PHOTO 1: The photo does not do justice to this fish. If it looks like a big yellowfin tuna that’s becaues it is! It’s 383 pounds caught by San Jose del Cabo resident Oscar Dacarrett. Jill and I have been working all week at the Western Outdoor News Tuna Jackpot Tournament in Cabo San Lucas and right off the bat, this fish not only blew away the field as the first fish weighed in, it destroyed the record books. It’s the largest fish of the tournament. It’s the new record for the tournament but even moreso, it’s a new record yellowfin tuna for Mexico and only 5 pound shy of the WORLD RECORD!
PHOTO 2: It’s hard to believe that with the history of Baja fishing, no other yellowfin tuna this large have ever been caught on rod and reel, but this historic fish was taken on the Gorda Banks SE of Cabo San Lucass. It ate a live bullito and surprisingly chomped a little 4/0 circle hook!
PHOTO 3: The media crush on the docks was incredible as everyone vied for a shot or piece of video of the fish at the Cabo docks.
PHOTO 4: For years, Clarence “Butch” Tropez of Los Angeles had been trying to get his wife, Norma, down to Baja. For their 22nd anniversary she finally acquiesced and he even got her out for a day of fishing with our Tailhunter Las Arenas Fleet and Captain Adolfo. They got limits of dorado early and were done by 11 a.m. and had such a great time, Butch thinks he’ll have a hard time coming back to La Paz without her! This photo was taken just outside of Muertos Bay.
PHOTO 5: Kelli Gora from Los Angeles was on her first trip to see us with husband Dave. They fished one day with Captain Victor from our Tailhunter Las Arenas fleet and got a tuna and limits of dorado like this one just off Punta Perrico.
La Paz/ Las Arenas Fishing Report for Week of Nov. 1-7, 2009
Well, the winds calmed down and it’s hard to describe the fishing only because there were so few fishermen and the weather was incredible. I guess the word is “pleasant.” It was no-stress fishing. No wind. No waves. The fish bit and there was almost no one on the water. Almost like having the whole ocean to yourself at times like old school-old-Baja fishing! We got a nice assortment of fish with a wide variety depending on where you fished and how you fished. Dorado were the mainstay for anglers looking for bluewater fish, but they dorado could be as close as a few yards off the beach, especially for our Las Arenas Tailhunter Fleet.
As well, as the week went on ,yellowfin tuna in the 20 pound class provided some nice action with about 2-5 fish per panga on the average to go along with the 15 pound dorado. Inshore, we got more sierra as the waters cooled but roosterfish and snapper were also in the counts as well as amberjack, pompano and jack crevalle.
BIG TUNA BREAKS MEXICO RECORDS AND ALMOST WORLD RECORD!
Right off the bat, the first fish of the two-day event turned into a fish-of-all fish. We got the radio call that they were bringing in a “huge” fish. Ok…heard that one before, but we knew the boat and crew were local and it was unusual for a tournament team to bring in a fish so soon. They said it was over 300 pounds. Ho-hum…everyone thinks their fish is BIG.
However, as soon as the boat hit the docks and we got a look at it, all skepticism melted. This was obviously, a pig of a fish! It was indeed a giant cow yellowfin tuna and we had a project just getting it off the boat and carted to the weigh-station 100 yards down the docks. The fish was so big, that we had to re-configure the ropes holding the scales!
However, when the digital scale was read out at “383 pounds!” the winning team and whole place went nuts! Not only was it the new record fish for the tournament (previous best was 319 pounds), but it was the largest yellowfin tuna ever records from Mexico waters; the 5th largest yellowfin tuna ever; AND only 5 pounds off the world record!
It was great to be here and part of the event!
Here is video footage of that first day of the tournament. The flare-gun start was shot from the stern of the official start boat so that’s why it gets a bit rocky. However, turn up the sound and we hope you enjoy this:
That’s our story!
Tailhunter International
Website: http://www.tailhunter-international.com
U.S. Office: 3319 White Cloud Drive, Suite A, Hacienda Hts. CA 91745
Mexico Office: 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report:
http://www.tailhunter-international.com/fishreport.htm
Tailhunter YouTube Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/user/pangapirate
“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”
That's My Story 
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