The Yellowfin Tuna
April 12, 2013
By Florida Sportsman Editor
The Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus albacares
Distinguishing the Yellowfin Tuna from the Blackfin or Bigeye is sometimes difficult as many visual features are similar. Finlets of the Yellowfin are yellow, trimmed in black. Gold stripe along side. Light underside usually shows spots and/or wavy lines. Second dorsal and anal fins of very large individuals are elongated and lunate—a feature not found on any other Tuna.
SIZE
May run anywhere from a few pounds to more than 200 pounds. Maximum close to 400. World record 388 pounds, 12 ounces; Florida record 240 pounds.
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FOOD VALUE
One of the best.
GAME QUALITIES
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Second only to Bluefin Tuna, and only because of smaller size
TACKLE AND BAITS
Heavy outfits are indicated—50- or 80-pound. But light and medium ocean outfits are often used. Most are probably caught trolling with offshore trolling lures or rigged baits, but in certain areas the best approach is to anchor on a reef near deep blue water and bring in the fish by chumming with Pilchards or similar small baitfish. In that situation they can also be hooked by casting artificial lures with spinning, baitcasting and fly tackle—and landed, if the size is right and luck is with the angler.
FISHING SYSTEMS
Trolling; Still Fishing; Drifting.
OTHER NAMES
Allison Tuna Ahi
RANGE
All Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
HABITAT
The open sea, but frequently near dropoffs.
Jumbo Yellowfin Forum member Top Contender hoists up a 150 pound yellowfin caught in the Gulf on chunk bait!
Harbour Island Yellowfin Forum member Off The Wall shows off a 70 pound yellowfin tuna caught off of Harbour Island Bahamas while trolling.
Big Bend Tuna Beau Jarrett and friends with a studly yellowfin tuna off of Destin
137 Tuna Forum member frigategetsfish caught this 137 pound yellowfin tuna while trolling for wahoo. The fish ate a split tail mullet.
Bahamas Tuna Forum member OneFastt997 got redemption on the yellowfin tuna while on a day trip to the Bahamas.
Black and Yellowfin Tuna Florida Sportsman Forum Member Piner_wahoo holding up a 25 pound Yellowfin and a 35 pound Blackfin Tuna both caught out of Big Pine Key.
Venice Tuna Forum member Panhandler80 caught this stud tuna and many more fishing Venice Louisiana.
Yellowfin Tuna Colin VanCampen with his Yellowfin Tuna that he caught off Walkers Cay.
Three buoys Yellowfin FS member Stetson Law and Team Three Buoys with two solid yellowfin tuna caught in the Bahamas.
Tuna Time FS member ihouck23 caught this 45 pound Yellowfin while trolling off Grand Cay.
Grand Cay Yellowfin These happy anglers caught this Yellowfin Tuna off Grand Cay with Captain Patrick Price
Day One Yellowfins Florida Sportsman member, Slingking, and his friends made their annual Fathers Day weekend trip to Grand Cay. The trip started off with a bang as they boated 5 nice yellowfins on day one.
Yellowfin on Father's Day Florida Sportsman member, Venture Ho!, took his annual Father's Day trip with the boys. They ran to Little Isaacs for some yellowfin and caught a few.
Solid Yellowfins Scott Nichols (left) and Taylor Pankey caught these 60-70 pound yellowfins off of little Issacs fishing with chunk bait
Bimini Tuna We were fishing yellowtail off the gingerbreads and decided to go look for birds at 2PM in the afternoon June 14th. About 5 miles from the yellowtail spot we saw some birds, stopped the boat and had a double header to big yellowfin on within 5 minutes. It was a total Cinderella story! Ended up catching 5 in 2 hours and quit. We left them there. I don't think we will ever get that lucky again. It was stupid easy and just total blind luck.- Tom Gordon
Panhandle Yellowfin Fight A pretty sight indeed, the stand-up 50 wide getting worked by a yellowfin tuna while fishing off of the oil rigs in the panhandle region.
Great Yellowfins Excellent day of yellowfin tuna action on the Wanderer in Nosara, Costa Rica. Captain William Mendoza and First Mate Alex welcomed clients Craig, Paula, Charly, and Silvia for a half-day of offshore tuna trolling. Water temp was 76F, depth was more that 1200 ft., and spread consisted of cedar plugs, C + H High speed lures, and bonita strips.
Bimini Tuna We were fishing yellowtail off the gingerbreads and decided to go look for birds at 2PM in the afternoon June 14th. About 5 miles from the yellowtail spot we saw some birds, stopped the boat and had a double header to big yellowfin on within 5 minutes. It was a total Cinderella story! Ended up catching 5 in 2 hours and quit. We left them there. I don't think we will ever get that lucky again. It was stupid easy and just total blind luck.- Tom Gordon
Team Blackfin Tuna With a nice yellowfin tuna.
Yellowfin Tuna Ed Jaen from Panama, with a 40lb yellowfin tuna caught in Los Frailes, Pedasi.
Tuna! Florida Sportsman Forum Member ducknfish with a huge Yellowfin Tuna he caught while fishing in Panama.
