Yellowtail on Fin Bait

We have already discussed the effectiveness of live squid for yellowtail. But what do you do when there are no live squid available? Fin bait is the next best bait, mackerel, sardines and to a lesser degree, anchovies. I will use anchovies for chum, then throw iron jigs for the yellows.

Choveys are small and weak and don't last long when pulling the large size lines usually used for yellows. Large sardines and small mackerel are the bait of choice when yellows are your target. But first before we can catch yellows we must find them.

Yellowtail are members of the jack family and they can be found in many different environments, offshore islands, rocky points, kelp areas, rocky reefs in depths of twenty to two hundred feet, offshore open ocean and just about any other type of near shore area you can think of. I have caught yellows in all of them. Yellows are found away from structure by looking for them crashing bait on the surface and the hordes of birds diving into the schools of bait fish the yellows have chased to the surface.

Tackle for yellows depends on the area being fished and the size of the fish in the area. At the famous Farnsworth Bank at Catalina Island where the reef comes within fifty feet of the surface and forty to fifty pound mossbacks ( very large home guard yellows ) are always a possibility, the prudent angler uses fifty to eighty pound mono on heavy tackle. You may not get as many bites, but, you have an excellent chance of landing the ones you hook. I have had a boatload of anglers go "0 for 40" on Farnsworth yellows because no one had anything heavier than forty pound test on their reels that day, the fish were very large and biting deep that day and even with forty pound test and buttoned down drags, the yellows just pulled you right into the rocks and sawed you off, end of discussion!!

When fishing open water yellows, these fish could have been landed on fifteen or twenty pound test because the bottom is a thousand feet down and there is nothing except the boat bottom to

cut your line on. This can be done on private boats, on party boats I recomend thirty to forty pound outfits to help control your fish and keep clear of other anglers lines. Nothing makes you a target of other anglers scorn and anger faster than fishing with tackle to light for the conditions and having your fish tangle other peoples fish and causing them to lose a fish they have fought for a long time.

If you see fish crashing bait on the surface, a bait cast near the crashing fish will usually get a quick hookup. For sardines I use a 2/0 to 4/0 short shank premium hook. For mackerel I use a 4/0 to 6/0 depending on the size of the bait. Always match your hook size to the size of your bait, a hook that is too large will quickly kill the bait, one that is too small will cause you to

miss many hookups. When you get bit give the fish a chance to get the bait into his mouth before you set the hook. With sardines three to five seconds will work most of the time, with macks I usually let the fish have the bait for six to ten seconds, put the reel in gear, let the line come tight and "pop 'em a good one!"

When the fish starts running just hold on, don't wind the reel, wait until the fish stops then put as much pressure on the fish as you can, but when the fish gets near the boat he will make another run straight down. When the fish is running I change hands holding the rod to rest the rod hand. Yellows make several long runs and several shorter ones and you need to rest your

arms as much as possible during the fight.

Offshore yellows can be found around floating kelp paddys, sometimes as small as a trash can lid, but usually larger ones are best. When I am searching for offshore yellows I troll two CD 18 mackerel pattern Rapalas about 100 ft behind the boat, when I see a kelp paddy my first pass is made about fifty ft from the paddy. As I pass I have someone throw a handfull of sardines next

to the paddy, if no fish are seen boiling on the bait.

Come back for the conclusion to this exciting way to catch yellows!