You’ll need the following items & we sell’um

Trolling Set Up…Penn 330 Lever Drag or Shamino TLD25 Lined with 30# test monofilament line on a 5’ 9" or 6’…15-20 lb or 20-40 lb Billfisher stand up trolling rod. These will be used for trolling. You will also need a "Pitch Bait Rod" Penn 650SSm or 750SSG rigged on a Billfisher 12-20 or 12-25Lb rod lined with 20lb monofilament.

You will need an 80lb to 200lb Wind on leader for your trolling set-up. (This is not a necessity just makes leadering the fish much easier)

You will want to use monofilament leader clear, red (The color red color disappears under water) and camo (multicolor leader) weight 50 to 80 lb is sufficient. If you want to increase your catch ratio go with fluorocarbon leader.

For your trolling set-ups. The line coming off of your rod & reel make a large loop 3’-4’ long Bimini Twist or Surgeon "Key West Bimini" is the knot of choice when making this loop. You can then tie on your wind-on leader with a loop to loop connection and tie on your 150 to 200 lb snap swivel. If you chose not to use a wind on leader then tie your 150 to 200 lb snap swivel at the end of your loop.

For your "Pitch Bait" set ups. The line coming off of your rod & reel make the same 3’ to 4’ long loop.

*These loops in your line act as a "Shock Cord" and you have doubled the strength of the line in the 4’ section. Also if you get a tail wrap or foul hooked one of the double lines can break and you still stand a chance to land the fish.

There are several types of ballyhoo rigs on the market.

"Quick Rig" by Better Bait Systems" Ballyhoo rig endorsed by Reef Light Tackle, LLC

Pin rig with rigging rubber band

Pin rig with a "Hoo Nose Spring"

Head Start-Plastic Head with a chain bead rig.

All of the above rigs can be either trolled with or without what is called a ballyhoo skirt. (Ballyhoo skirt is an artificial lure which slides down the leader and over the ballyhoo’s nose this presents color and flash which can act as an attractant to the dolphin) Dolphin colors are Blue & White, Pink & White, Fuchsia & Purple and Halloween Colors. Your darker colors are Wahoo and Tuna Colors Black & Red, Black & Purple and Purple and Red.

Another item available is what is called a "Pre-Rigged Ballyhoo’’ These ballyhoo are available in a (3) Pack and are also available rigged with either wire (Double Hook) or 60# monofilament weighted and un-weighted with a single hook. These type baits do catch dolphin and Wahoo and are great if you are pressed for time and/or do not want to rig your own baits.

Another very effective way to catch Dolphin here in the Keys is by trolling artificial lures which are pre-rigged at the factory these are also know as "Rigged and Ready" . There are many different types of these lures and just as many manufactures. Reef Light Tackle only endorses the lures and manufactures which work effectively. "Billy Baits" and C & H Lures are two of the manufactures endorsed by Reef Light. These lures are trolled without any type of bait "Naked" is the term we use. The same colors used for the ballyhoo skirts mentioned above are the colors we suggest. Dolphin colors are Blue & White, Pink & White, Fuchsia & Purple and Halloween Colors. Your darker colors are Wahoo and Tuna Colors Black & Red, Black & Purple and Purple and Red. The artificial lure which has caught more dolphin than any other color in the "Rigged and Ready" series is the Mini Turbo Slammer by "Billy Baits" Color Purple and Fuchsia.

A large percentage of the offshore Charter Captains in the Keys use what is called a "Teaser". This is artificial baits attached to a metal bar appearing to be a Ball of Bait Fish this is trolled behind the boat with a trolling weight. The Teasers endorsed by Reef Light Tackle are "Trophy Teaser" this is PVC streamers of holographic baits with a very realistic appearance. The teaser can be attached to a heavy fluorocarbon leader and attached to a cleat, outrigger or a kite rod and reel. Keep an eye on the teaser because the dolphin will come up and hit the teaser mistaking it for a small school of bait fish.

Dolphin fishing is great sport for beginner and expert alike. Look for the three signs and you will usually come home with smiles. Birds, debris and rips constitute fish attracting locations. For the most part all are recognizable but deciphering the subtle signs means the difference between bent rods and hours of hunting.
Birds are easy to spot and can be seen from a long distance. The frigate bird is not able to dive into the water so he follows bait or predatory fish until he has the opportunity to eat. If he is high and moving fast he is just scouting the area looking for something but if he is holding in one area then there are fish nearby. Big dolphin are often hundreds of yards away from the bird so don’t give up after a pass or two. As long as he stays in one area then there is likely fish near by. I won’t give up on a spot until the frigate bird does; after all he has a much better view of the situation than you. Lots of small birds usually means lots of small fish. When you get a school up to the boat keep working them and a big guy might come by. If you sit and wait on that one fish without continually catching schoolies and chumming then they will quickly loose interest in the boat. I like to carry a bag of glass minnows to keep them feeding. If you are equipped with radar, with a little practice, it can usually be tuned to spot birds. Just remember your hooks are behind the boat so avoid running through the school.
Debris is another one that can be hard to find but easy to recognize. Some days you drive for miles through a barren ocean and other days you run in to everything including the kitchen sink. Look for how much bait is under the grass and debris to determine how long to work it. The more bait there is the longer I stay, big dolphin often hang around without coming right in to feed. Some of the biggest dolphin in the lower keys are trolled up a few hundred feet away from the structure. Rips can sometimes be tough to spot and the only thing that tips you off is a small temperature variance. Due to the similar fishing method as weed lines I will group the two together. Any time I find two different color waters colliding with swirling eddies and scattered grass I give it a little while.

Have your "Pitch Bait" rod and reels set up prior to leaving the dock. You will need a 3/0 to 4/0 short shank J hook or circle hook attached to a 5’ fluorocarbon leader. Once you get close to the "Reef" go ahead and attach a ballyhoo or live pinfish to your set-up. You can put the pinfish back in the live well and have him ready to toss at that big bull or cow dolphin you can see in the water.

Another use for the "Pitch Bait" set-ups is when you get into a school of smaller dolphin; we call these "Peanuts" or "Schoolies". When you catch one leave it in the water until you get hooked up on another, if you always leave one in the water the school will stay around the boat and you can have a "BLAST" catching these fish. You can also take glass minnows and scatter them on the surface and the schoolies will hang around. When these schoolies are feeding it is said "You can throw a flip flop with a hook in it and catch a schoolie" Flip flops with a hook are not available but we do endorse what we call a "Dolphin Pitch Bait" these bait are colorful and have a lot of flash witch attract the dolphin.