For Justin Fleck, who has been working on long-haul vessels since the 1990s, the 400-pound yellowfin was the equivalent of something like a Sasquatch
That all changed in 2010 when a 405-pound yellowfin became the world record
Since that 405-pounder two years ago, there have been four yellowfin caught weighing more than 400 pounds, but none of them can hold a candle to the 445-pound yellowfin caught on the Excel during a long day trip 16 at the end of November
“We didn’t know how big the fish was until we brought it on deck,” said Justin, who has captained the Excel since 2003
“This tuna was bigger than any of us had ever seen
I’ve been to Hurricane Bank 30 to 40 times and I’ve never seen anything close to that fish
The 124-foot Excel was 960 miles southwest of San Diego when the giant yellowfin tuna bit
Hurricane Bank has always been a gem for long-distance yachts, but it’s one of those places you can’t always get to
“It’s one of the few places that has big yellowfin all year round, but you can’t get there during hurricane season from June to September
Those boats that make the long trip to this bank are usually rewarded with big fish and lots of them
“The first day we got there, we had some really good fishing for 140- to 250-pound tuna,” Justin said
“We had only been fishing for a few hours and we had already collected 40 nice tuna
The next day the fishing was as good if not better”
Justin Fleck said they had up to six yellowfin tuna over 200 pounds hooked at one time
The fisherman, John Petruescu from La Mesa, California, caught the tuna in his wetsuit
It only took three minutes for the big yellowfin to take John’s bait
It was your typical up-and-down big fish battle,” said Justin
The fisherman fought the fish for more than an hour, going around the boat several times to stay on top of the fish
The tuna went around the anchor line and the worker had to get up there and pass the rod around the anchor and back to the fisherman
Unfortunately, that move dashed any hopes of claiming the IGFA world record for yellowfin tuna
To achieve the IGFA world record, only an angler can touch the rod, reel and line during the battle
It is normal policy to have crew to help around the anchor because of the dangers involved and the crew did not know the fish were so big at the time
“If we knew the fish were that big, we could have made an exception,” Justin said
You can’t hold the fact that he didn’t claim the world record against him
When the crew finally got a good look at the fish, they knew it was probably the largest yellowfin fish ever caught on a rod and reel
“It took four of us to drag the fish through the gate, which is about a foot above the waterline,” Fleck said
Using a formula to calculate weight, Justin called the fish 450-plus pounds
The crew was able to post a photo of the fish online while on the boat, and it caused a stir in the fishing world
When the Excel returned to port on Sunday morning, December 9, there was a crowd of onlookers waiting to catch a glimpse of the giant yellowfin tuna
With the tuna hauled up, the standard settled at 445 pounds, surpassing the 4275-pound yellowfin that is currently considered the world record for all-purpose strikes
“He picked it up very quickly, and caught four fish over 200 pounds
On the other hand, and according to the IGFA (International Game Fishing Association) the world record for the largest yellowfin fish ever caught using a Rod & Reel belongs to Guy Yacom, which was also caught in Mexico in September 18, 2012 427 lbs
How big is a large yellowfin tuna?
The yellowfin tuna is among the largest tuna species, reaching a weight of over 180 kg (400 lb), but is smaller than the Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna, which can reach over 450 kg (990 lb), and slightly smaller than bigeye tuna and southern bluefin tuna
Who caught the 3 million dollar tuna?
Kiyoshi Kimura, who owns the Sushizanmai chain, paid 3336 million yen ($31 million) for a 278-kilogram (613-lb) fish caught off the coast of Aomori prefecture in northern Japan, or double what he had paid six years ago
What kind of big bluefin or yellowfin do we have?
First, we have many Bluefin species grow larger than the Bluefin Yellowfin tuna is the largest of the bluefin species, reaching up to 680 kg and rivaling marlin and swordfish in size
How old is a 200 pound yellowfin tuna?
The growth cycle of yellowfin tuna is 8-10 pounds in one year, 2 years old about 35 pounds
and at age 3 about 75 pounds
By age 4 yellowfin will average 130 pounds and can average up to 200 pounds
What is the largest fish caught on record?
The world record for bluefin tuna caught was set in 1979 in Nova Scotia, Canada
The fish weighed 1,496 pounds, according to the International Game Fish Association
Do sharks eat yellowfin tuna?
Adult yellowfins eat nothing but larger fish, toothed whales, and other species of marine sharks
What is the largest mahi mahi ever caught?
The world record for Mahi-Mahi ever caught was set in Costa Rica in 1976, with an 87-pound fish
How old are we at 200 pounds?
Atlantic bluefin tuna can reach 10 feet in length and 1,000 pounds
Most adults weigh about 200 pounds at 10 years of age They are blue on the back and have a silver belly
Do we have 1000 kilos worth of bluefin tuna?
China’s news agency Xinghua in March put the average price of bluefin in Japan at around $10,000 per fish
That’s a lot, even for a fish that can weigh over 1,000 pounds
But Kimura paid 70 times that for his New Year’s treat: $1,238-per-pound
Kiyoshi Kimura bought a 278kg (612lbs) bluefin tuna, an endangered species, at a New Year’s auction at Tokyo’s new fish market
What Is The Biggest Fish Ever Caught?
What Is The Biggest Fish Ever Caught?
According to IGFA records, the largest fish ever caught was a great white shark that weighed 2,664 pounds (1,208389 kg)
When found off the coast of Ceduna, Australia, in 1959, it took fisherman Alfred Dean just 50 minutes to win a fight against this one-ton shark
Can you eat raw yellowfin tuna?
Fish safe to eat Raw tuna: Any type of tuna, whether bluefin, yellowfin, skipjack, or albacore, can be eaten raw It is one of the oldest ingredients used in sushi and is considered by some to be an icon of sushi and sashimi
Bluefin tuna are the largest of the tuna species, typically weighing around 600 to 1,000 pounds
Bluefin is usually served in high-end sushi restaurants because it is, quite simply, the tastiest we have in the world
Is yellowfin better than albacore?
However, albacore has slightly more fat and calories than skipjack or yellowfin – which means it has more omega-3 fatty acids
How much is yellowfin tuna worth per pound?
David Maginnis of Gulf Fish in Houma, La, says dock prices have averaged $350 a pound in recent years
What is the largest fish ever shot with a spear gun?
Jimmy Uys holds the world record for the largest bluewater gamefish ever spearfished—a 242-kilogram (533-pound) black marlin that he caught in May 1988
How long do yellowfin tuna live?
Yellowfin can live up to six or seven years They are highly migratory and are found throughout the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans
They form schools with others such as skipjack and bigeye, and are also known to be associated with dolphins
What is the biggest marlin ever caught?
The 1,805-pound (819 kg) Pacific catfish was caught in 1970 by a group of fishermen from Oahu, Hawaii, aboard the charter boat Coreene C, captained by Capt
Cornelius Choy (this fish is often referred to as ‘Choy’s Monster’) still stands as the largest marlin caught on rod and reel
What is the biggest fish ever caught?
Louis Marron Men’s 60-kg (130lb) Line Class/All-Tackle On May 7, 1953, while fishing aboard Flying Heart III, Lou caught this incredible 53615 kg (1,182 lb) fish
With this fish he set the IGFA All-Tackle World Record for the species and the Men’s World Class Record of 60 kg (130 lb)
How many bluefin tuna are left?
Is yellowfin tuna good to eat?
Although tuna is very nutritious, it is also high in mercury compared to many other fish
You can eat skipjack and canned tuna as well as other low-mercury fish a few times each week, but you should limit or avoid albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna
Yellowtail, sometimes called Hamachi, is a tastier fish than albacore tuna and is widely used in sushi in Japan
Which is more expensive yellowfin or bluefin tuna?
Whichever way you get it, you will find that Yellowfin meat is cheaper than Bluefin meat
Does yellowfin tuna contain mercury?
Bigeye and yellowfin, also known as ahi, are common in sushi
Both species, including bluefin, are high in mercury and should be eaten infrequently, if at all
Most tuna are caught with trolling lines or long lines, which contain medium to large sea fish, sea turtles and marine mammals
If you and your crew are in a drought when it comes to catching quality Bluefin Tuna, then you may be in a financial drought in the coming months
What is the biggest fish ever caught in Florida?
The current state record is held by Rick Whitley who reeled in an 826-pound, 8-ounce bluefin tuna in 2017, according to data from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)
What is the biggest fish ever caught on a rod and reel?
His biggest animal, the 3,427-pound Great White Shark, still remains the largest fish ever caught by rod and reel
Bluefin tuna have an appetite to satisfy with a varied diet, meaning that they consume almost everything they come across and A bluefin’s habitat is the sea, so typically, they eat small fish, crustaceans, squid, eels and a multitude of other marine life
According to data reported to the world’s regional fisheries management organizations, Indonesia and Japan have been the top two tuna fishing nations from 2012 to 2018, according to the total landing report
How big can a bluefin tuna be?
How big can a bluefin tuna be?
How big can a bluefin tuna be?
Atlantic bluefin tuna have large, torpedo-shaped bodies that are almost circular in cross section
They are the largest species of tuna and can reach up to 13 feet and 2,000 pounds
What is the largest group ever found?
The heaviest ever caught and certified as an IGFA world record was this 680-pound goliath caught on May 20, 1961, off Fernandina Beach, Florida, using Spanish mackerel as bait
What is the largest group of Goliaths?
As of 2021, the largest Goliath Grouper caught in the wild is 680 pounds off the coast of South Florida
Anglers again won Grouper in May 1961
In June 2021, another group of fishermen in Florida caught a Goliath that weighed about 500 pounds
Pacific bluefin tuna reach maturity at about 5 years and can live up to 26 years, although the average lifespan is about 15 years Adults are about 15 meters (4 ft 11 in) long and weigh 60 kg (130 lb )
How long do tuna take to grow?
Most yellowfin tuna will mature at about 2 years of age and 100 cm in size
Each yellowfin spawns a million eggs a year but the lifespan of a yellowfin is short – with an average age recorded at just 5-6 years
Is there bluefin tuna in Hawaii?
How long does it take to catch a bluefin tuna?
To put that in perspective, the average time to fly a bluefin is about two and a half hours
How old is a bluefin tuna?
Bluefin are the largest we have and can live up to 40 years
The Gulf of Mexico near the mouth of the Mississippi River offers some of the most productive waters anywhere for large yellowfin tuna
https://dinkoseafoodscomau/bluefin-tuna-yellowfin-tuna/
https://wwwsportfishingmagcom/ten-record-setting-yellowfin-tuna-catches/
https://ftwusatodaycom/2019/02/record-size-yellowfin-tuna-almost-pulls-angler-overboard