Paul Cunningham, Cory Schiedel and Ryan Schiedel with a whopper of a bull dolphin.
August 27, 2025
By Ryan Schiedel
By Ryan Schiedel, as told to Florida Sportsman Often, “the fish of a lifetime” can be a little exaggerated. Many angler encounters produce truly big fish. However, some of those catches become also-rans when it comes close to nearing a record. Except this one.
This dolphinfish (aka mahi mahi), caught by Paul Cunningham, Ryan Schiedel, Cory Schiedel and Jimmy Midgett from Port Canaveral, was a real legend. After boating one of the biggest fish seen in these parts, the tales began to grow. Thankfully, though, the scale never lies.
The entire adventure began preparing for a late-spring departure from the Bahamas. The crew shoved off from Cherokee near Abaco, not far from the well-worn area known as Hole in the Wall. They were bringing back their boat, Mary Rose, a 68-foot sportfish based in Florida.
Trolling for Mahi Mahi Not too long from leaving, Schiedel said they deployed a bait spread of trolled ballyhoo to begin fishing. They expected typical catches including yellowfin tuna, wahoo, sailfish, marlin or probably dolphin. They pulled two 50-pound double wide reels just in case.
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That’s when their big mahi mahi came crashing into the spread. It had to be the biggest bull dolphin any of them had ever seen. What happened next was remarkable. “The bull came in and got hooked on the right rigger. But after only a few minutes of battling, the huge fish suddenly came loose,” Schiedel said.
Sometimes anglers get a second chance. Occasionally, they get redemption.
The raging bull didn’t leave. It saw another ballyhoo on the left flat line. It swooped in and gobbled up another bait. In a flash, they were on again.
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Unbelievably, the moment wouldn’t last. Almost as fast as the first take, the big bull was gone.
Third Time is the Charm “You never get a chance after missing two bites—never,” Schiedel said. As the crew stood dejected, someone noticed the huge dolphin was still around!
“Right away, we threw another ballyhoo at it on a spinning outfit,” Schiedel said. There was about 30 yards between the boat and this fish. Paul Cunningham, the boat’s owner, hooked up with 50-pound braided line on the rod.
By now, the bull was tiring. They were able to stick the gaff. Mate Jimmy Midgett stuck the hook but suddenly realized he couldn’t lift it up. They needed three guys just to bring it on board.
They doubled back to weigh the fish knowing it was a near record for a dolphin. They pulled into Marsh Harbour to weigh it. They figured a bigger dolphin had bested them, but it was—by any estimate—a huge fish. Their giant bull dolphin weighed in at 79 pounds, 9 ounces.
And getting to feed it not one, not two, but three times is an unforgettable event for this crew.
Editor’s note : Very few dolphin, or mahi mahi, have been documented over 79 pounds. An 81-pound fish, caught in June 2007 off Lantana, holds the Florida state record. The IGFA all-tackle and 50-pound line-class record is 87 pounds, from Costa Rica in 1976.This story was featured in the August-September 2025 issue of Florida Sportsman magazine. Click to subscribe .
