Find the weed line, find the mahi. This is the fish that rewards paying attention to floating structure — a single patch of sargassum can hold a school stacked from bull-sized fish on top to peanut-sized schoolies below.
Mahi respond aggressively to surface presentations — kite-fished baits and skipping lures both draw explosive, visible strikes. Once one fish is hooked, keep it in the water near the boat; mahi school tight and a hooked fish often pulls the rest of the school right up to the transom.
Where and When
Weed lines, floating debris, and current edges hold mahi consistently through warm months. Structure of any kind — a pallet, a buoy, a patch of grass — is worth a pass; mahi congregate under almost anything floating.
Tackle Class
20-30lb spinning or conventional handles the vast majority of mahi encountered offshore. Step up for the bull-sized class fish that show up mixed into a school of schoolies.