Bigger specimens of over 10 kilograms can also be found around the traps, but the smaller fish are far more common. Floating surface structures set in water outside 30 fathoms will almost always hold dolphin fish when ever the water is blue and the temperature is above 20 degrees. Knowing this, many charter boats lay their own buoyage to guarantee some action for their customers. These structures are called FAD's, Fish Attracting Devices, and their effectiveness on oceanic species has been well documented around the world. The location of these FAD's is often well known and can make finding and catching dolphin fish very easy.
Techniques Trolling is a good way to find dolphin fish.
While dolphin fish will hit almost any lure of any size they seem particularly attracted to yellow, lime and light green coloured lures. While debates over lure colours and a fish's ability to see them can waste a lot of magazine space, the fact is that dolphin fish nail the yellow and green lures out of the trolling pattern too often for it to be a coincidence. The size of lure does not seem to be important, although lures in the small to medium size range are the best choice. Skirted trolling lures are the best style of lure for attracting the fish and these do work better then the minnow type lures. When any floating object is sighted while trolling it is always worthwhile to alter course and run the boat and lures straight past and close to the object.