Catch and Release Yellowtail
 

Poll for you guys going into this summer:

Who on here has released a yellowtail from the kayak? This time of year those fish are getting heavily fished by sportboats, commercial boats, and kayaks alike. The big mossbacks we target are all important breeders, so why not? In the age of gopros and smart phones, you're going to be able to document the catch. And I know many of you have a bunch of fish just sitting in a freezer somewhere...

Not counting tiny rats (which I hope all of you would release) how many can say they have let go a big yt?



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Gotta catch one first before I can make that decision 😒

I would do it if I had more than I could use, and if it obviously wasn't a new PR. But first I need to get this stinky, stinky skunk stench off of me :/

I never voluntarily release them because my friends, family and I eat them.

Yes, if I had enough in the freezer.

Thanks for the video. I was wondering how I would release a YT.

Absolutely. But if you release a tired one when a sealion is around, they won't last long.

Caught and kept one on Saturday a few weeks ago. Caught and released 3 more on Sunday, and left them biting. The one I kept was #27, and the ones I released were around the same size. I don't keep any more than I am willing to professionally vacuum seal myself, or than I can fit in my freezer. In my experience, giving away fish to friends in general, you might as well throw away about 50%. I try to stick with the ones that can tell me what species they like to eat, and how they like to prepare it.

Highly situational. I've released fish before, but most of the time there's someone out there who's hungry.


With proper care you can sit on a dead fish for 5 days before it is too late, though this is species and size dependent.


Good fighting technique, dispatch technique, and good care will help the fish last to it's maximum potential, and you can share it.


Then again I can't buy fish anywhere remotely close to the quality I can produce myself. That's probably the biggest motivator for keeping a fish.

I have released many in the last 4 years. Last year I released all the yellowtail I caught, mostly due to being the only one in the household that eats fish and still had some in the freezer. Than in late october 2019, I said to myself the next yellowtail over 25 lb I will keep. So you provably guessed what happened next. I have had multiple hits and not a single l landed yellowtail since then. I thought I had built up a lot of good karma. Still working on the next harvest, but yellowtail fishing has been very slow. It appears that in the last 8 months, "It's been more about being in the right place at the right time". One thing is for sure, the couch at home, IS NOT THE RIGHT PLACE!

Yes, if you plan on doing this, you can grab the yellowtail by the tail.

Last fall, on a private boat, we (had to) release over 10 Yellowfin Tuna :D

This is good advise. I Haven't landed a YT from the yak so I cant say that I have had the chance to release one, but I would likely keep one or two (if smaller grade) and turn the others back to fight again. I know that I eat/use all of the fish I keep, even it means it might get a little frost bite if I have a large stock. I don't like to kill fish if im being honest, so when I do, I want that fish to be eaten and not just die in vain.

I haven't been fishing for them yet from my kayak so if I caught one when I get out there I won't release it unless it's too small. I don't give fish away unless I know the person will actually eat it and not take it just to be polite. I don't fish enough to have a freezer full. If I had one on the stringer though I would release any others I caught that day. So yes and no, it all depends on the situation.

Hey Greg,

I know it's been in a thread before, but what vacuum sealer do you use?

Love that shot Ken, think that was after striking out looking for tuna off La Jolla, I highly recommend this hands free technique for juvenile WSB as they are super fragile!

Question - I've always been operating under the rule that you couldn't take YTs <24", but someone recently pointed out the full language of the regs, which state:

"The minimum size limit is 24 inches fork length, except that up to five fish less than 24 inches fork length may be taken or possessed."

Does that really mean there is no size limit if you're taking <5 fish? Do people actually keep small ones?

VacMaster, mine is the VP215. They make several models/sizes. large initial investment, but last forever, and bags are pretty inexpensive. Once you see (and taste) the difference between one of these and one of the standard "vacuum" sealers, you will want one.

Yes

Also, yes

I'd say I release more than I keep by a good margin. I also only fish circle hooks with bait as it's a cleaner release. My freezer is almost empty though so I may keep my next one if I remember to bring my cooler bag.

I actually don't keep any fish, gross. But man are they fun to catch!
:reel:

Great tip about the circle hooks!

That was my personal goal this year
 

I have not achieved it yet. I was very optimistic of having a good year. My plan was after having harvested one or two first, was to then release one back. This would have been on a supposed really good day where I had landed and harvested at least one or two prior to releasing a fish. Very optimistic of me, needless to say. Boy, how my plans really got turned around. Im not even in the yellowtail count this year. SMH. :cheers1: . Good for you on your sportsmanship.
:notworthy:

X2
 

Guess its just one of those years? Good Luck.
:reel:

One thing to remember when using circles that has turned a lot of people off to them; don't set the hook. Just let the fish swallow the bait for 3-5 mississippis and engage the drag, the hook will set itself right in the corner of the mouth.

X2

Absolutely! The fish also needs to be swimming away from you. If your line goes slack and one tries to wind tight, there is a chance you will wind the bait out of the fish's mouth. Sadly learned the hard way -- bait flew out of the fish's mouth air bound and landed 10ft in front of the kayak. The wahoo lite up, dashed over, grabbed the bait again, and took off! Having seen this, I free spooled and the line started peeling off fast! Adrenaline caused old reflexes to kick in and I swung to set the hook:ack2:. Had I stayed calm, waited one more Mississippi, and just clicked the reel into gear, the circle hook would have set itself. It hurts to lose a fish that I maybe get a shot at once or twice a year :(