When is mahimahi season in Hawaii?

Hawaii keeps mahimahi open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Hawaii bag limit for mahimahi?

The Hawaii daily bag limit for mahimahi is No state daily bag limit; WPRFMC Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan sets no recreational measures. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size mahimahi can you keep in Hawaii?

The Hawaii size rule for mahimahi is No state minimum size. Trophy rule: Trophy 'bull' mahimahi 40-60+ lb come from offshore FAD buoys + weedlines off Kona, Penguin Bank, and the inter-island channels; HI state record ~82 lb (1987, Hawaiʻi Island); IGFA all-tackle dolphinfish world record ~87 lb.

Do you need a license to fish for mahimahi in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii requires a valid fishing license to fish for mahimahi, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Hawaii license — compare resident and non-resident Hawaii fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for mahimahi in Hawaii?

Yes. In Hawaii, mahimahi fishing carries these gear rules: Trolling skirted lures + ballyhoo + casting to floating structure / weedlines / FAD buoys standard; State Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) buoy network (~55 DAR-maintained offshore buoys) concentrates mahimahi, ono, ahi + aku within range of every main-island harbor; No state size or bag limit; WPRFMC Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan sets no recreational measures; Commercial sale of catch requires a Hawaiʻi Commercial Marine Licence (CML); NO state recreational licence required (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model).

Do specific Hawaii waters have different mahimahi rules?

Yes. 3 named Hawaii waters carry rules that override the statewide mahimahi regulation, including Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor, Penguin Bank, ʻAuʻau Channel. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Hawaii Mahimahi (dolphinfish) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Coryphaena hippurus

Last updated June 3, 2026

Mahimahi — the Hawaiian and global market name for the common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus), also called dorado, or on the US mainland simply 'dolphin' (no relation to the marine mammal) — is one of Hawaiʻi's most-sought and most-eaten sport fish: a fast-growing (gaining as much as 1-2 in per week), brilliantly blue-green-and-gold surface pelagic that lives barely a year or two yet reaches 20-40+ lb. Hawaiʻi anglers target mahimahi by trolling skirted lures + ballyhoo behind the boat, casting to floating debris, weedlines, and current rips where the fish school, and especially by running the State's numbered offshore Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) buoy system — a network of roughly 55 anchored buoys maintained by DAR that concentrate mahimahi, ono, ahi, and aku within practical running distance of every main-island harbor. Bulls (males, with the tall blunt forehead) run larger than cows (females, rounded head); pairs often follow a hooked fish to the boat. Peak runs are spring (March – May) and fall (September – October), though mahimahi are caught year-round off all islands. There is NO state size or bag limit on mahimahi — the species is managed under the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council's Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan, which to date sets no recreational size or bag measures because stock indicators remain healthy. NO recreational marine licence is required (Hawaiʻi's distinctive open-access marine model). Hawaiʻi state-record mahimahi ~82 lb (1987, Hawaiʻi Island); the IGFA all-tackle dolphinfish world record is ~87 lb.

Get change alerts

Watch Hawaii Mahimahi (dolphinfish) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

Season

Open year-round Year-round off all islands; practical peak spring (March – May) + fall (September – October). Trolled + cast around FAD buoys, weedlines, and floating debris.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: No state daily bag limit; WPRFMC Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan sets no recreational measures

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No state minimum size
Trophy rule: Trophy 'bull' mahimahi 40-60+ lb come from offshore FAD buoys + weedlines off Kona, Penguin Bank, and the inter-island channels; HI state record ~82 lb (1987, Hawaiʻi Island); IGFA all-tackle dolphinfish world record ~87 lb

Gear restrictions

Trolling skirted lures + ballyhoo + casting to floating structure / weedlines / FAD buoys standard
State Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) buoy network (~55 DAR-maintained offshore buoys) concentrates mahimahi, ono, ahi + aku within range of every main-island harbor
No state size or bag limit; WPRFMC Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan sets no recreational measures
Commercial sale of catch requires a Hawaiʻi Commercial Marine Licence (CML)
NO state recreational licence required (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Hawaii waters:

Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor
No state limit; trolled with the ahi + marlin spread and worked around the Kona FAD buoys + weedlines
Penguin Bank
No state limit; weedline + FAD mahimahi alongside the offshore ahi + skipjack tier
ʻAuʻau Channel
No state limit; Maui – Lānaʻi pelagic corridor; spring + fall mahimahi runs

Official source

Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) publishes the authoritative 2026 Hawaiifishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The mahimahi rules on this page are sourced from Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR)'s official mahimahi regulation page.

Visit official Hawaii fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Mahimahi closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Hawaii trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is mahimahi season in Hawaii?: Hawaii keeps mahimahi open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Hawaii bag limit for mahimahi?: The Hawaii daily bag limit for mahimahi is No state daily bag limit; WPRFMC Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan sets no recreational measures. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size mahimahi can you keep in Hawaii?: The Hawaii size rule for mahimahi is No state minimum size. Trophy rule: Trophy 'bull' mahimahi 40-60+ lb come from offshore FAD buoys + weedlines off Kona, Penguin Bank, and the inter-island channels; HI state record ~82 lb (1987, Hawaiʻi Island); IGFA all-tackle dolphinfish world record ~87 lb.
Do you need a license to fish for mahimahi in Hawaii?: Yes. Hawaii requires a valid fishing license to fish for mahimahi, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Hawaii license — compare resident and non-resident Hawaii fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for mahimahi in Hawaii?: Yes. In Hawaii, mahimahi fishing carries these gear rules: Trolling skirted lures + ballyhoo + casting to floating structure / weedlines / FAD buoys standard; State Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) buoy network (~55 DAR-maintained offshore buoys) concentrates mahimahi, ono, ahi + aku within range of every main-island harbor; No state size or bag limit; WPRFMC Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan sets no recreational measures; Commercial sale of catch requires a Hawaiʻi Commercial Marine Licence (CML); NO state recreational licence required (Hawaiʻi-only open-access model).
Do specific Hawaii waters have different mahimahi rules?: Yes. 3 named Hawaii waters carry rules that override the statewide mahimahi regulation, including Kona Coast — Honokōhau Harbor, Penguin Bank, ʻAuʻau Channel. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

← Back to Hawaii regulations overview