Mahi-Mahi
Coryphaena hippurus
Also called Dolphin, Dorado.
How to tell it
Electric green-gold with blue flecks, blunt vertical forehead on bulls, full-length dorsal fin.
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | 20 in fork length min | 5 per person or 30 per vessel, whichever is less | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit | 10 per person or 60 per vessel, whichever is less | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Georgia | 20 in fork length | 10 per person, max 54 per boat (headboats 10 per paying customer) | Open year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Maryland | No size limit | 10 per person; 54 per boat | Open year-roundMD DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Mississippi | No size limit | No bag limit | Open year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked | Open |
| North Carolina | No size limit | 10/day or 54 per trip, whichever is less (head boats 10/person/day) | Open year-roundNC DMF 2026 · checked | Open |
| South Carolina | 20 in fork length | 10/day, max 54/boat (no boat max on headboats) | Open year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 65 lb 8 oz | 2007 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Connecticut | 47 lb 2 oz | 2016 · Fish Tales Canyon | CT DEEP Saltwater State Record Fish (Harvested) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Delaware | 56 lb 14 oz | 2014 | DNREC Delaware Fishing Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Florida | 81 lb | 2007 · Lantana | FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Georgia | 68 lb 9.28 oz | 2025 | GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Louisiana | 71.25 lb | 1976 | LOWA Louisiana State Fish Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Maryland | 74.5 lb | 2019 · Poor Man's Canyon | MD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Massachusetts | 61 lb 3 oz | 2009 · Veatch Canyon | MA DMF Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-09-04 |
| Mississippi | 62 lb | 1985 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| New Jersey | 63 lb 3 oz | 1974 · Baltimore Canyon | NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04 |
| New York | 56 lb 8 oz | 2015 | NYSDEC Marine Recreational Angler Records · checked 2026-09-04 |
| North Carolina | 79 lb | 1993 · Cape Hatteras | NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22 |
| South Carolina | 77.5 lb | 2008 · Seabrook Island | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 65.7 lb | 2008 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Virginia | 71 lb 8 oz | 1991 · Off Virginia Beach | VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04 |
How anglers catch it
Troll rigged ballyhoo along the weed lines, then keep one hooked fish in the water and cast to the rest.
On the table
Excellent — the standard offshore dinner.
In the app
Point the camera at a mahi-mahi and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about mahi-mahi
What is the size limit for mahi-mahi?
It depends on the state. Florida (Atlantic): 20 in fork length min; Georgia: 20 in fork length; South Carolina: 20 in fork length.
How many mahi-mahi can you keep?
Florida (Atlantic): 5 per person or 30 per vessel, whichever is less; Florida (Gulf): 10 per person or 60 per vessel, whichever is less; Georgia: 10 per person, max 54 per boat (headboats 10 per paying customer); Maryland: 10 per person; 54 per boat; North Carolina: 10/day or 54 per trip, whichever is less (head boats 10/person/day); South Carolina: 10/day, max 54/boat (no boat max on headboats).
How do you catch mahi-mahi?
Troll rigged ballyhoo along the weed lines, then keep one hooked fish in the water and cast to the rest. Methods: trolling, casting, live bait. Baits: ballyhoo, sardine, squid, cut bait. Lures: skirted lure, feather, bucktail, popper.
What is the record mahi-mahi?
81 lb in Florida (2007), Lantana. Other states’ records are in the table.