Trolling around dolphins

I've always heard and seen that they are far too intelligent... and i am sure this is generally the case, however I have read of the odd dolphin taking lures, and certainly foul hook might be a concern if there are a lot of lines in.

Another reality is Dolphins getting caught in discarded line... Not that I am very qualified on this topic...

See http://www.tbnweekly.com/editorial/outdoors/content_articles/032907_out-02.txt

also accounts of the same thing:
By NEIL JOHNSON The Tampa Tribune

Published: Oct 13, 2006

TBO.com Site Search | Tribune archive from 1990
"A treble-hooked fishing lure in a fifth dolphin's mouth may have contributed to its death, said Randall Wells, director of the Center for Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Research at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. "

So I would say, generally not a good idea.

GW

Marine Mammal Science
Vol. 14 Issue 3 Page 614 July 1998

UNUSUAL DEATHS OF TWO FREE-RANGING ATLANTIC BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS) RELATED TO INGESTION OF RECREATIONAL FISHING GEAR

Jay F. Gorzelany

According to the artical, it was feather lures...

GW

Have had Dolphins come flying through my trolling patterns for more than 30 years. Never come close to hooking one and in my early teens I even tried to catch one, not knowing any better. Much to the laughs of my old man and his crew who in all their years dating back to the first ski boats in Durban had never seen it happen either.

Have sat in a chum slick with thousands of bits of bait in the water and never seen one take a bait either. Only thing I have had happen is when they remove a fair piece of the fish we were catching up in Natal. It's a different kill to a Shark. But then they have never ended up hooked either.

We see them in the deep fishing for tuna often enough and especially the days when the smaller tuna are close and the water really warm, as was your case I would imagine. We have never had them take a lure, spoon, live bait or chunk and have had them around what would seem in their hundreds off Rocky Bank when catching tail on the troll.

So I think you and the Dolphins are pretty safe from each other.:ssswim:

Hey Guys--Reckon it all has to do with their very advanced hunting sonar in the melon. Even though theres no question theyre intelligent, I dont think thats the main reason they leave all fishing stuff alone.If theyre not picking up the return electricity or electrical fields from your rapalas and squid skirts etc, they know the difference between the real stuff and fishing gear straight away.

IMHO its very possible that these recorded exceptions in 1998 and 1990 as deatiled above are possibly due to damaged sonar mechanisms in those individuals.Beached individuals often display tumors and other nasty stuff that has messed with their ability to feed themselves as well as navigate.I have never heard of or personally even had a ratchet click once on the troll even when there have been hundreds swimming a cross course to us. The curious ones stay with the boat for anything from a while to ages and it is truly one of my real joys of being out there to watch them crissing and crossing under my bow. I get someone else on the helm and hang off the bow or over the side. Theyre masters of their element both in terms of speed and manoeverability.Even if they saw a lure at the last second, the way they can turn so suddenly at such high speed probably ensures no accidental collisions with lures.

As for intelligence and them leaving that bit of pilchard chunk well alone ,its a bit like going down to your local doc for an X Ray........err I see that chunk has a VMC High Carbon 8/0 tied with ....err hang on....it looks like a Rapala knot to me.......It must be Hammertime!

Excellent info and replies guys. Thanks for the insight. I just hope that the dolphins dont start a fish training school and teach the tail and Tuna what to look out for when having there breakfast and dinner.Especially if they see Deckers poor knots!!!:shock:

I am new to the site and am really enjoying reading all the banter. My brother(decker) and my dad(skippy) and I have all just recently joined and are raving about the site. I cant wait to talk to you guys on the radio on the water. The only guy we ever talk to is good old faithful penquin!!

Nice to meet you guys online!

 

 

 

 

 

He he Ajay.
How was that for some fancy knot tying on saturday night hey.
Bloody stuff was so thin and me so full of windhoek that I cut the crap outa myself.
I got a new way I am going to rig for off-shore and tail that I want to show you and Ross.

Maybe with these rigs we will catch Moby Dick he he

On 4 occasions i have had dolphins swim into my line while fishing R&S..........lets just say the score is dolphins 4 Weeds 0...................

Hey Weeds---The water couldnt have been very clear then hey?? Did the snap at it and cut you off??I suppose if the water offshore is clearer than inshore they can see it easier.Also if youre trolling there are other factors alerting them like the motors noise and bubbles and rattles in rapalas but if youre R+S , everything is quiet and youre on a long line.

Ja Hammer--Ja had a very lekker time.Especially liked that 6 pound line Windhoek reverse bimini with a dogs paw imitation.Killer dancefloor moves those to get that sucker tied with a bit of lube LOL

My old man was fishing a R&S club compo back in the early 80's on the KZN South Coast ( Stabel Rocks ) with a couple mates of his when a pod of dolphins pulled into the fishing zone.
30 seconds later one of the okes fishing with my old man got picked up so hard and fast that in two seconds flat he got pulled flat and the line on his 49A buried itself down to the spool and brunt off.... All they saw was the pod streaking off through the waves at around the same time.... Dunno if the Dolphin got foul hooked, or actually picked up the live shad the oke had out... but whatever it was, he got KLAPPED!!!

I've fished around dolphins offshore many times, and trolled through and around them on plenty occasions ( and pulled some decent fish from amongst them ) but never had one hit a lure or even come close... not even a live bait....

I was fishing on a FAD last year and an old loner came along and snacked on all three of our drift sards !!!
he dident even feel it and just kept going - ping ping ping - he then turned and came back for more and we ended up feeding him, he would even wait for the sards to defrost before eating !
I think he was just too old to feed and became used to feeding around boats as he followed us for a short distance when we left.