Holiday season means big yellowfin
Used to be trips before Christmas were hard to fill, but now the boats are filled with people and giant yellowfin. The latest monster tuna is a 390 pounder (at least that's what it taped out at) caught on the Vagabond trip that is due in early next week. Will we have a new season leader and Top 10 fish?

Meanwhile the fishing has been hot for the fleet. Here's a sampling of reports as seen on the SportfishingReport.com home page and the SFR iPhone app (got yours yet?):

The Royal Polaris reported that Kathy Rounds is back at it, this time leading all anglers on Thursday, Dec. 2, with a 216.5-pound yellowfin tuna caught in sunny, beautiful weather (and we know those tuna like the good weather. As the RP crew reported "fishing was excellent" and Danny Gasca nailed 198 and 190-pound tuna in a single day, while a total of 72 tuna from 75 to 216 pounds were boated.

The Shogun reported from Clarion the same day and the island "was good to us today. The Yellowfin on average were over 100 pounds with a few pushing the 180-pound envelope. Our weather is outstanding with a light breeze to keep it cool. Big Fish Happen," reported Capt. Bruce A. Smith.

Capt. Jeff DeBuys and the Independence crew whacked the tuna the previous day: "Today was as good as it gets in my opinion on tuna fishing. There were 2 different size categories. 70 to 100 pounds and 100 to 185 pound fish. We started in the dark of morning, and finished well after dark. We had limits of tuna for everyone today, and I can speak for everyone, we are a bit tattered at the moment. The weather is really good, and it looks like it will stay for a while."

As noted, weather is very important for the fall yellowfin tuna fishery, since much of the action takes place along the coast and those fish just don't show as well in the bad weather, even when anchored up on high spots. It's also a lot easier to catch big tuna in calm weather, when the prevailing swell is small and actually helps you fight the fish. Abrupt ups and downs common with heavy weather are the devil on connections and hooks (bent or pulled).

For those of you who can't get enough long range fishing, Bill Roecker announced his book At the Rail has been shipped to the printer and will soon be on its way to stores and folks who pre-ordered. The book comes in paperback and hardcover, but I would go for the hardcover version because the volume, designed by Bill's nephew Paul Sweeney, is beautifully laid out.

When's your next trip?

Rich Holland's Roundup