Is the Yellowfin fishing going to suck again this year?

[TheBigI]

It seems like the Yellowfin have basically disappeared again this year. We decided to sit on the sidelines this weekend after an uneventful trip last weeked and the lack of any good reports. I have to talked to a few friends already this weekend and heard radio chatter today while flounder fishing. There was yet again no one bragging about a good Yellowfin bite, however there were some big eye caught.

What do you all think is this going to be a repeat of last year???

[SeaBiscuit]

It already has BigI. Yellowfins never made their early spring NC appearance, just like last year. Bermuda had some, leading people to speculate that the fish have stayed on the other side of the gulf stream. I don't buy that. If the western edge is good for bluefins, skipjacks and bigeys it ought to be good for the yellowfins and the longfins. They must be on a bad down cycle IMO.
SeaBiscuit

[Tenacious]

There in the Gulf of Mexico

[Bert Rodgers]

They must be on a bad down cycle IMO.
SeaBiscuit

Or they are being over fished by commercial interests.

Bert

[Hroonk]

Or they are being over fished by commercial interests.

Bert

I was thinking about this the other day. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but I don't recall the plehtora of restaurantes in Harford County having ahi tuna, etc 20 years ago....it seems like seared tuna has become a very popular trend which we may be starting to see the effects of on our rec fishing?????

Those ahi steaks have to come from somewhere.

[Bert Rodgers]

I was thinking about this the other day. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but I don't recall the plehtora of restaurantes in Harford County having ahi tuna, etc 20 years ago....it seems like seared tuna has become a very popular trend which we may be starting to see the effects of on our rec fishing?????

Those ahi steaks have to come from somewhere.

When was the last time you went into a supermarket that wasn't selling tuna steaks , both fresh and frozen, in the seafood section?

Bert

[Canyon Runner]

Guys - let me add some twist to this argument.

We caught 1100 yellowfin this year already between June 10 and today?

But most of them were small.

So the fish stock is healthy but there are not a lot of big ones.

[Double D]

We caught 1100 yellowfin this year already

I think we found the cause of the shortage. Leave some for the rest of us will ya?

[Canyon Runner]

I think we found the cause of the shortage. Leave some for the rest of us will ya?

I should have clarified - by small I meant too small.

Out of the 1100 we caught we released (and started to tag) about 900 of them.

[Get_Bent]

Commercial guys whiped out all the bait. Nothing for them to eat.