Key Takeaways
- Four baits are doing the work on mahi in 2026. CH Lures Rattle Jet, the No Alibi feather rig, the Almarada Flyer, and the new Blue Water Candy Destroyer.
- Three of the four want a strip of squid on the back. The Destroyer is the exception. It has a tail built in that gives the action.
- When you find a school of dolphin behind the boat, drop the lures. Bailing with a bare hook and a squid strip is faster and the fish do not care.
- The bailing rig: 10 feet of 80-pound mono leader, a 6/0 or 7/0 long-shank Mustad 3407 hook, and a 1.5 to 2 oz egg sinker on top.
- The picks come from Jimmy Hillsman, owner of Oceans East in Nags Head. Jimmy spent 16 years as a mate at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center and tracks what his customers come back to buy.
What Are the Best Mahi-Mahi Baits for 2026?
Most “best baits” lists are someone’s opinion. This one is different. The picks come from Jimmy Hillsman, the owner of Oceans East Bait and Tackle in Nags Head, North Carolina. Jimmy spent 16 years as a mate at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center before he was running the shop. His store sells to a huge volume of charter customers, which means he sees what people are actually coming back to buy after they catch fish. That is real data.
One thing up front. There are dozens of mahi lures that work. Mahi-mahi (common dolphinfish) are aggressive feeders, and on a good day they will eat almost anything you put in front of them. So if your tackle bag already has Rattle Jets and feather rigs from five seasons ago, you do not need to throw them out. The four below are the ones Jimmy’s customers keep coming back to buy after they have used them and caught fish. That is the bar.
Are you trying to figure out what mahi lures to put in your spread this year? Are you wondering what locals at Oregon Inlet actually hand customers when they ask “what is catching dolphin right now”?
In this video, Marcus Sheridan sits down with Jimmy and Captain Ron Edwards from Speechless and walks through four baits Jimmy hands customers in 2026. Three are time-tested classics. One is brand new. We also cover what changes the second you find a school of dolphin behind the boat, the bailing rig Jimmy and Ron use, and the small hook detail that lets you turn one fish into ten.
What Makes the CH Lures Rattle Jet a 2026 Mahi Pick?
Jimmy’s first pick is the CH Lures Rattle Jet. In his words, it has been around 20 years, and year after year it is one of the better dolphin baits on the water.
What he does with it: puts a strip of squid on the back of the lure. The squid gives it a natural component that helps the lure work. The Rattle Jet also has a small rattle in the head, which dolphin love.
Jimmy’s line on this bait: if you go by a dolphin on a grass line, “they will not pass this up.” Captain Ron, who Marcus calls the professor on this video, confirms he uses them too.
Why Is the No Alibi Feather Rig Still in the Spread?
Old school. Jimmy says guys were running feather rigs before he was born. The No Alibi version is the one he stocks. You can buy them pre-rigged or unrigged.
Same move as the Rattle Jet: put a strip of squid on the back.
A bonus Jimmy mentions: feather rigs catch more than dolphin. He has had blue marlin come in and eat them while he was trying to catch a mahi. As he put it, “everything will come in there and grab it.”
What Does the Almarada Flyer Do That Other Mahi Lures Don’t?
This one is built to look like a flying fish. Jimmy says if you lay an actual flying fish in your hand next to one of these, the eyes and head are identical. They come in several colors.
Color notes from Jimmy:
- Green chartreuse. Jimmy’s pick for a good dolphin color.
- Blue and white (or blue and crystal). Looks identical to a flying fish.
- Pink. Dolphin like it too.
Strip of squid behind it, same as the others. And here is a side benefit: the Almarada Flyer catches tunas as well, especially the blue and white version. Jimmy says the local crews run a ballyhoo behind it for tuna.
What Is the Blue Water Candy Destroyer and Why Is It New for 2026?
The new one. Blue Water Candy released the Destroyer within the last year, and it has already earned a spot on Jimmy’s list.
The biggest difference from the other three: you do not need to put a strip of squid behind it. It has a tail that gives it the action on its own. That matters when you are working fast and trying to get baits back in the water after a hookup.
Jimmy says dolphin like the pink color, and they like the head and the action. His take: “Love it. Love it.”
Quick Comparison: The Four Baits
| Bait | Squid Strip Needed? | Standout Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CH Lures Rattle Jet | Yes | 20+ years on the water. Rattle in the head. Won’t get passed up on a grass line. |
| No Alibi Feather Rig | Yes | Old school. Pre-rigged or unrigged. Even pulls blue marlin. |
| Almarada Flyer | Yes | Looks like a real flying fish. Several colors. Catches tunas too (run a ballyhoo behind blue/white for tuna). |
| Blue Water Candy Destroyer | No | New for 2026. Built-in tail action means faster rebait between fish. |
What Changes When a School of Dolphin Shows Up Behind the Boat?
Marcus asks the smart follow-up: if there are 50 or 100 dolphin swimming around the boat, do you keep running these baits?
Jimmy’s answer is clear. He will not throw any of the lures in that scenario. Could you? Sure. You could put a strip of squid on and they would immediately eat it. But it is not necessary. The frenzy is on. Time to bail.
The Bailing Rig Jimmy Uses for School Dolphin
Jimmy’s setup:
- Leader: 10 feet of 80-pound mono
- Hook: 6/0 or 7/0 Mustad 3407, the “balin hook” (he leans toward the 6/0, very small, long shank)
- Reason for the long shank: easier to dehook in the box. A shorter shank gets buried in the gut, which slows you down on the next bait.
- Workflow: dehook in the box, bait it back up with squid or a piece of red meat, throw it back over, catch another fish.
Ron’s additions:
- Have those bailing rods ready before the school shows up.
- Use a 1.5 to 2 oz egg sinker on top with the 10-foot leader to the hook.
- The weight matters because it gets the bait back to the fish quicker during a frenzy. And when the school is laying deep, that weight gets the bait down in their face.
- Ron’s line: “A dolphin isn’t the smartest fish in the world. Get something in their face. They’ll eat it.”
What Does Captain Ron Add From the Speechless Side?
Marcus turns to Ron and asks what he would add from his time fishing on Speechless. Ron’s answer comes back to one thing: finding the habitat.
“Find their habitat, you find the fish. You can pretty much catch them on anything,” Ron says. He has had a couple schools that were difficult, but for the most part, once you are on a body of mahi, the bite is forgiving.
Ron’s bonus tip: if you are not in a hurry to limit out, mahi are a fish you can play with. Top-water baits work. Different presentations work. It is part of what makes a mahi day on the Gulf Stream what it is.
Where to Go From Here
If you want to set yourself up with new mahi gear, give Oceans East Bait and Tackle in Nags Head a call. Jimmy’s line on his own shop: they are not going to sell you stuff you do not need. They ship orders all over the United States.
If you want to come out and learn how to catch mahi with us, head to our open charter dates and pick a date. We are at Slip 92 at Pirate’s Cove Marina in Manteo. Mahi is one of the best teaching fish in the ocean. Nine times out of ten you can see the fish, and you can see them eat the bait.
And if you have a mahi bait you love that we did not cover here, drop it in the comments on the YouTube video. As Marcus says in the video, this is not the holy grail of recommendations. There are always other baits that work, and we want to hear what is working for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best mahi-mahi baits for 2026?
Jimmy Hillsman of Oceans East and Captain Ron Edwards of Speechless break down four picks in the video: the CH Lures Rattle Jet, the No Alibi feather rig, the Almarada Flyer (best in green chartreuse, blue and white, or pink), and the new Blue Water Candy Destroyer.
Do you need a strip of squid on a mahi lure?
On three of the four picks (Rattle Jet, feather rig, Almarada Flyer) Jimmy puts a strip of squid on the back. The squid adds a natural component that helps the lure work. The Blue Water Candy Destroyer is the exception. Its built-in tail provides the action, so you do not need to add squid.
What changes when you find a school of dolphin behind the boat?
You stop running the lures. Jimmy says with 50 or 100 dolphin around the boat, the frenzy is on and the lures are not necessary. He switches to bailing with a bare hook and a strip of squid or red meat.
What hook should you use for bailing mahi?
Jimmy uses a 6/0 or 7/0 Mustad 3407, the “balin hook,” with a strong preference for the 6/0. The hook is small with a long shank. The long shank lets you dehook fast in the box and rebait for the next fish.
What size weight on a mahi bailing rig?
Captain Ron uses a 1.5 to 2 oz egg sinker on top of the leader. The weight matters for two reasons: it gets the bait back to the fish quickly during a frenzy, and when the school is laying deep, it gets the bait down in front of their face.
What leader do you use for bailing mahi?
Jimmy runs 10 feet of 80-pound mono leader to the hook.
Will the Almarada Flyer catch tuna too?
Yes. Jimmy says the Almarada Flyer catches tunas as well, especially the blue and white version. The local crews around Oregon Inlet often run a ballyhoo behind it when they want to target tuna.