Does That Dolphin In Your Wake Want To Help You Fish?

If you’ve ever been trolling on a fast-paced offshore adventure, you might have had the fortune of stumbling upon a playful dolphin along the way — smiling as it leapt about the foamy wake of your Blackfin Boat.

It’s a very special but not totally uncommon on-the-water experience. In fact, as you spend time with fellow boaters and anglers, you’ll likely hear several similar stories! But... why?

Just read on to learn more about this playful phenomenon — and what it means for your next offshore outing.

A Dolphin’s Express Lane

One of the main reasons dolphins like to ride in the wake of passing boats? It’s like a natural express lane on the oceanic “highway.” Dolphins are already speedy swimmers and can go faster than 18 miles per hour on their own. With the help of a boat, though, they can go twice as fast!

It’s easy to understand the allure for a dolphin: Why not go with the flow, literally, and work smarter (not harder) to get to your next meal?

Snack Time!

Speaking of which, the dolphin riding in your wake probably doesn’t want to help you fish — but it would like to help itself to some of the salty snackage. Just like trolling enables you to cover a large stretch of H2O in a short amount of time, dolphins can ride in the seafoam to get a first bite of any potential fish you stir to the surface.

Be SMART About Boating Near Dolphins

With all this being said, you don’t want to purposely attract dolphins with your boat’s wake. Rather, you should follow the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s SMART guidelines — which ask captains to “Stay at least 50 yards from dolphins; Move away cautiously if dolphins show signs of disturbance; Always put your engine in neutral when dolphins are near; Refrain from swimming-with, touching, or feeding wild dolphins; [and] Teach others to be Dolphin SMART.”

These reminders were designed with tour boat charter operators in mind, but they work just as well for everyday boaters like you! The bottom line is to operate your boat in such a way that does not disrupt dolphins or the environment they call “home.”

And while dolphins love playing in the wake of a boat, they can certainly be observed in other areas too! If you  want a chance to spot dolphins from a safe distance, you can’t go wrong anchoring your Blackfin on a sandbar and scanning the horizon for friendly fins.

Pods of dolphins are also known to inhabit spots such as coastal estuaries, bays, and more — not just the expansive offshore scene! So while fast-paced cruising might inadvertently drum up dolphins’ attention on the water, it’s not the only way to see these beautiful creatures in action.

If you ever find yourself boating with a dolphin in tow, now you’ll know why! As it turns out, these marine mammals aren’t too different from the anglers they share the ocean with.