A dorado I caught fishing out of Rancho Buena Vista in the Sea of Cortez

Species: Coryphaena hippurus (Linnaeus, 1758); from the Greek words Coryphaena (helmet and to show) and hippurus (horse and tail).

Alternate Names: Called mahi mahi in Hawaii, dorado or dorado delfin in Mexico.

Identification:   A single dorsal fin extends from above the eye almost to the caudal fin; anal fin extends from anus almost to caudal fin; pectoral fin is more than half of head length. Mature males have a prominent bony crest in front of the head. The color is striking when alive—the dorsal fin is bright blue and the anal fin is golden or silvery; the sides are iridescent blue or blue green on top with golden hues, bluish gold or silvery gold on the lower flanks; silvery white or yellow on the belly; the upper sides have dark blue and green spots. Small specimens have pronounced vertical bars on the sides of the body. The color fades and changes rapidly after capture.

Size:  To 6 foot long and 90 pounds. The California record fish weighed 65 lb 0 oz and was taken at the 209 Spot in 1990.

Range:  Worldwide in warmer seas; in eastern Pacific from Chili to Grays Harbor, Washington, including Guadalupe Islands and Gulf of California.

Habitat: Found in open waters but also near the coast. Forms schools. Feeds on almost all forms of fish, squid, crustaceans and zooplankton. Sexual maturity is reached in 4-5 months

Unfortunately the brilliant colors fade soon after death. This is the same fish seen in the above picture.

Piers: None recorded from California piers.

Shoreline: An offshore species.

Boats: One of the favorite species for California boat anglers although rarely taken.

My Fresno fishing buddy, Jack Holder, and a dorado taken at Isla Espiritu Santo on a boat from the Baja Pirate fishing fleet out of La Paz

Bait and Tackle: Typically taken in deeper waters with live bait or by trolling with lures; often found around kelp paddies.

Food Value: Excellent flesh.

Comments: One of the most beautiful fish in the sea although the color fades quickly after death.

A friend and fellow writer, Mike McKenna,with another dorado taken at Isla Espiritu Santo on a boat from the Baja Pirate fishing fleet out of La Paz

A smaller dorado taken at Isla Espiritu Santo on a boat from the Baja Pirate fishing fleet out of La Paz

Still my favorite fish, the one I caught at Rancho Buena Vista, Los Barriles, Baja California Sur

Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California)