Catching Dolphin

Most of us were taught that when you encounter a school of dolphin, you should leave the first one you hook in the water a short distance from the boat to keep the rest of the school hanging around. But this is only partly correct!

When you hook that first dolphin, it jumps wildly and throws up whatever food it has already eaten. It is, therefore, a live chum machine. From my normal vantage point in a tuna tower, I can see the little splashes where the regurgitated food hits the water and watch the other dolphin quickly eating it. A freshly hooked dolphin is very attractive to the rest of the school because the dinner bell is ringing!
 
However, when a hooked dolphin tires and is merely being dragged along behind the boat, it loses its vibrant color and quits "chumming" for you. The other fish quickly lose interest, and the school will eventually move on. 
 
The real secret involves boating the first fish as soon as you hook a second one, then boat the second when you hook the third, and so on. As long as you keep a freshly hooked fish jumping and spitting up its stomach contents, the school will usually stay with you, and you can keep catching them. It's about as much fun as you can have while fishing, especially if you are using light spinning or baitcasting gear and have your kids or grandkids with you.
 
Only boat as many dolphin as you wish to clean — fresh fillets in a Ziploc bag will be well received by your neighbors — then go on catching and releasing the fish. In the meantime you'll keep that school of dolphin around your boat, which will make the area very attractive to a big blue marlin!