Dorado (aka mahi-mahi or dolphin fish)

The mahi-mahi, also known as the dolphin fish on the East Coast, and the dorado in Latin America, is a highly-prized gamefish. Its brilliant display of color and frantic leaping fight will raise the excitement level on any boat that finds them. Traveling in schools of 10 to 20 when younger, the larger ones are found in small packs of 3-5 fish, or free-ranging solo. They can be found in any tropical or subtropical seas.

The mahi is very good eating with firm white flesh that is usually prepared in either mojo de ajo (creamy garlic sauce) or veracruz (tomato and chili-based red sauce).

Mahi are caught out of San Diego in the summer months, usually south of the border, but a few do come north in years when the water is warmer. Last year, one was filmed swimming next to the Queen Mary in Long Beach.

Hemingway wrote about the "dolphin" in the Old Man and the Sea, and many readers thought the ol' guy was eating Flipper's cousin. Not true. Hemingway's character in the book was Cuban and would have called the fish dorado, not "dolphin." Hemingway fished the area a lot and "dolphin" was used by the American sport-fishermen in Florida, and was sometimes adopted by the Cuban guides to accommodate language, but among the gente, the fish is always "dorado." It was one of the great writer's few mistakes. Hemingway's character preferred a red-fleshed bonito over the "dolphin's" white meat when eating it raw for sustenance during his ordeal with the great marlin. Dorado, still called dolphin on the East Coast, has been more commonly shortened by West Coast anglers to "dodo."

July 1 dock totals

20 anglers, on their first day aboard the Top Gun 80 3.5 day trip caught 20 dorado, limits of 100 yellowfin tuna and 40 yellowtail.

The Seeker carried 21 anglers out for a 1 day trip and reported 23 bluefin tuna and 79 yellowtail caught.

16 anglers aboard the Ranger 85 1 day run caught 23 bluefin tuna, 1 bonito and 2 yellowtail.

14 yellowtail and 18 bluefin tuna were caught by the 22 anglers aboard the Constitution 1 day trip.

The Chief 1.5 day with 35 anglers aboard reported 41 yellowtail caught.

18 anglers aboard the Fisherman III 3/4 day trip trolled around the local waters and found 8 yellowfin tuna.

The Jig Strike 3/4 day with 15 anglers aboard reported 7 yellowfin tuna caught.

1 dorado, 2 yellowtail, 1 yellowfin tuna and 7 bluefin tuna were reported caught by the 20 anglers aboard the Malihini 3/4 day run.

48 anglers aboard the Premier 1/2 day am run accounted for 147 rockfish, 2 sand bass and 2 calico bass. Their afternoon 1/2 day run with 43 anglers at the rail reported 51 calico bass and 17 rockfish caught.

30 anglers aboard the Mission Belle 3/4 day Coronado Island run boated 5 bonito and limits of 150 yellowtail.

The Josie Lynn 1/2 day am run with 6 anglers aboard reported 1 yellowtail, 8 rockfish, 1 bluefin tuna in the hold and 1 mako shark released.

23 rockfish and 9 mackerel were caught by the 13 anglers aboard the Point Loma 1/2 day am run.

The Daily Double 1/2 day pm run with 20 anglers at the rail reported 87 rockfish, 1 sheephead, 1 sculpin and 1 sand bass caught.

The Chubasco II 1/2 day am run with 28 anglers on deck called in a total catch of 135 calico bass and 4 sand bass. 100 of the calicos were released.

14 anglers aboard the Dolphin 1/2 day am run caught 1 halibut, 20 rockfish, 5 calico bass and 1 lingcod. 50 calico bass were caught and released. Their pm 1/2 day run with 19 anglers aboard reported 50 mackerel, 95 rockfish and 1 sculpin in the sacks and 40 calico bass that were caught and released.

23 anglers aboard the Oceanside 95 1 day run boated 22 bluefin tuna and 34 yellowtail.

The Electra 1/2 day morning run with 42 anglers at the rail reported 1 sculpin, 10 sand bass, 10 rockfish, 50 mackerel, 25 calico bass caught, along with 20 bocaccio and 2 white seabass that were caught and released.

20 anglers aboard the Sea Trek 1/2 day morning run teamed up for 129 calico bass, of which 100 were released.

The New Seaforth 1/2 day am run reported only 4 yellowtail, 5 rockfish and 1 bonito for the 35 anglers aboard. their pm 1/2 day run carrying 40 anglers reported 20 yellowtail for the afternoon.

Just 1 yellowtail for the 6 anglers aboard the Alexes 1/2 day am run.

8 anglers aboard the Voyager 1.5 day run put 33 bluefin tuna in the hold.

The San Diego 3/4 day run with 42 anglers at the rail reported 186 yellowtail caught.

13 anglers aboard the Pacific Voyager 2 day trip caught limits of 130 yellowtail along with 1 yellowfin tuna and 44 bluefin tuna to boot!

The Tribute 1 day run carrying 26 anglers reported 6 bluefin tuna and 27 yellowtail caught.