Damn Good Yellowfin Tuna Fishing Charters

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Yellowfin Tuna Fishing Charters

Damn Good
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Inshore, Deep Sea, Nearshore in San José del Cabo

Epic 32ft Sportfishing

50% (2) Managed by Jaime
32 ft 1 - 5 People From $600
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in San Juan

Deep-Sea In Blue Marlin Alley

100% (1) Managed by Jose
48 ft 1 - 6 People From $1,100
Damn Good
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Miami Beach

Offshore Deep Sea Fishing

100% (4) Guided by Ralph
45 ft 1 - 6 People From $850
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing in Cabo San Lucas

Cabo Full-Day Or Half-Day

75% (4) Managed by Pepe
33 ft 1 - 6 People From $900
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Hatteras

Gulf Stream Deep Run

100% (2) Guided by Mike
48 ft 1 - 6 People From $2,120
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing in Tulum

Tulum Trophy Hunt

83% (6) Managed by Carlos
25 ft 1 - 4 People From $385
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Everything to Know About Booking a yellowfin tuna fishing charter

What are the best yellowfin tuna fishing charters?

The best yellowfin tuna fishing charters are:

Why should I book a yellowfin tuna fishing charter with Captain Experiences?

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 233 yellowfin tuna trips, and the most popular trips are "Old Man and the Sea" Handlining guided by Patrick, South Padre Island Deep Sea guided by Emilio, and Punta Mita Deep Sea Fishing guided by Erasmo.

Our guides are rated a 4.57 out of 5 based on 3784 verified reviews on Captain Experiences.

All guides on Captain Experiences are vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.

Looking for kid friendly yellowfin tuna guides / fishing lessons? Check out our beginner and family friendly yellowfin tuna guides.

What types of yellowfin tuna fishing charters are common?

Deep Sea fishing is the most popular type of fishing for yellowfin tuna as well as nearshore fishing, inshore fishing, and flats fishing.

The most common fishing techniques are trolling, heavy tackle fishing, and bottom fishing but jigging and light tackle fishing are popular as well.

How much do yellowfin tuna fishing charters cost?

Prices for yellowfin tuna can range anywhere from about $1,000 to $7,000, but the average price for a half day trip for yellowfin tuna is $1,907. The average price for a full day trip for yellowfin tuna is $4,228.

Is booking a fishing guide worth the money?

Hiring a guide provides a number of benefits and many choose to book a fishing guide for a combination of experience, local knowledge, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

Working with experienced fishing guides who know the best local spots and techniques can dramatically increase your odds of a great day. Having someone who is on the water every day and knows the area like the back of their hand is going to give you the best chances of success.

Booking a guide is also more cost effective, especially if you only get out a handful of times per year. When you consider all of the costs you would incur on your own such as the price of a boat, maintenance, insurance, gas, high-quality gear and tackle, repairs, and more, you’ll find that DIY is sometimes not worth the expense.

Even if you’ve got a great setup already in your home waters, booking a guide also provides a great opportunity to experience new techniques, new locations, or even a chance at a new target species to knock off the bucket list.

What month is best for yellowfin tuna fishing?

The most popular season for yellowfin tuna fishing is summer, and most anglers book their trips 69 days in advance.

Do I need a fishing license for yellowfin tuna and what are the bag limits for yellowfin tuna?

See here for more information on yellowfin tuna fishing licenses, yellowfin tuna bag limits, and fishing season regulations for yellowfin tuna. When in doubt, your fishing guide will always know the right yellowfin tuna rules and regulations.

What is a yellowfin tuna?

Yellowfin tuna (thunnus albacares) is found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters, and is common throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. It is a pelagic fish, and is among the larger of the many types of tuna. It is smaller than a bluefin and bigeye yet generally larger than a blackfin, skipjack, or albacore.

Yellowfin are distinguished from other tuna mainly by the crazy shape of their second dorsal and anal fins, which are bright yellow and extend out far from their bodies as long curved skinny fins. In mature fish these can extend quite a ways and reach back almost to the tail.

How big do yellowfin tuna get?

Yellowfin tuna will commonly reach maturity at around 2 years and 40 inches, and will weigh under 100 pounds. The fish live a relatively short lifespan of 5-10 years, but can reach upwards of 300 pounds in that span. They are certainly a much better prize than the blackfin they are often caught with.

Whats the biggest yellowfin tuna ever caught?

While yellowfin can purportedly get up to 94 inches and 440 pounds, the IGFA record currently stands at 388 pounds for a fish that was caught in 1977 off the Pacific coast of Mexico. There are a few challengers that have not been IGFA certified though, including a 405 pounder and a 425 pounder. Additionally, a massive 480 pounder was caught by spear in 2018 off the coast of the Dominican Republic. While this is not rod and reel fishing, it is certainly awesome to see such a beautiful fish and impressive to see the true potential of the size of a yellowfin.

Where is the best place to catch yellowfin tuna?

The biggest yellowfin tuna are known to be hanging around the Pacific side of Mexico, especially off the Baja Peninsula or Catalina Island. These are often targeted from San Diego in longer-range boats. Other common destinations include Puerto Vallarta, Hannibal Bank, Panama, Hawaii (where they are called Ahi), the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and Venice, LA (known for having very little travel time between marina and tuna).

Yellowfin are epipelagic, meaning they live in the open ocean, but are close to the surface where plenty of sunlight feeds plenty of plankton and life. They are usually in the top 300 ft of water.

When should I catch yellowfin tuna?

Yellowfin tuna will come closer to the shore when the water temperature is higher, so the best fishing is usually in warmer months. Because you need to head far offshore to catch them, you will also be relying on a good weather window and calm seas.

The season for yellowfin tuna in the US is always open, with the Carolinas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi having a 27'' curved FL minimum (other states have no size regulations). The Carolinas and Mississippi have a 3 fish bag limit while California has a 20 finfish bag limit, with no more than 10 fish of a single species allowed (including yellowfin tuna). Other states have no yellowfin bag regulations.

How do you catch yellowfin tuna?

Yellowfin will be caught by either trolling baits and lures, sight casting, or jigging. You can chum them up to the surface (they usually aren't too far below). They are often schooled up, so when you're on them, stay put. They also tend to like some structure, and in the Gulf of Mexico tend to be found around offshore oil rigs.

Yellowfin have great eyesight so it is recommended to have fluorocarbon leaders to reduce visibility. In terms of lure, artificials are popular and you can use tuna feathers, rapala plugs, or metal jigs. If they're on the surface, you can use flies or poppers to good effect.

Once you get one on, it's a unique fight. Rather than wearing themselves out quickly, yellowfin (and all tuna) are notorious for their deep dive and circular motion - they'll swim downward in broad circles and pull on the line all the way up. They are a powerful fish and their size combined with their strategy for staying alive makes for a tough fight.

Are yellowfin tuna good to eat? What are the best yellowfin tuna recipes?

Yellowfin is a delicacy both raw or cooked. While not as popular as its relative the bluefin, yellowfin is fast becoming a sashimi treat. Eat the fish raw right after you catch, and cook into thick steaks after that.

Recent Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    Was in town for Thanksgiving with the fam and had an awesome time out with Capt. Ricky. The boat is super spacious, dry, comfortable, and fast and Capt uses nothing but top of the line tackle. We caught some nice wahoo on the troll that made for awesome sashimi, ceviche, and fish tacos back home. We also came across some floating debris and pitched baits at some Tripletail. They were super picky but Richard and Elliott knew how to make em eat! Thanks guys, will be back soon. – Jonathan with Captain Experiences

    Jonathan N. | December 9, 2024

    Trip: Reel Rush Lauderdale Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    This was our first ever marlin trip and we had an absolutely insane time! We had a marlin bite within 30 mins of leaving the marina which was so crazy for us being from TX. The views of the Big Island with Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea were breathtaking and provided us with lake flat seas by blocking the wind. We ended up going 2/3 on blue marlin with my brother bringing in a 700 pounder. Thanks Capt. and mate Bo, epic times and we'll be back!

    Jonathan N. | December 9, 2024

    Trip: Kona Legendary Sportfishing

  • ★★★★★
    Our fishing trip was great. Caught a nice marlin. Very exciting.

    Glenn M. | October 30, 2024

    Trip: Cabo All-Inclusive Deep Sea Trip

  • ★★★★★
    Tim was great! He made sure we caught lots of fish. The toilet on the boat wasn’t working but I’m still giving 5 stars for Tim!

    Lindsey M. | October 18, 2024

    Trip: 4-8 hr Offshore Fishing (Federal)

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Rick was awesome! We caught fish when nobody else wanted to go out and fish. He was an absolute professional. We will be making frequent trips!

    Randall H. | September 25, 2024

    Trip: Deep Dropping in Pensacola

  • ★★★★★
    We did not go with Captain Robert. We went with Captain Tim. Captain Robert called me the day before the trip to confirm the fishing trip and our plan for the day. We were to meet at the dock at 6:00. The day of the trip, Captain Robert texted me and said we would leave at 7:00 due to the weather. On the way to the dock, a got a call asking were we still going on the trip. I informed them that we were on the way and I was told to be there at 7:00. When we got to the dock, we had two Captains waiting on us. We were informed that there was a mix up and we were going with Captain Tim. We had to stop and get fuel, ice and bait. We trolled near shore and hooked up with a big fish. A dolphin took our fish. My oldest son got seasick. Water was very rough. We returned my son to shore. We started trolling again. Every time we hooked up with a decent fish, dolphins got our catch. We did catch several Bennita's. Alarm on boat started going off. We checked the motor and Captain called to attempt to trouble shoot. Both motors would not start. Finally got motor started but ran with one motor. We could not go to better bottom fishing spot due to running one motor. We came in early due to one motor and alarm going off constantly. Terrible experience! Screwed up from the start.

    Terry H. | September 3, 2024

    Trip: 4-8 hr Offshore Fishing (Federal)

  • ★★★★★
    I booked this fishing trip for my wife’s birthday. Being workaholics, it’s the first vacation we’ve taken in YEARS. Captain Mike and Cody could not have possibly gave us a better time. Cody is friendly, polite, knowledgeable, and takes the time to explain everything before the boat ever left dock. Mike is also incredible. Mike not only makes sure you’re going to find fish, he wants to make sure you enjoy yourself, and he genuinely cares about your safety. You can tell that these men are genuinely good people. We had a great time and can’t wait to book our next adventure with these guys. If anyone wants a great fishing experience, I would HIGHLY recommend these gentlemen!

    Michael E. | August 26, 2024

    Trip: Yellowfin & Mahi Mahi Combo

  • ★★★★★
    It was a great time they make sure your comfortable they will Provide bean bags for you to sit on. You can actually take a nap on them.the captin knows the waters dam good captin and I'm already booking another trip next month

    Robert D. | August 23, 2024

    Trip: 12 Hour Ultimate Offshore Adventure

  • ★★★★★
    Had a great time!!!!

    Jon T. | August 16, 2024

    Trip: Riviera Beach Luxury Half Day

  • ★★★★★
    Went out fishing with Capt Andrew and his first mate Ace. The boat was clean and everything was set up and ready for us to enjoy the day. Unfortunately our day turned out with not any fish, but Capt Andrew and Ace worked very hard trying to find fish and searching all over. Saw a lot of aquatic life on our trip and enjoy the day out in the Pacific Ocean, zero fish but a 10 rating on effort, a very enjoyable day. We will be back to get that big one.

    Guy D. | August 9, 2024

    Trip: San Diego Offshore Roundup

  • ★★★★★
    The five stars Is not for Robert he was not who took us out the five stars is for Ryan he was awesome. Ryan taught us a lot and was very friendly. Highly recommend going on a trip with Ryan.

    Chandra N. | August 9, 2024

    Trip: 4-8 hr Offshore Fishing (Federal)

  • ★★★★★
    Butch and Roy were very welcoming and personable. They made the trip very exciting and inclusive of all on board (beginner and advanced). Lots of laughs and smiles all around. We cannot stop talking about how amazing of an experience this was today. This is a MUST DO!

    Larry S. | August 1, 2024

    Trip: 3/4 day sport fishing Quepos CR.

  • ★★★★★
    The captain and deck mate were excellent. Took two boys out for their first off shore trip and they are still talking about how much fun they had. I highly recommend this guide definitely worth the price.

    Jerad H. | July 27, 2024

    Trip: South Padre Island Deep Sea

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Dan and his crew are great. If you choose any other charter to fish with you are missing out. They will work hard to get you on the fish and take care of you. Give them a shot you won’t be disappointed.

    Justin K. | July 24, 2024

    Trip: Luxury Offshore - 55’ Hatteras

  • ★★★★★
    Amazing trip.. Put us on the fish, and First Mate Kelly is the MAN!

    Gregg C. | July 23, 2024

    Trip: Orange Beach Extended Offshore

  • ★★★★★
    Caught a lot of fish. Captain Jacob was a great guy and worked hard the whole time to make sure we stayed on top of the fish.

    Myron P. | July 14, 2024

    Trip: Full Day Fishing - 24’ Robalo

  • ★★★★★
    Our guide and captain were great in Puerto Rico, which is why I’m giving it 5 stars. I do not want our confusing/stressful experience to reflect poorly on the people we actually worked with. Our issues were with the parent company “Captain Experiences.” They were not knowledgeable on fishing license needs; I only asked about fishing licenses to verify what I read on their website because it was a bit contradictory. I was provided the wrong answer by someone at Captain Experiences, and was only given the correct info after I screenshot their website and emailed it to them. Also, the directions to the pick up location were not clear. Any other fishing tour we have gone on, the captain makes contact prior to the trip to make sure everything is taken care of. We were given the name of the Puerto Rican company’s owner not the captain and guide. Needless to say, my husband and children were very stressed before we located Franco and Petine (who were great and knew nothing about our issues). Located them at 7:26, with trip starting at 7:30. My son caught a good sized white marlin and my daughter had a fish get off the hook. Again, Franco and Petine were great. The issue is communication and clarity prior to the trip.

    Victoria M. | July 12, 2024

    Trip: Deep-Sea in Blue Marlin Alley

  • ★★★★★
    The trip was an incredible and unique experience. The boat was clean and well maintained and Capt Robert was great! He worked hard to make sure we got some fish to take home and taught us fresh water fisherman a thing or 2 about ocean fishing. Absolutely recommend.

    Charles A. | July 12, 2024

    Trip: 4-8 hr Offshore Fishing (Federal)

  • ★★★★★
    Our family had a great time with Ralph, Tati, and Mike! We’ve never deep sea fished before and Mike taught us everything we needed to know! We would definitely book with them again.

    Kevin M. | July 11, 2024

    Trip: Offshore Deep Sea Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Caught some dolphin for dinner! Had a great time.

    Kyle J. | June 30, 2024

    Trip: Riviera Beach Luxury Half Day

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