Species

Mahi-mahi

Also dorado or dolphinfish. The most colorful fish of the open sea: gold, green and blue, with a steep forehead on the males. Grows to a meter within months, hunts under floating debris and is one of the best eating fish of the tropics.

Coryphaena hippurus

Photo: Citron, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, adjusted to 3:2

Spawning: Mature at 4 to 5 months; females spawn two to three times a year with 80,000 to 1,000,000 eggs per event, year round at 28 °C with peaks in spring and fall (FishBase, Wikipedia).
Typical method: Trolling ballyhoo or lures, 30 to 50 lb gear is adequate (Wikipedia)
Top bait: Ballyhoo

Plan a day fishing for Mahi-mahi

How to recognise it

A single long dorsal fin from the head almost to the tail
Males with a steep high forehead, females with a rounded head
Golden sides, blue-green back, bright blue pectoral fins; the colors fade to yellow-grey after death

Easily confused with: The only other species in the genus is the smaller pompano dolphinfish (Coryphaena equiselis) (German Wikipedia). Not related to mackerel or dolphins despite the name "dolphinfish".

How to catch it

Methods: Trolling ballyhoo or lures, 30 to 50 lb gear is adequate (Wikipedia), Casting jigs and poppers at floating debris and buoys, Hookless teasers to bring the school to the boat (Wikipedia), Fly fishing at the debris line

Baits: Ballyhoo, Skirted trolling lure, Popper, Jig, Large streamer

Year round in warm water; from 21 °C (FishBase) and wherever debris, Sargassum and birds show the hunt (Wikipedia). In Costa Rica and Panama the rainy season is sold as dorado time (rule of thumb from travel offers).

Habitat and food

Tropical and subtropical waters of all three oceans, highly migratory (FishBase). Open water and nearshore, 0 to 85 m, usually 5 to 10 m deep, 21 to 30 °C; forms schools (FishBase). Juveniles under drifting Sargassum, adults under floating debris, buoys and along reef edges, often marked by frigatebirds (Wikipedia).

Almost anything: small schooling fish such as flying fish, crabs and other crustaceans, squid and zooplankton (FishBase, Wikipedia).

Size and age

FishBase: max. 210 cm, commonly around 100 cm, maximum published weight 40 kg, maximum age 4 years. Typical catches weigh 7 to 13 kg (15 to 29 lb), over 18 kg (40 lb) is exceptional; lifespan up to 5 years (Wikipedia). IGFA all-tackle record according to Wikipedia: 87 lb (39.46 kg) from the Gulf of Papagayo, Costa Rica, 1976.

Protection and rules

Conservation status: IUCN: Least Concern (2010; FishBase). Mexico: at most two dorado per angler per day, reserved for sport fishing within 50 nautical miles (NOM-017-PESC-1994, 2013 amendment). Belize: designated as a sport fish, no bag limit given in the brochure (CZMAI 2019). Bahamas: at most 18 pelagic fish (dolphin, wahoo, kingfish and tuna combined) per vessel (bahamas.com).

Rules by country

Size limits, bag limits, seasons and licences are set by each country, in the USA by each state. Pescaday does not list these rules: check them with your operator and the national authority before you fish. Notes with sources are given above under conservation status. Licence pages: Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, USA. Fishing travel guide

In the kitchen

Firm, light flesh; the US Atlantic fishery is a Monterey Bay Aquarium "Best Choice", mercury moderate (Wikipedia). Chill quickly: poor storage risks histamine (scombroid) poisoning, ciguatera is rare (Wikipedia).

Sources (6)

Last checked 2026-10-19. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

Know more?

Additions, photos of your catches or a mistake in the text: write to us and we will gladly credit you as a helper.

Send a tip