California Yellowtail caught in San Evaristo, Baja Sur, Mexico
California Yellowtail
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California Yellowtail Description
California Yellowtail (not to be confused with Yellowtail Snapper found in the Caribbean) are a well-loved fish here in Southern California. They put up a terrific fight for their size and can be a tough adversary in areas with lots of rocks or kelp for them to run into. Unfortunately they do not jump when hooked, but in all other respects they are a lot of fun to reel in. I never get tired of catching them.
There are always some California Yellowtail around Southern California, especially around the islands of Catalina and San Clemente. These non-migratory fish are known as “homeguards” and tend to be large and tough to catch. In addition, many years during the summer there is a decent migration of smaller fish in the 10-25lb range or so. They often hang out under kelp paddies offshore, where they are easier to land because there is less stuff for them to wrap up your line in.
California Yellowtail taste ok but I would not go out of my way to eat them personally. They actually taste better raw and are a common menu item in sushi restaurants (where they are called “Hamachi”). They max out around 100lbs although 50lbs is a very big one.
Want to get a sense for what it's like to catch Yellowtail? Check out this short video from a fishing trip to remote San Evaristo, Baja, Mexico: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyA3PuRd92Q
California Yellowtail Tackle
If you are fishing for the school-sized ones offshore you could get away with a 20-30lb setup but personally I do not go below 65lb braided line if I am fishing for them in rocky areas or kelp beds. A good fluorocarbon leader is a must both because of decreased visibility to the fish and also enhanced abrasion resistance.
If you are fishing with “surface iron” (described below) you should use at least an 8ft rod to get enough casting distance. If fishing bait on the surface a 7ft rod would be fine, and if fishing on the bottom you could got with a shorter rod to get more leverage when cranking them up. Fish hooked on the bottom must be manhandled off the bottom before they get into rocks and cut you off. I have seen party boat trips with casualty rates so high that only one in eight or so fish hooked is landed.
An excellent reel for fishing for Yellowtail with surface iron is the Shimano Trinidad 16N. When fishing bait, the Accurate BX 500 is a fantastic reel. Click here for tackle recommendations.
California Yellowtail Techniques
California Yellowtail are readily caught on both bait and lures. They can be found anywhere from the surface down to the bottom so a variety of techniques may be employed.
California Yellowtail Lures
Here in Southern California the use of “iron” jigs such as Salas and Kicker is very popular. Lighter “surface irons” are fished near the surface. They are fished with a fast steady retrieve so that the jig “kicks” from side to side. You have to experiment because each jig will take a different speed of retrieve to "kick" correctly. If you get a bite, keep winding until the line becomes tight and then set the hook.
When fish are deeper, fishermen like to fish heavier jigs in the “yo-yo” style described in this article: http://rovingangler.com/sample_articles/say_yes_to_yo-yo
Home
California Yellowtail Description
California Yellowtail (not to be confused with Yellowtail Snapper found in the Caribbean) are a well-loved fish here in Southern California. They put up a terrific fight for their size and can be a tough adversary in areas with lots of rocks or kelp for them to run into. Unfortunately they do not jump when hooked, but in all other respects they are a lot of fun to reel in. I never get tired of catching them.
There are always some California Yellowtail around Southern California, especially around the islands of Catalina and San Clemente. These non-migratory fish are known as “homeguards” and tend to be large and tough to catch. In addition, many years during the summer there is a decent migration of smaller fish in the 10-25lb range or so. They often hang out under kelp paddies offshore, where they are easier to land because there is less stuff for them to wrap up your line in.
California Yellowtail taste ok but I would not go out of my way to eat them personally. They actually taste better raw and are a common menu item in sushi restaurants (where they are called “Hamachi”). They max out around 100lbs although 50lbs is a very big one.
Want to get a sense for what it's like to catch Yellowtail? Check out this short video from a fishing trip to remote San Evaristo, Baja, Mexico: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyA3PuRd92Q
California Yellowtail Tackle
If you are fishing for the school-sized ones offshore you could get away with a 20-30lb setup but personally I do not go below 65lb braided line if I am fishing for them in rocky areas or kelp beds. A good fluorocarbon leader is a must both because of decreased visibility to the fish and also enhanced abrasion resistance.
If you are fishing with “surface iron” (described below) you should use at least an 8ft rod to get enough casting distance. If fishing bait on the surface a 7ft rod would be fine, and if fishing on the bottom you could got with a shorter rod to get more leverage when cranking them up. Fish hooked on the bottom must be manhandled off the bottom before they get into rocks and cut you off. I have seen party boat trips with casualty rates so high that only one in eight or so fish hooked is landed.
An excellent reel for fishing for Yellowtail with surface iron is the Shimano Trinidad 16N. When fishing bait, the Accurate BX 500 is a fantastic reel. Click here for tackle recommendations.
California Yellowtail Techniques
California Yellowtail are readily caught on both bait and lures. They can be found anywhere from the surface down to the bottom so a variety of techniques may be employed.
California Yellowtail Lures
Here in Southern California the use of “iron” jigs such as Salas and Kicker is very popular. Lighter “surface irons” are fished near the surface. They are fished with a fast steady retrieve so that the jig “kicks” from side to side. You have to experiment because each jig will take a different speed of retrieve to "kick" correctly. If you get a bite, keep winding until the line becomes tight and then set the hook.
When fish are deeper, fishermen like to fish heavier jigs in the “yo-yo” style described in this article: http://rovingangler.com/sample_articles/say_yes_to_yo-yo
Surface iron lures for Yellowtail.
Some iron jigs for yo-yoing
California Yellowtail Baits
It’s hard to beat a nice 8” Pacific Mackerel. When live squid are around they make a great bait as well. I like using two squid at a time to look like they are mating. Yellowtail will readily hit sardines too, but as with many fish if you want to catch big ones you should use big baits. Baits can either be fished on the surface without weight or on a dropper loop near the bottom. Circle hooks tend to work well with California Yellowtail because they usually take off when they grab a bait.
Where to get the big California Yellowtail
Cedros Island and other spots on the Pacific side of Baja are a good bet for these guys. There is also a nearly identical species of fish in New Zealand, where they are called Kingfish.
Other California Yellowtail Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch California Yellowtail. The resources below will provide a wealth of information:
These guys can put you on Yellowtail: www.cedrosadventures.com
www.pointlomasportfishing.com
These guys can give you great advice and tackle: www.performancetackle.com
It’s hard to beat a nice 8” Pacific Mackerel. When live squid are around they make a great bait as well. I like using two squid at a time to look like they are mating. Yellowtail will readily hit sardines too, but as with many fish if you want to catch big ones you should use big baits. Baits can either be fished on the surface without weight or on a dropper loop near the bottom. Circle hooks tend to work well with California Yellowtail because they usually take off when they grab a bait.
Where to get the big California Yellowtail
Cedros Island and other spots on the Pacific side of Baja are a good bet for these guys. There is also a nearly identical species of fish in New Zealand, where they are called Kingfish.
Other California Yellowtail Resources
The above barely scratches the surface on how to catch California Yellowtail. The resources below will provide a wealth of information:
These guys can put you on Yellowtail: www.cedrosadventures.com
www.pointlomasportfishing.com
These guys can give you great advice and tackle: www.performancetackle.com
Click on any pic in the gallery below to enlarge:
