Left Rudee on Dawn Patrol at 5:00am, just me and the captain, heading for the 30 fathom line east of the Fingers. With all the reports of pockets of tuna, wahoo and billfish in the area ( between 360 and 450 lines) and the fact that it was Monday and not many boats were going out, we had visions of a full cooler and flags flying when we get home. Were we wrong!! Had lines out and spread in full swing by 8:15. Shortly after here that a boat near us has white in it's spread and a few boats south of us report the same with one having a blue. The right flat goes off. It's a chicken dolphin on a naked ballyhoo. Re-bait and get hit again on the other side. Another chicken. Then the winds switched from the east to the south/southwest and the bite and the billfish sightings stopped cold!! All the chatter on the radio was the charter guys telling fish stories. Bugged out at 2:00 with 2 small dolphin in the boat for dinner and 2 released to grow up to be trophies next year. But hey...it's Monday and I was fishing!!!

Catch 'em Up !!

--Don

Tell you what...One of my favorite fish to have in the cooler after a day of fishing is Dolphin.....Beautiful Fish....great jumps...and the best part....tasty tasy on the grill ...!......Bob....Still Think'n

I am right there with you. Down in Hatteras this year they gave us a ton of action and lots of meat.

Dolphin are probably my most favorite fish to catch. You don't know if their going to run like crazy or jump like mad out of the water. And their coloring..the best! When we get them we always try to snap a picture right away before the loose their brightness. You try to explain it to non-fishing folk and you can't.

Tip for you guys. I don't skin dolphin fillets. I leave it on there and it holds in the mositure and flavoring. Great for on the grill! Try it next time.

--Don

I leave the skin AND scales on red drum when I cook them on the grill. I then loosely put a piece of foil on top (not wrapped, but draped). Those scales act as a skillet and it is very easy to fork the meat off when you are ready to eat.

Some mesquite chips in the charcoal and that is a tasty fish. Of course, you have to avoid the dark meat...