What's your biggest Yellow fin in the Sea of Cortez

[JerryInLodi]

Since Jay's getting us all pumped up about Baja with his fishing reports, I've been wondering, what's the biggest yellow fin any of you have landed inside the Sea of Cortez, say from LaPaz north!

While I've stuck lots of yellow fin in the Sea of Cortez, I've never come close to sticking the forty to sixty pounders I did while crossing the Pacific in my sailboat. Of course I was trolling big kona heads on 500 pound test line with 300 pound steel leaders tied directly to the stern pulpit on my sailboat. Believe it or not, I did get broke off once. It moved the whole damn boat and the line parted like a rifle shot!

Anyway, the biggest yellow fin I stick around Mulege seem about ten pounds. Anyone find a lot bigger fish?

23 days to Baja and counting!

[Darian]

I fished out of Rancho Leonero 2 years ago (June). The Yellowfin were not plentiful in the Sea of Cortez but were, just outside. The boats came in daily with fish that were from 18# to 25#. A sprinkilng of larger fish were included.....

I didn't catch any of them, myself. Still looking forward to that event.

[Katz]

I landed one of 26lbs in Loreto 6 summers ago. Used a 12 wt. It was TOO MUCH! Took forever to land and bruised up my stomach where the rod butt was digging in! Amazing how strong those fish are. I would actually be scared to hook anything bigger on a fly rod...

Katz

[MSP]

Largest Yellowfin for me on a fly rod was 18#er also on a 12 wt. Hooked up at the same time as a buddy on conventional gear and I actually got mine in before he did. I don't usually fish with a fly rod down there but I always take a couple. Might give it more of a try when we hit East Cape at the end of the week.

[k.hanley]

For me....... 34 pounds on my nine-weight. Our largest "student caught" YFT was 62 pounds on a ten-weight outfit and another 62 pounder on a twelve-weight outfit.
Cheers, Ken

[JerryInLodi]

Ken, If I had a 60+ yellowfin on my line I think after about 15 minutes I'd just pop the leader and say goodbye. I no longer use stainless hooks just for that reason. While my equipment might be able to handle it, I could not. That is too much fish! I'd rather catch a 100 pound sail than a 60 pound yellowfin.

Actually, I confess that when I'm fishing down there with the huge schools of dorado cruising around the boat, I intentionally cast away from the bigger fish. I try to stay under 20 pounds since, for ME, I get all the thrill and can fish for many more hours than targeting the big bulls.

The last few years I was down, I was content to release about eight dorado and then I'd head over for the rocks, drop the Minnkota trolling motor, put up the bimini, stand back at the transom and pick up my 7/8 and cast for WHATEVER.

After fishing the first year and catching so many weird fish, I bought a book to take with me from Vagabundos Del Mar named, Sea of Cortez Marine Animals, just to identify some of the fish.

On at least three occasions in past years I hooked something so big and fast that the reel COULD NOT keep up with the fish and the 12# Maxima parted, even though I was pointing the rod (I really didn't have a choice) directly at the point the line was going into the water. If I had a lighter grip on the rod it would have left my hands. The total experience was less than three seconds. These fish were not wrapping themselves around something, they were heading to sea, FAST!