How to catch Yellowfin Tuna
Thunnus albacares
Also known as ahi.
Yellowfin tuna are powerful, fast pelagics that test tackle and anglers alike, found around bait, current edges, and offshore structure worldwide.
🏆 World record: 443 lb IGFA all-tackle, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (2024). IGFA all-tackle world record yellowfin tuna, 443 pounds caught off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in 2024. IGFA records can change, so confirm the current mark at igfa.org. All records →
Where to find them
Offshore blue water, current edges, and bait balls
Season
Warm months; year-round in the tropics
Best baits & lures for Yellowfin Tuna
Chunk or live-bait around bait schools and current edges, or run-and-gun to breaking fish with poppers and jigs.
Timing matters as much as tackle. Baitful reads the tide stage, pressure trend, solunar windows and weather at your spot and scores the bite, so you fish Yellowfin Tuna when conditions line up.
Ways to catch Yellowfin Tuna
Catch to table: Yellowfin Tuna
A premium tuna and one of the best eating fish in the ocean, superb raw or seared. Keep legal fish and handle them with care for top quality.
Taste: Deep red, rich, and meaty with a clean flavor and firm texture. Excellent raw, rare, or lightly cooked.
Cleaning: Bleed and chill fast, then cut into loins and remove the bloodline; portion the loins into steaks or blocks for raw dishes.
How to cook it
- • Sear steaks rare with a sesame or peppercorn crust.
- • Cube for poke, sashimi, or tartare.
- • Grill steaks briefly over high heat, keeping the center rare.
Tip: Bleed and ice immediately; keep it cold and cook it rare, as tuna dries out quickly when overcooked.
Ikejime this fish for firmer, cleaner-tasting fillets and longer shelf life.
Where to catch Yellowfin Tuna
Book a Yellowfin Tuna charter
Guides and charter boats that target Yellowfin Tuna, by destination:
Catching Yellowfin Tuna: FAQ
What's the best bait for Yellowfin Tuna?
Proven options include live bait, chunking, trolled lures and ballyhoo, poppers and jigs. Chunk or live-bait around bait schools and current edges, or run-and-gun to breaking fish with poppers and jigs.
When is the best time to catch Yellowfin Tuna?
Warm months; year-round in the tropics. Day to day, moving water and low-light periods around dawn and dusk usually fish best.
Where do you find Yellowfin Tuna?
Look for Offshore blue water, current edges, and bait balls. Anglers target them at spots like San Diego, Sosúa, Punta Cana.
Anglers also target
Time your next Yellowfin Tuna trip
Free live conditions, Bite Score, and what's biting now.
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