West Virginia Meets the Gulf Stream — Mahi Grind in 700'

Took Chris and his family out of West Virginia for a three-quarter day mahi hunt. First time offshore in the Keys for them — not a bad introduction.

Picking Singles in 350’

Started our day working in about 350 feet of water and got on fish pretty quick. Picked off a few singles right away, but nothing was schooled up. Every fish was a one-at-a-time deal, casting to scattered color and watching the spread. You’d get a bite, boat the fish, reset, and hunt for the next one.

Some days the mahi cooperate and you’re doubled and tripled up on every stop. Yesterday wasn’t that day. We had to work for every single one.

Birds on Flying Fish

Kept pushing deeper looking for better signs. Once we got out past 500 feet we started seeing sets of birds feeding on flying fish — frigates and terns diving and wheeling, which is exactly what you want to see. Where there’s flying fish, there’s mahi pushing them to the surface. Ran and gunned from bird pile to bird pile, pitching baits and picking off singles.

The pattern all day was the same: find the birds, get one or two bites, move on. Not the wide-open bite you dream about, but steady enough to keep everyone’s hands full and rods bent.

Five-Bagger in 700’

End of the day, way out in 700 feet, we finally found what we’d been looking for. Pulled up on a set of birds that were going crazy and the fish were stacked underneath. Hit a 5-bagger — five fish on the deck in one stop. Best set of the trip and a perfect way to end the day. Chris and the family were fired up.

The Takeaway

Not every mahi trip is a 30-fish day where they eat everything that hits the water. Some days you have to earn it — push deeper, follow the birds, work through the singles, and wait for that one good set to show up. Yesterday was one of those days, and Chris and his crew from West Virginia put in the work and got rewarded for it.

Good fish in the box, sunburned faces, and a family that’ll be talking about this one for a while.

Always a good time aboard DirtyBoat.

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