Yellowfin Tuna Pending World Record

[Jon54]

For 16 years,I took a long range fishing trip out of San Diego on the Excel Sport Fishing boat. My trips were 10 days long and would go as much as1,000 miles south of San Diego.

I quit going 3 years ago, mostly due to finances but have continued to follow this world class fishing boat. Well, last week they landed the new pending world record yellowfin tuna, 443#.

This beast was caught on a boat with upwards of 25 other anglers on standup gear. My biggest was around 100# and I'll admit I'm not man enough to handle a fish of this size.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Wow! Thats a giant!

 

[Bgoodman30]

Nice! Love YF. Caught one around 350# in Mehico long time ago..

 

[Kevin Snook]

I have a friend that used to be a deck hand on one of those boats back in the 80s…
Was insane the stories he'd tell of when they got on them.

 

[Dbllunger]

Woof! That's a lot of good eating.

 

[BLC]

What, pray tell, is holding that fish upright and rigid?

 

[Jon54]

What, pray tell, is holding that fish upright and rigid?

The crew puts a towel under the nose to keep it from sliding and then they stand it vertically so the angler just has to hold it upright for the instant to take a photo. At least 4 crew are just outside of the photo to jump in should the fish start to tilt

These fish are rigid even when just caught. Normally, after being brought on board, they gut and gill the fish to release as much blood. But they weighed it on the ship and realized it was close to a record.

They snapped a quick photo and then put the fish in a refrigerated seawater hold until they got back to the dock.

 

[Lt.Dan]

That beast would feed my tuna fish habit for a couple years!

 

[CATCHDAWG]

Some might think I'm weird but my 52 year old 160 pound self has zero interest in trying to land a fish a size. Congrats to the angler though!

 

[Bad habit]

I have been on a few out of San Diego when my girlfriend lived there 14 years ago. The last trip 17 of us caught 270 yellowfin and probably an equal number of skipjack tuna. Everyone's arms were jello by the end of the day!

 

[Jon54]

I have been on a few out of San Diego when my girlfriend lived there 14 years ago. The last trip 17 of us caught 270 yellowfin and probably an equal number of skipjack tuna. Everyone's arms were jello by the end of the day!

One of my most memorable trips, we were fishing off an area called the Ridge. We were fishing for yellowtail, which is a cousin to amberjack. 25 of us caught 375 20-30# fish in two hours. Th3 limited was 15 fish each. When we left the bite was just as hot as when we started.

 

[Tenntrapper]

One of my most memorable trips, we were fishing off an area called the Ridge. We were fishing for yellowtail, which is a cousin to amberjack. 25 of us caught 375 20-30# fish in two hours. Th3 limited was 15 fish each. When we left the bite was just as hot as when we started.

Just curious...what is the tuna they catch on that show Wicked Tuna? Unless they are lying, a lot of those fish are much bigger.

 

[Lt.Dan]

Just curious...what is the tuna they catch on that show Wicked Tuna? Unless they are lying, a lot of those fish are much bigger.

I believe they are catching blue fin tuna

 

[UCStandSitter]

I bet that thing sold for a fortune

 

[Pilchard]

I bet that thing sold for a fortune

I'm not up-to-date on the regulations but I don't think that fish was/can be sold unless it was caught on a commercial vessel.

Regardless, the meat is ruined on a tuna when it isn't bled right away. It would bring under a dollar a pound if any fish monger was even interested in it.

YFT aren't a high-dollar fish compared to BFT. You might get $5-$7/lb on a fish that was taken care of and caught in the right part of the world.

 

[Jon54]

Just curious...what is the tuna they catch on that show Wicked Tuna? Unless they are lying, a lot of those fish are much bigger.

They are bluefin, not yellowfin. Related but different much as smallmouth bass are related to largemouth.

 

[UCStandSitter]

I'm not up-to-date on the regulations but I don't think that fish was/can be sold unless it was caught on a commercial vessel.

Regardless, the meat is ruined on a tuna when it isn't bled right away. It would bring under a dollar a pound if any fish monger was even interested in it.

YFT aren't a high-dollar fish compared to BFT. You might get $5-$7/lb on a fish that was taken care of and caught in the right part of the world.

aww man. Shame. I used to see prices on those somewhat frequent out of Japan and was always blown away.

 

[Jon54]

I bet that thing sold for a fortune

Not in California, against the law to sell sport caught fish

 

[Doskil]

Bluefin and Bigeye tuna are generally bigger than yellowfin

That is a giant tuna

 

[PossumSlayer]

That's a lot of tacos!

 

[GUNNERX2]

For 16 years,I took a long range fishing trip out of San Diego on the Excel Sport Fishing boat. My trips were 10 days long and would go as much as1,000 miles south of San Diego.

I quit going 3 years ago, mostly due to finances but have continued to follow this world class fishing boat. Well, last week they landed the new pending world record yellowfin tuna, 443#.

This beast was caught on a boat with upwards of 25 other anglers on standup gear. My biggest was around 100# and I'll admit I'm not man enough to handle a fish of this size.

I spent a very long day on the Excel many years ago. Very nice boat. We were in San Diego for a convention and the trip was arranged by one of the locals. It was a very windy day and some of the folks backed out at the last minute when they saw the flag at the hotel standing straight out and flapping like crazy. Everyone on the boat got seasick but kept fishing. I never picked up a rod. I spent a lot of time below deck in one of the bunks and only came up for air when I had to chum the water.

 

[Jon54]

I spent a very long day on the Excel many years ago. Very nice boat. We were in San Diego for a convention and the trip was arranged by one of the locals. It was a very windy day and some of the folks backed out at the last minute when they saw the flag at the hotel standing straight out and flapping like crazy. Everyone on the boat got seasick but kept fishing. I never picked up a rod. I spent a lot of time below deck in one of the bunks and only came up for air when I had to chum the water.

My memory says I spent over 125 days at sea over 16 years. Of the 16 trips, we dodged 7-8 hurricanes, ducking behind islands until they passed. We would wrap our arms around our plates when eating to keep the plates from flying across the galley.

I only felt sick on one day that I recall. I never once saw anyone hurl. Safety was paramount with fishing second.

I have two memories burned into my brain from the trips. The first was a bud was fighting a yellowfin that clearly pushed the 100# mark. Just as the fish was coming to gaff, a 16' great white slowly came from underneath the boat and inhaled the fish up to the head. His mouth flared and in one bite, the head was retrieved. I was no more than 10' away.

My second was on one of my first trips. I was fishing 40# leader and had in excess of 400 yards of line. I pitched a live sardine out and immediately saw a silver flash. Over the next moments, I watched my line simply melt away.

Deckhand just laughed and said I needed to get ready to buy new line. I used 60# hollow spectra with a short top shot of flouro. With maybe 10 wraps of line on the spool, I clapped my fingers on the spool in hopes of breaking the leader.

Well, I was able to turn the fish and got several dozen wraps back, but then he turned and left again. I applied my blistered thumbs back on the spool and when the leader broke, there were two wraps left.

Captain watched the whole thing from top deck from bite to break. He said I did everything right, I was just overmatched. He guessed the fish was in excess of 150#. I was more excited than disappointed. I was still new to that sort of fishing and the experience confirmed I picked and hooked a good bait, I had made the connection from the spectra to the leader correctly and tied a solid knot.

The only sadness was at checkin. I would have won the jackpot and about $1,000.

 

[redblood]

I cannot fathom how strong that fish must be

 

[redblood]

I spent a very long day on the Excel many years ago. Very nice boat. We were in San Diego for a convention and the trip was arranged by one of the locals. It was a very windy day and some of the folks backed out at the last minute when they saw the flag at the hotel standing straight out and flapping like crazy. Everyone on the boat got seasick but kept fishing. I never picked up a rod. I spent a lot of time below deck in one of the bunks and only came up for air when I had to chum the water.

Sounds like most of my ocean fishing adventures

 

[Jon54]

I cannot fathom how strong that fish must be

Tuna simply don't stop fighting until gaffed. There's debate whether bluefin or yellowfin fight harder. I've caught both up to 100# and couldn't tell the difference.

To catch a 400+# tuna using standup gear isn't for the weak.

 

[redblood]

Do the anglers sale the fish after catching?

 

[Setterman]

Some might think I'm weird but my 52 year old 160 pound self has zero interest in trying to land a fish a size. Congrats to the angler though!

It's brutal.

 

[Jon54]

Do the anglers sale the fish after catching?

In CA it's against the law. It may happen but I never saw it. I'd bring home 200-300# of fish and would donate the balance to a military vet organization.