‘Mahi Mommas’ rock the boat in search for mahi

Several months ago, I met Pam Corwin at a fishing industry event. Pam is with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and is an advocate for fishing education and outreach.

 

After our initial meeting, I attended several of Pam’s educational classes and seminars. Her knowledge and dedication to fishing and fisheries management made an impression on me. So, when Elliott and I heard that Pam and a couple of her team members were interested in mahi fishing, we offered to take them.

 

It took a few weeks before our collective schedules and the weather aligned. On Friday, everything came together, and the mahi trip was on.

 

Pam, Olivia Bueno, and Jordan Costello met Elliott and me at 5:30 a.m. We quickly introduced ourselves, loaded onto the Yellowfin, and launched. Elliott and I were impressed with their efficiency in boarding the boat. It was clear they spent a lot of time on the water.

 

With sea conditions calm, we made the 50-mile run to the 30-fathom curve in about 90 minutes.  Upon our arrival, Elliott deployed the mahi trolling spread. On the short outrigger position, he deployed one-ounce Blue Water Candy Jags over small ballyhoos. Small chugger heads over small ballyhoos were deployed on the long outriggers. He also deployed chatter bars and squid chain teasers on flat lines.

 

It did not take long to get our first strike. Unfortunately, it was a king mackerel and not a mahi. It quickly landed and was released.

 

A few minutes later, we had another strike. and a mahi began jumping behind the boat. Olivia did a great job of fighting the fish. Soon, a nice bull mahi was in the boat. We reset the trolling spread, and another mahi found it to be irresistible. Pam was closest to the rod. She picked it up, and in short order, another mahi was in the boat.

 

Our next strike was from a sailfish that came unhooked a few minutes into the fight. While we waited for the next fish to strike, Pam, Olivia, and Jordan began calling themselves the Mahi Mommas. We laughed about how that sounded like the name of a band. Later in the day, Jordan became a “fish-catching” member of the Mahi Mommas.

 

On the ride back to the dock, the Mahi Mammas settled into bean bags. Elliott and I were at the helm. It gave us a chance to compare notes on the trip.

 

We were both impressed with the Mahi Mommas. They were helpful, eager to learn, and a joy to be around. It was a fun day! Elliott and I look forward to our next adventure with the Mahi Mommas!

 

Contact Captain Greg Peralta at captgregp@gmail.com or call (843) 224-0099.