They don’t mess with reds to much, but I’ve had them almost break my leg while I’m trying to get a trout in the net.

I hate those freeloading liberal socialists

Lots of dolphins in the Matagorda Bay complex. Several years ago TP&W had identified more than hundred of 'em and they seem to hold the belief they are really hurting the flounder population. As far as reds go, I have many reasons to believe it is not an issue with them.

Big ones get away.

They don’t mess with the Boney fish. I had them circling me on their side at 5ft eyeing what kind of fish I have. Thrown them hard heads, rat reds and gafttop and they don’t mess with them, but don’t release an undersized trout next to you. Toss it

Why would you catch hard heads?

I wade fish 99% of the time, I’ve caught just about everything including cervilla’s. I don’t discriminate on bait either. I’m a elitist croaker soaker too.

They don’t mess with bull reds, but will eat smaller reds. Though not their favorite.

Yes they love trout, skipjack, and flounder. Used to hand feed them skipjack out of the boat in Redfish Bay.

More than once I’ve been floundering and had dolphins stalking my stringer, especially on the edge of the Aransas Shrimp Boat Channel. I’d be focused on stabbing another fish, and then get this weird feeling that I’m being watched. Turn around and shine the light on my stringer and yep, there’s a dolphin laying on the bottom in 3-4’ of water creeping like a cat. Slowly sliding towards the flounder on my stringer. One got about 2’ from my fish and just froze when I shined the light on it, then started slowly crawling backwards away from me lol. Smart critters.

Was on a kayak a couple miles offshore in Florida catching schooling Bonita like sandbass. They were schooling by the thousands. The Dolphins were all over me. Could barely reel one in. It was awesome.

South of mudd On SJ , they are bad. Can’t tell you come many times I’ve been spooled, and also cranking hard with rod tip low trying to keep those trout from hitting top of water. If they do it’s a torpedo wake coming right at you..... literally had them hit me as I’m trying to net.

If a bunch ever wash up, Tip a glass, means I'm on day 9 after being given 10 days to live.

I always get nervous when I have trout on a stringer attached to me and see them coming.

Yep! Lol. I’m primarily a wade fisherman myself. They will get your attention that’s for sure, and scare the bejesus out of you when you’re not expecting it

YUP. I have been on white hot trout water and had it go cold as soon as a pod showed up more than enough times to be a coincidence. Never had an issue getting reds with Flipper nearby.

Yep. Happens a lot. Nothing like getting on a trout slick and hammering solid fish, then here they come. Bam, game over.

They also love mackerel, Spanish or Kings. Any soft meaty fish.

why keep them?

Trout and mackerel are what they are after.

Especially when they are on a string

They might not be after the reds, but they ARE after the bait fish and run them off. Then no bait fish no mo reds.

Makes scenes.

For many years dolphins were my sworn enemy....but I have mellowed in old age and have forgiven them for sins of past days

I am not a fan of dolphins in the numbers they currently exist at


I would support Japanese long liners in the bays for a few months to rid us of the dolphin surplus

Speaking of numbers, it was quite the site to see a dolphin migration. I was working on the Shell Perdido platform East of Brownsville. It sits near the US/Mexican border waters in 8,000 ft of water. Way down there. Was coming down the stairs one day and was in awe of what I saw. Of course I’ve seen plenty of dolphins in the Gulf between working and fishing, but this was something I had never seen before. Thousands upon thousands of doplhins headed South, they just kept coming. Wish I would have taken some pictures of them, was pretty cool to see.

Lol, I bet.

Helicopter hunts would bring top dollar