Best Florida Fishing Spots for Mahi Mahi (Dolphin)

man holding fish — (Image courtesy of Canaveral Offshore Adventures (Cape Canaveral) & Fishing Booker)

Mahi Mahi are one of the most prized gamefish in Florida waters. Their numbers in Florida waters offer seasonal quality fishing that brings anglers from around the world. Spring and summer seem to be the best seasons for this fish.

The best fishing spots for mahi mahi in Florida are St. Augustine, Stuart, Port Canaveral, Key West, and Jacksonville Beach with April through September being the best seasons.

Storms offshore during the spring and summer can drive mahi mahi closer to Florida coastal waters making for much better fishing close to shore. In this article, we will dig deep into the best fishing spots for mahi mahi (dophin) and explore more area-focused tips and recommendations to help you catch more fish.

For a complete guide to the best mahi mahi fishing seasons in Florida, please check out this helpful article.

Best Spots for Mahi Mahi Fishing in Florida

Cape Canaveral

One of the best spots in Florida for Mahi Mahi fishing is definitely Cape Canaveral. There are a variety of access points around the city with plenty of lodging everywhere you look around. If you’re traveling from afar, the Orlando Melbourne International Airport is located just 27 miles south of the destination.

Onshore fishing still has plenty of action. You can go off beach for plenty of bites almost year-round or on the other side of the isthmus.

But for more successful experiences, deep-sea fishing would be the way to go. If you don’t have a boat, there are an endless amount of charters around the city.

This highly active fishing is caused by a “Mahi run” around May each year. The Mahi run is a migration process the fish take around September and then see Florida around the beginning of spring. They will travel in giant schools making them so abundant.

Spacefishrepots.com is a highly credible report center for fishing, and for the month of May it said “The bites are endless”.

The reason this “Mahi run” is so effective to the area is that Port Canaveral has an amazing underwater habitat consisting of underwater reefs and vegetation. This area has built a reputation as developing big dolphin in bigger numbers.

Recommended Mahi Mahi Charters in Port Canaveral

The following charters have proven to be among the very best mahi mahi charters operating out of Cape Canaveral. These charters have built a reputation and track record of delivering consistent fishing action for big dolphin.

The following links will take you to each charter’s respective page on Fishing Booker where you can read angler reviews, learn more about these charters & captain, and book your fishing trip for the lowest price.

St. Augustine

Another significant game holder in Florida is St. Augustine. Much like Cape Canaveral, this is a passway for the Mahi Mahi along with a variety of other sportfish. St. Augustine has a range of diverse opportunities like deep sea, surf, pier, and bridge fishing, plus freshwater.

This is due to the surrounding Matanzas river. You can take dozens of big charters, or draft boat rides through the river or the Atlantic ocean. Also like Cape Canaveral, St. Augustine has plenty of private access points, lodging, airport, etc.

The two are incomparable and are sure to leave with an unforgettable fishing experience. St. Augustine is possibly the 2nd best mahi mahi destination in Florida waters and many would argue it should be #1.

Recommended Mahi Mahi Charters in St. Augustine

The following charters have proven to be among the very best mahi mahi charters operating out of St. Augustine. These charters have built a reputation and track record of delivering consistent fishing action for big dolphin.

Stuart

Stuart is one of the best mahi mahi locations within Florida waters. The coastal currents and weedline presence can draw in dolphin from miles away. This area holds mahi mahi from Spring through September and some big bulls are caught here every season.

There are plenty of great guides and outfitters out of Stuart that can put you on great mahi mahi and other pelagic fish action. This is one of the hidden gems on the Florida coast and mahi mahi will come closer to shore, especially following storm action during summer.

Recommended Mahi Mahi Charters in Stuart

The following charters have proven to be among the very best mahi mahi charters operating out of Stuart. These charters have built a reputation and track record of delivering consistent fishing action for big dolphin. The following links will take you to each charter’s respective page on Fishing Booker where you can read angler reviews, learn more about these charters & captain, and book your fishing trip for the lowest price.

Jacksonville Beach

Located in the north of Florida miles from Georgia, this coastal area lies along the Atlantic Ocean. Because of it’s proximity to the Gulf Stream, it gets warmer water pushing up from the Gulf of Mexico and Bahamas which pushes weeds nearshore.

These weeds and floating debris provide excellent hiding for baitfish like squid and ballyhoo which dolphin target. Jacksonville Beach is often overlooked by anglers but it does offer very good seasonal mahi mahi action. The peak season for these fish in Jacksonville Beach is April through August with July usually the best month.

Recommended Mahi Mahi Charters in Jacksonville Beach

The following charters have proven to be among the very best mahi mahi charters operating out of Jacksonville Beach. These charters have built a reputation and track record of delivering consistent fishing action for big dolphin.

Key West

Key West and the Florida Keys in general are one of the top fishing destinations in Florida. Mahi mahi can be found in these shallow waters from May through July in most seasons. If the summer is unseasonably warm, mahi mahi may push out and up the coast sooner and depart in June.

Due to the position of this island in Gulf of Mexico, it is highly susceptible to storms and current from the Gulf Stream. These factors stir up nutrients, push weeds close to shore, and accumulate a ton of baitfish in nearshore waters. This produces a rich environment for mahi mahi and other pelagic fish to grow big.

Big bull dolphin are commonly caught in Key West in the months of May and June. There are endless guides and charters that will put you on the fish in these waters. Tuna and sailfish fishing is also great in this area.

Recommended Mahi Mahi Charters in Key West

The following charters have proven to be among the very best mahi mahi charters operating out of Key West. These charters have built a reputation and track record of delivering consistent fishing action for big dolphin. The following links will take you to each charter’s respective page on Fishing Booker where you can read angler reviews, learn more about these charters & captain, and book your fishing trip for the lowest price.

Better Mahi Mahi Fishing: Gulf Coast vs. Atlantic Coast

The question needs to be asked, which coast of Florida offers better mahi mahi fishing? Both Cape Canaveral and St. Augustine are located on the Atlantic side of Florida. In my opinion and others, the Atlantic coast offers much better mahi mahi fishing than the gulf coast.

In some areas, you get more pelagic territory within just a few nautical miles or could get something right off the shore. This is where the mahi mahi and all bigger pelagics are located. Because the gulf coastal waters are a lot shallower, your chances for big mahi mahi near Florida go way down.

The gulf side of Florida offers a very different habitat and water depths. This is due to the continental shelf. Its arrangement causes most of the sea level to be 30 to 300 feet deep. Therefore you would be getting more bottom fish species if you were to cast on this side.

So if you are looking for more of an entertaining and successful experience, the Atlantic side would be your best option.

For a complete breakdown of the best seasons, times, and weather conditions to catch mahi mahi in the Florida Keys, check out this helpful article I wrote.

How to Catch Mahi Mahi in Florida Waters

Regardless of the Florida coast you choose, knowing how to target and catch dolphin is important. The following tips will help you:

You’ll need a deep-sea rod, I recommend the brand PENN because of their durability. These rods are a bit more expensive but you definitely get what you pay for when you’re investing in them.

Florida is notorious for extreme thunderstorms, hurricanes, etc. These storms push a lot of weedlines to the coast, which is where dolphin tend to dwell. Baitfish mahi mahi feed on will congregate in these floating weeds.

If there is no weedline in the area you are in, just try to find some sort of floating structure. This could be something like driftwood, balloons, or tangled buoys. They are very curious and high surfaced fish, so anything floating alone in the open sea will draw them in.

Due to Florida’s unpredictable weather, the ocean is affected almost all of the time. A sudden change in temperatures and strong or rip currents after a storm can bring mahi mahi into a feeding mood. In areas where the water temperature is falling, baitfish and mahi mahi will be present. These are great places to target these fish in Florida waters.

Cut or whole squid and ballyhoo are among the most effective natural bait for mahi mahi in this state’s coastal waters. If you go with lures, opt for pinks or blues as these colors seem most effective according to various fishing reports from the past few seasons.

The last tip is for the special occasion of a “dolphin frenzy”. This occurs when a school of mahi mahi blow up bait balls near your boat at the water’s surface. If you find such a scene, keep casting until the surface action stops as this can be the most exciting mahi mahi fishing you can find in Florida waters.

Best Times to Catch Mahi Mahi in Florida

The best times to catch mahi mahi in Florida waters is spring through September as these fish migrate through and the influx of storms push bait-attracting weedlines closer to shore. Mahi mahi will eat day or night but oftentimes the night is the best for hot action.

The moon plays a major role in nighttime action. Full moons will have better fishing due to added visibility whereas a new moon or cloudy night will be very slow.