Photo: Unknown author / Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Thunnus albacares
Yellowfin Tuna
Saltwater
About this species
A sleek, golden-finned tuna of tropical and subtropical oceans, prized for both sport and sashimi. It travels in fast schools, often mixed with dolphins and diving birds. Trolling lures, casting poppers to breaking fish and deep jigging all take them.
Season
123456789101112
Depth
0 – 250 m
Habitat Spots
Offshore
Fishing Methods
TrollingJiggingLure
Bait & Rig
Trolling feathers and skirted lures, deep jigging with heavy metal jigs, or casting poppers to surface-blitzing schools.
Edibility & Taste
Superb sashimi-grade fish with firm, deep-red flesh and excellent flavor; the basis of most commercially canned tuna worldwide.
Similar Species
Large individuals have distinctly elongated yellow second dorsal and anal fins and bright yellow finlets; smaller fish resemble bigeye tuna but have a proportionally smaller eye.
Record Weight
197.3 kg