Hunting Yellowtail

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I did a search and couldn't find much on hunting YT. This is my current goal and has been this past year. Some of you around here are experts at hunting yellowtail and I am hoping to benefit from your experience. Butch, perhaps you can post up your PB yellowtail story?

Conditions have not been great this year locally and I didn't do much travel. However, I was lucky enough to see two 25-30 lb class yellowtail cruising the coast locally in San Diego several months ago. I had just cleared the kelp and was just playing around in the warm/clear water. Viz was some of the best I have seen this year and I was fairly close to shore. I dropped down and was just looking around when I see two yellowtail cruising off to my right. I kept my cool and shifted direction and started heading up towards them. The yellowtail probably didn't even see me. I sighted my Wong hybrid and thought about how fast these fish could probably swim. I noticed the one in back was a little bit larger and I knew I had plenty of time for the shot. I sighted on the gill plate right in the sweet spot and then thought better of it. I was about 12 feet away so I wondered if the fish might take off once I pulled the trigger. So I sighted a bit in front of the yt and figured that by leading him, he would swim right into the shot.

Well..... that was my mistake. I led the shot too much and as the shaft travels between the two yellowtail, I was mentally kicking myself! My first shot at a yellowtail and I blew it! The shaft ended up landing on top of a bat ray of all things which was kind of cool. Ever since, I have been completely obsessed with getting my yt. I have been down to MX a few times and out to Cat with no luck. I will be heading out to Clemente this weekend to see what can be found.

Hopefully some of you more experienced guys can point out my mistakes and share some wisdom.

Quote from chris oak

No expert here, but I've got a few yellows under my belt they are my absolute favorite fish to hunt ;). The biggest mistake I've seen is guys taking shots when the fish are farther away than they look, in clear water it's amazing how far out the fish really are and it's hard to judge. So when I take my shot I usually take the advice given to me by my buddy and thats, "aim for the stripe". So what I usually do is aim for the gil plate but in line where the stripe is, if the fish is farther away than you think and it's moving (the fish are always moving faster than they look) you'll still punch in a decent part of the body and have a good holding shot. How long is your hybrid? If it's 55" or shorter then of course the distance shot will be a bit slower and not as accurate.

If I'm targeting yellowtail and they are sketchy and in clear water my go to gun is either a 65" zero recoil (that's when they are waaaay out) or at the least my 59" so cal tracker and both with a slip tip. I have taken them on 55" guns as well as railguns in the 110 range with floppers but have to fool them into coming close or sneak up on them when they are concentrating on the bait. I like a powered up gun with a lot of range when I'm slinging steel at them.

You'll hear this from a lot of guys, you can wave your hands, use flashers or strum your bands to bring them closer in. I also will turn 90 degrees and swim in a different direction as fast as I can when they are obviously turning away, for some reason they try to get ahead of you to see what you are looking at and then it's lights out :).

Excellent advice! I was using a 55" gun. I had the power because I watched the shot go in front of the fish and start to trail off after a bit as it was pulling the floatline and losing power.

I was actually looking for cbass in the kelp earlier and was on my way back when I saw the yt. I was a bit surprised and I am sure I was overthinking a bit. I have heard the band strumming and finger wiggle tricks before. I have not heard about changing direction.

What temp. water do you typically start looking for yellows?

Quote from chris oak

Don Paul will have better information, but usually I see them most often at cat when the water gets 64 degrees and up. I've shot them in colder water at 62 degrees early and late season though, basically when I start putting my 5mm on in May I start seeing them more often. My buddy shot one in pv in 57 degree water as well.

I'm actually looking at a ulusub 165 mid-handle for a more powerful gun.... we will see.

Looks to be about 64-66 degree water swirling around Clemente so let's hope!

Quote from chris oak

There are definitely yellowtail still around at clemente :). Let us know how the ulusub works out, they look like quite a bargain for a teak gun! If you are accurate with your 55" you might have to get used to the other gun maker, I used to be laser accurate with my rabitechs and then switched over to mid handle wood guns and hybrids, now it takes a couple of shots for me to get my rabi down. If I could do it all over again and had enough money I'd probably stick with one gun maker and learn that series well.

If only I could afford a whole series of wongs! haha.

Quote from Joe Acevedo

Ill be out at Clemente this SUNDAY , ill be with fellow pistoleros Jeff and Scott on Scotts 23' Parker OCEAN BOUND
im gonna be hunting with a 119 Mr. C ,,, looking for the same fish

Balta called and said he will be there with his crew
were gonna have to have a 3 boat club comp

Pistoleros vs Fathamiors vs SDFDC ,, its gonna be a good one

c ya out their ,,,, Joe

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Awesome! I will let my guys know that we better clean up and leave none for you! Haha.... Seriously though, I will let you know conditions. Butch will give you a call. We need to join forces sometime.