The Bahamas · Northern Bahamas
MAHI MAHI FISHING
IN FREEPORT
Freeport is an excellent destination for mahi mahi fishing, with peak season in March, April, May and good catches in January, February, June. Book a charter and target mahi mahi with local experts.
About Mahi Mahi Fishing in Freeport
Also called Dolphin or Dorado. Stunningly beautiful and acrobatic. Excellent eating.
Mahi Mahi — also called Dolphin or Dorado — are the most brilliantly colored fish in the ocean. Their iridescent body shimmers with electric blues, greens, and golds that literally change before your eyes. Males (called "bulls") develop a prominent flat forehead, while females ("cows") have a more rounded head profile. These fast-growing pelagic fish are found in blue water near floating debris, weed lines, and current edges. They are acrobatic fighters that tailwalk across the surface and make spectacular aerial leaps.
Scientific name: Coryphaena hippurus
Mahi Mahi Seasonal Calendar — Freeport
Month-by-month availability for mahi mahi in Freeport, BS.
How to Catch Mahi Mahi in Freeport
Techniques & Bait
Trolling ballyhoo rigged with colorful duster/lure combinations along weed lines, current edges, and near floating debris is the classic technique. Once a school is located, stop the boat and pitch live pilchards, cut ballyhoo, or small live baits to the school — mahi travel in groups and multiple hookups are common. Casting light jigs, spoons, or fly-rod streamers to fish visible near floating objects is incredibly exciting. Keep one fish in the water next to the boat to hold the school in place while catching others.
Recommended Tackle
Medium spinning or conventional rod (6'6"-7 ft), 4000-5000 reel, 20-30 lb braid, 30-40 lb fluorocarbon leader. For trolling: 20-30 lb class conventional rigs. Mahi have sandpaper-like mouths — fluorocarbon leader works fine (no wire needed).
Best Deep Sea Fishing Fishing Spots in Freeport
Top spots where local captains target mahi mahi and other deep sea fishing species.
Stetson Bank
Stetson Bank is a natural claystone and siltstone formation roughly 70 miles south of Freeport, part of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, where crystalline waters and abundant marine life create world-class offshore fishing. The bank's hard bottom and dramatic relief attract massive concentrations of amberjack, barracuda, king mackerel, and wahoo. Stetson Bank trips are full-day commitments but reward anglers with the clearest water and most diverse offshore action on the Texas coast.
Freeport Offshore Rigs
The dense concentration of offshore oil and gas platforms south of Freeport creates one of the best rig-fishing corridors on the Texas coast, with red snapper, king mackerel, cobia, ling, and amberjack holding on structures from 20 to 100 miles offshore. The sheer number of platforms allows captains to hop between structures until they find the hottest bite. Freeport's proximity to Houston makes these offshore rigs the most accessible deepwater fishing for the state's largest metropolitan area.
The Flower Garden Banks
The Flower Garden Banks sit roughly 100 miles offshore of Freeport and represent the northernmost coral reef system in the continental United States, supporting an extraordinary diversity of marine life. While the reef itself is protected, fishing the surrounding waters produces mahi-mahi, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, sailfish, and blue marlin along the current edges and temperature breaks. Overnight trips to the Flower Gardens are the ultimate Gulf bluewater adventure from the upper Texas coast.
MI-A7 Liberty Ship Reef
The Liberty Ship Reef off Freeport consists of decommissioned World War II-era ships sunk as artificial reef material, creating massive fish-attracting structure in Gulf waters. Red snapper, amberjack, grouper, and king mackerel congregate on the wreckage, with the large hull profiles holding fish from surface to bottom. The Liberty Ships are a proven waypoint for Freeport captains seeking quality bottom fish and the occasional pelagic bonus.
Other Species in Freeport
More fish you can target while visiting Freeport.
Mahi Mahi Fishing in Freeport — FAQ
The peak months for Mahi Mahi fishing in Freeport are March, April, May. During these months, Mahi Mahi are most active and abundant in the Freeport area.
Mahi Mahi fishing charters in Freeport are typically deep sea fishing trips. Prices vary by trip duration and group size. Most charters include all gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning.
Trolling ballyhoo rigged with colorful duster/lure combinations along weed lines, current edges, and near floating debris is the classic technique. Once a school is located, stop the boat and pitch live pilchards, cut ballyhoo, or small live baits to the school — mahi travel in groups and multiple hookups are common. Casting light jigs, spoons, or fly-rod streamers to fish visible near floating objects is incredibly exciting. Keep one fish in the water next to the boat to hold the school in place while catching others.
No — when you book a charter in Freeport, your captain provides all required The Bahamas fishing licenses as part of the trip.
Mahi Mahi regulations in The Bahamas include minimum size limits and bag limits that vary by season. Your captain will know the current regulations and ensure compliance.
While targeting Mahi Mahi in Freeport, you may also catch Bonefish, Permit, King Mackerel, Wahoo, Barracuda. Many charter trips target multiple species for the best action.
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