CATCHING PEANUTS In the Weeds

As I write this, the largest mass of sargassum ever recorded is making its way to the Florida coast. For months, forecasters have been bemoaning the mess this 5,000-mile-long weed patch will make on our beaches, but I’m looking forward to what it brings.

Prey species live in the seaweed, and predators congregate around these weed lines. There are going to be many different species of fish moving in closer than we usually get. Many anglers will enjoy chasing the larger predators; however, it’s fun to catch what we call peanuts, which are the small er dolphinfish that school up around the weeds.

The most distinguishing feature of dolphinfish is the bright neon green, yellow and blue coloration throughout their entire body. Dolphin have a long slender body, and the peanuts are typically 2 to 3 feet, with weights from 5 to 15 pounds. Dolphin get much larger than this, but the big ones don’t exhibit the same schooling behavior.

An amazing feature about dolphinfish is their dorsal fin, which starts at the skull and continues all the way to the tail. To determine gender, male dolphin will have a more pronounced forehead, which almost becomes vertical with a 90-degree angle. Unlike most species of fish, the males tend to be larger than the females and are known as “bulls.”

Dolphin inhabit subtropical and tropical waters throughout the entire world. They live offshore in the 70- to 300-foot depths. Their spawning season runs from April until August, as long as the water is warm enough. Dolphin broadcast spawn in current to ensure a higher rate of fertilization. Once the young hatch, they take shelter in sargassum patches or floating debris, which also provides a source of food since other juvenile fish will be hiding there also.

Fish in the big schools hanging around sargassum patches will usually be on the smaller side. So, you’ll want to use smaller baits like pilchards or threadfins and free swim them around the weeds. You might see a school of dolphin swarming your bait and fighting over it. Their bright colors and darting movements make them easy to spot.

Another option is to use small bucktail jigs or even 3-inch swimbaits. You can grab their attention by working lures like injured baitfish, and this is a great way to lure them out from under the debris.

While fishing these patches, a great way to target larger fish is to sink a larger bait below the school. Larger dolphin and wahoo often feed on peanut dolphin. It is illegal to use peanut dolphin as bait, but you could use ballyhoo, blue runner or even large threadfins.

The IGFA all-tackle world record dolphin weighed 87 pounds. It was caught by Manuel Salazar in the Papagayo Gulf in 1976.

Emily Rose Hanzlik holds 62 IGFA world records in various categories. She hails from West Palm Beach, where she has a part time Bowfin Guide Service as well as fishing classes for Jr. Anglers. Find her on social media @emilyhanzlikoutdoors.

By Emily Hanzlik