Brillo Pad’s winning dolphin from last year’s Grove Slam tournament. What will this year’s tournament entrants hold?

Big Dolphin have arrived in time for May’s Grove Slam Tournament

In early April, the only consistent dolphin action had been found on the Gulf Stream’s eastern edge, too far to run for a day of fishing. But all that changed last week.

Judging from reports we’ve heard from anglers throughout the Keys, and all along the Southeast coast, from Miami, Boca, Jupiter and Stuart, the season’s first strong run of dolphin has begun. Plenty of 30-pound slammers have been landed by anglers lucky enough to time their trips right, and a number of much bigger fish, including a couple 60-pounders have also hit the decks. These reports mean that the action should be picking up for anglers north of Sebastian, as long as the week’s winds give them a chance to get out to fish. Anglers in Jacksonville have also shared in the dolphin bounty, and they will soon be seeing some of their best trolling of the year so far.

The sudden and strong start to the dolphin season bodes well for the first big dolphin tournament of the year, The Grove Slam in Coconut Grove out of Bayshore Landing Marina. If the run of fish holds up for the next couple weeks until the event in Coconut Grove on May 1 to the 3rd, then some truly good mahi should be found, along with blackfin tuna and sailfish. Who knows, but this might be the year that the world record dolphin is landed in Florida waters. And don’t be surprised if a blue marlin, or two, gets released as well. Bluewater fishing is just about to break out big time for the season, and The Grove Slam might be timed perfectly this year to witness the mayhem.

Last year’s Grove Slam entertained 800 anglers on 192 entered boats, and this year’s event should be at least as big, fun, and raucous. Brillo Pad scratched up 2007’s winning 54-pound bull by running over to the Gulf Stream’s east side. It wasn’t a terrifically hot bite for dolphin last year during the tournament days, though there were a good number of sizeable fish caught. Last year, a strong run of big fish had come through a few full month earlier, starting in late March, and ended by tournament time. The next big push hadn’t quite happened yet. There were good fish found, but they were scattered over a wide area.

But this year’s run of bigger fish has started much closer to the event dates. Traditional wisdom says that the first big push of dolphin, which we’re in now, holds many of the year’s biggest fish, and so far that seems to be turning out to be true in 2008.

The Grove Slam’s full schedule of events, rules and regulations, as well as entry forms, can be viewed at www.groveslam.com. Florida Sportsman’s May issue will carry an article about the blue water fishing off Miami that time of the year, “10 Species, One Spring Trip,” including an account of a trip made during last year’s Grove Slam.

If you’re considering fishing the tournament, or might want to venture down to Coconut Grove--a pretty sweet destination trip for anglers--in the coming months, here’s a list of hotels, captains, ramps and more to make your trip a little easier to put together.

Pack My Bag: Coconut Grove

Outdoor cafes, a great fresh market by the marina, malls and shops, bars, restaurants, and plenty of hotels in close proximity to great fishing make Coconut Grove a contender for a weekend getaway for couples and families. See www.coconutgrove.com.

Charter Captains

Capt. Alex Castellanos Miss Britt At Bayshore Landing Marina (305) 596-0419; www.missbritt.com

Capt. Bouncer Smith Bouncer’s Dusky At Miami Beach Marina (305) 573-8224; www.captbouncer.com; email: captbouncer@bellsouth.net

Other Notable Area Captains:

Capt Dave Kostyo - Light-tackle Sportfishing in Miami Aboard "Knot Nancy," a 28-foot Whitewater - Sailfish, Kingfish, Dolphin, Tarpon - www.knotnancy.com - 305-620-5896

Capt Dennis Forgione - Light-Tackle Sportfishing in Miami Aboard "Free Spool" - Tarpon - Sailfish - Wreck Fishing - 305-947-8844

Capt Pete Silot - Light-Tackle Inshore Sportfishing Aboard "Saltwater Junkie," an 18-foot Egret flats boat - Biscayne Bay - Snook, Bonefish, Tarpon, Permit - www.saltwaterjunkie.com - 786-266-0620

Capt Bob Lemay - Sight Fishing in Biscayne Bay - Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Snook - 954-435-5666

Capt Dean Panos - Light-Tackle Sportfishing in Miami Aboard "Double D," a 34-foot SeaVee - Sailfish, Dolphin, Kingfish, Tuna, Tarpon - www.doubledcharters.com - 954-805-8231

Capt. Gil Gutierrez - Light-Tackle Sportfishing in Miami Aboard "Lucky Vee," a 32-foot SeaVee - Sailfish, Tarpon, Kingfish, Dolphin, Swordfish, Grouper - www.luckyfishingcharters.com - 954-588-5951

Capt Freddie David - Light-Tackle Sportfishing in Miami Aboard "Frick and Frack," a 27-foot Conch - Swordfish, Sailfish, Dolphin, Tuna, Kingfish - www.frickandfrackfishing.com - 754-244-2531

Capt Jerry Murphy - Light-Tackle/Fly Sportfishing Aboard the "Tar-Bon" - Biscayne Bay - Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit, Snook - 954-432-0197

Capt Alan Sherman - Light-Tackle Inshore Sportfishing Aboard the "Get Em" - Biscayne Bay - Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Snook, Trout, Barracuda - www.getemsportfishing.com - 786-436-2064

Capt. Carl Starling Prince of Tides At Bayshore Landing Marina (305) 607 6862; www.princeoftideschartersmiami.com

Watercraft Rentals: American Watersports Rentals At Bayshore Landing Marina Nick Burnett, (305) 856-6559; www.americanwatersports.us

Marinas

Bayshore Landing Marina 2550 South Bayshore Drive Coconut Grove, FL 33133 (305) 854-7997

Dinner Key Marina 3400 Pan American Drive Coconut Grove, FL 33133 (305) 579 6980

Grove Harbour Marina 2640 S. Bayshore Drive Coconut Grove, FL 33133 (305) 854-6444

Grove Isle Marina 4 Grove Isle Drive Coconut Grove, FL 33133 (305) 858 4753

Grove Key Marina 3385 Pan American Drive Coconut Grove, FL 33133 (305) 858-6527

Area Boat Ramps:

Dinner Key Boat Ramp 3400 Pan American Drive Coconut Grove, FL 33133 3 ramps, 46 trailer parking spaces

Crandon Marina 4000 Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne, FL 33149 7 ramps, 140 trailer parking spaces

Matheson Hammock Ramps Coral Gables 9610 Old Cutler Road Miami FL 33156 5 ramps, 200 trailer spaces

Haulover Marine Boat Ramp 10800 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33160 6 ramps, 60 trailer spaces

Pelican Harbor Marina Near Haulover Inlet 1275 NE 79th Street Causeway Miami, FL 33138 4 ramps, 52 trailer spaces

Watson Island Boat Ramp Near Government Cut MacArthur Causeway Miami, FL 33132 4 ramps, 41 trailer spaces

Island View Park Near Government Cut 1700 Purdy Ave Miami Beach, FL 33139 2 ramps, 15 trailer spaces

Coconut Grove Lodging

The Hampton Inn Coconut Grove 2800 S.W. 28th Terrace (305) 448-2800

The Doubletree Hotel 2649 S. Bayshore Drive (305) 858-2500/ (800) 222-8733

The Grand Bay Hotel 2669 S. Bayshore Drive (305) 858-9600

Coconut Grove Inn B&B 33201 Aviation Avenue (305) 856-4311

The Mutiny Hotel 2951 S. Bayshore Drive (305) 441-2100

Mayfair Hotel & Spa 3000 Florida Avenue (305) 441-0000

Residence Inn by Marriott 2835 Tigertail Avenue (305) 285-9303