelagic fish. It has firm meat with little fat and small flakes. Many fishermen consider it similar to swordfish, marlin, or wahoo. We like to prepare our mahi mahi steaks on the grill with a light rub.
Author Note: Teriyaki sauce, salt and pepper, or simply butter and lemon are all delicious with mahi mahi. The most important thing about preparing mahi mahi is to cook it while it is fresh. If you can, try grilling some on the boat after you catch it!
Conclusion
Mahi mahi are easier to catch than other species of pelagic fish because of their higher numbers. But you still need to know how to fish for them as well as what equipment to use. We hope after reading this article you now know how to better fish for mahi mahi as well as what the best lures for mahi mahi are.
As with all species of fish, we recommend going out with a professional guide for your first time fishing for them. This will allow you to learn techniques from the best which you can then use the next time you go out on your own. There’s no shame in taking a tip or two from a pro!
We hope you enjoyed learning more about mahi mahi! If you have your own favorite lure we didn’t mention feel free to let us know about it in the comments below
Happy Hunting!
