Captain Brandon Simmons runs the End of the Blue charter boat out of Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys, specializing in offshore fishing for sailfish and mahi-mahi. If you've ever wanted to get offshore but felt intimidated by the complexity, this episode breaks dolphin fishing down to its absolute basics. Brandon reveals the three visual cues that lead you straight to fish, the exact hook size and bait setup beginners need, and the critical mistake that makes entire schools disappear—plus the one simple technique that keeps them around your boat indefinitely. This is dolphin fishing stripped down to what actually works when you're just getting started.
What is the easiest way for beginners to catch dolphin offshore?
Head to 400-1000 feet of water and look for three things: birds, weed patches, or floating debris like rope or barrels. Use a big 7/0 Mustad hook with ballyhoo or cut bait. When you hook a fish, immediately leave it in the water and throw more baits—the school will stay with that fish. Keep one "happy fish" in the water at all times to hold the school.
Who is Captain Brandon Simmons?
Captain Brandon Simmons operates the End of the Blue charter boat out of Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys. He specializes in offshore fishing for species including sailfish and mahi-mahi, providing fishing experiences for anglers at all skill levels. He can be reached on Instagram at @capnbrando or by phone at 321-626-8265.
This episode is brought to you by Star brite, the marine care products Captain Brandon and Tom trust to keep their boats ready for offshore runs. From their boat care in a bucket kit to salt off rinse, Star brite has everything you need. Visit Star brite here.
The Three Visual Cues That Lead to Dolphin
Most beginners overthink offshore fishing, but Brandon simplifies it to three things you can actually see: birds working the surface, weed lines drifting with current, and floating debris. The debris part surprises people—an old barrel, tangled rope, even floating nets become magnets for mahi. Brandon calls it "trash in our eyes, but a house for the fish." He's seen some of his best action on nothing more than a tangle of rope floating in 600 feet of water. Birds are the most obvious indicator, but they move faster than you'd think—sometimes 25 miles an hour when the fish are pushing bait. Brandon's complete breakdown of what to look for starts at 00:03:32.
The Simple Rig Setup That Works
Forget complicated spreads and multiple rod setups. Brandon recommends starting with a basic five or six-foot leader, a big 7/0 Mustad hook, and ballyhoo—you don't even need to rig it, just hook it through the nose. For smaller fish or when you want more action, he switches to rubber squids with a little lead in the head and that same 7/0 hook. The key detail most people miss: put a strip of bonito or any baitfish on the back of plastic lures. When a mahi hits plastic and tastes nothing, it won't come back. But give it a taste of real meat on that first strike, and it'll chase again even if it missed. The full tackle breakdown and bait preparation starts at 00:03:08.
Hear Brandon explain the "happy fish" technique that keeps schools around indefinitely
The Critical Mistake That Makes Schools Disappear
This is where most recreational anglers lose the entire school: they hook a fish, fight it, boat it, and suddenly every other mahi vanishes. Brandon's solution is counterintuitive but absolutely critical—leave the first fish in the water. Mahi are schooling fish and won't abandon their buddies. Put that rod in a holder and forget about it while you pitch baits to the rest of the school swimming around your boat. Brandon calls it keeping a "happy fish" in the water. Leave it too long and it gets tired or starts dying, the whole school feels that energy and shuts down. But keep rotating fresh fish in the water, always maintaining one as your school anchor, and you can catch as many as you want. The complete happy fish strategy and how to manage the rotation starts at 00:04:46.
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SubscribeWhat This Year's Dolphin Season Looks Like in the Keys
Brandon's seeing a lot of small fish this season—you're measuring almost every one. But two weeks to a month before this conversation, he experienced some of the best schooling fishing he's seen in five years. Not just good—he says if you were a commercial fisherman, you could have hammered them. It was how mahi fishing used to be, the way the old-timers describe it. He's not worried about the size issue because the bigger cows and bulls typically show up later in the season. In fact, just yesterday he caught a 20-pound cow and missed a shot at what he estimates was a 40-pound bull, the biggest fish he's seen all year. The full moon slowed things down temporarily, which is typical. Brandon's full season report and what he's expecting in the coming weeks starts at 00:12:22.
This is dolphin fishing broken down to what actually works for beginners.
Simple tactics, no fluff, just what gets fish in the boat.
Key Takeaways
- The three things you're looking for offshore are simpler than you think—birds, weeds, and debris that looks like trash but acts like a fish magnet
- A basic 7/0 Mustad hook with ballyhoo hooked through the nose is all you need to start—no complicated rigs required
- The biggest mistake beginners make happens after the first hookup—what you do in those next 30 seconds determines whether you catch one fish or twenty
- Brandon's "happy fish" technique keeps entire schools circling your boat as long as you want them there
- Getting fish into a salt water and ice brine immediately after the catch makes the difference between filets that hold together perfectly and meat that falls apart
- The minimum size is 20 inches from nose to the fork of the tail, and this season you're measuring almost every fish
- Two weeks to a month before this recording, the Keys experienced some of the best schooling mahi fishing in five years—the way old-timers say it used to be
Final Thoughts from Tom
This is exactly what people have been asking for—the true beginner's guide with no assumptions about what you already know. Brandon walks through every detail like you've never done this before, and that's refreshing. Too often we're deep into advanced tactics and forget that a lot of folks just want to know the basics of getting offshore and catching fish.
The happy fish concept is something I've used for years, but Brandon explains why it works better than I ever have. It's not just about keeping the school around—it's about managing their mood. That's the kind of insight you get from a captain who runs charters every single day and has to produce results for clients at every skill level.
If you've been intimidated by offshore fishing or you've had limited success with dolphin, this episode is exactly what you need. Brandon keeps it simple, practical, and actionable. Listen to the whole thing—it's one of the best how-to episodes we've done.
Frequently Asked Questions
What depth do you need to catch mahi-mahi?
Captain Brandon Simmons recommends fishing in 400 to 1000 feet of water when targeting mahi-mahi in the Florida Keys. Sometimes you don't need to go that far offshore—the key is looking for birds, weed patches, or floating debris regardless of exact depth.
What size hook is best for mahi-mahi fishing?
Brandon uses a big 7/0 Mustad hook for mahi-mahi, whether rigging ballyhoo or using rubber squids. For beginners, he recommends just hooking ballyhoo through the nose with a five or six-foot leader rather than using complicated rigging techniques.
How do you keep a school of mahi around your boat?
The key technique is leaving one hooked fish in the water at all times—Brandon calls this the "happy fish." Mahi are schooling fish that won't leave their friends. Put the rod in a holder and pitch more baits to the school. Keep rotating fish, always maintaining one in the water to hold the school.
What is the size limit for mahi-mahi in Florida?
The minimum size limit is 20 inches measured from the tip of the nose to the fork of the tail, not the farthest end of the tail. Captain Brandon notes that in the current season, anglers are measuring almost every fish due to the abundance of smaller mahi.
What is the best way to ice down mahi-mahi?
Brandon recommends creating a brine by mixing ice with a bucket of salt water from the ocean to make a slushy mixture. This cools the fish down fastest and ensures the meat stays firm when filleting. Fish sitting on only one side of ice won't cool evenly and the meat may fall apart.
Related Episodes
Brandon's previous appearance on the podcast covering sailfish tactics and offshore strategy in the Florida Keys
Everything you need to know about fishing out of Hawks Cay Resort in the Middle Keys
Making the transition from inshore to offshore fishing with confidence and the right tackle
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Captain Brandon Simmons
Captain Brandon Simmons operates the End of the Blue charter boat out of Hawks Cay Resort in the Middle Florida Keys. He specializes in offshore fishing for sailfish, mahi-mahi, and other pelagic species, providing fishing experiences for anglers of all skill levels. Known for his ability to break down complex fishing tactics into simple, actionable steps, Brandon has built a reputation for consistently putting clients on fish. You can reach him on Instagram at @capnbrando or by phone at 321-626-8265. He also takes bookings through Hawks Cay Resort at 1-800-305-KEYS.
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