The Fishing Report
Fishing seasons & conditions by region
Yellowfin Tuna Thunnus albacares
Yellowfin Tuna Size, Range & Diet
| Typical size | 36–50 in, 30–80 lb |
|---|---|
| Maximum | up to nearly 8 ft and 400 lb |
| Lifespan | about 7 years, with reports to 18 years |
| Range | Warm blue water off both US coasts — the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic canyons from Florida to New England, and the offshore banks of Southern California. |
| Habitat | Open ocean above and below the thermocline, usually the top 800 ft, holding on temperature breaks, rips and floating structure. |
| Diet | Small fish, squid and crustaceans taken near the surface, which is why live bait, ballyhoo and skirted trolling lures produce. |
Sizes are typical rod-and-reel and documented maximum figures, not size limits — see the regulations links below for the rules where you fish.
How to Identify a Yellowfin Tuna
- Dark metallic blue back, silvery-white belly, and a golden-yellow stripe down the side
- Greatly elongated, sickle-shaped (falcate) second dorsal and anal fins on larger adults
- Bright yellow finlets edged with a narrow black margin
- Lower flanks/belly often marked with alternating pale lines and rows of dots
- Pectoral fin moderately long, reaching to about the second dorsal origin (not past the anal fin as in bigeye)
Tell it apart: Long, bright-yellow sickle-shaped dorsal and anal fins plus yellow black-edged finlets distinguish yellowfin from the much smaller blackfin, which keeps short fins and dark, dusky finlets.
Easily confused with: Blackfin Tuna
Side by side: Yellowfin Tuna vs Albacore, Yellowfin Tuna vs Bigeye Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna vs Blackfin Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna vs Bluefin Tuna
How to Catch Yellowfin Tuna
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- Strong spring through fall around the deepwater rigs; chunk and live-bait at the floaters, or troll skirts along bluewater rips.GearSkirted trolling lures7/0 circle hooksHeavy stand-up combo
- Best July through October at the canyons - troll spreader bars and ballyhoo by day, then chunk butterfish on the anchor overnight.GearSpreader barsBallyhoo rigsOffshore trolling combo
- Best August-October at the canyons - troll spreader bars and ballyhoo by day, then chunk butterfish on the anchor through the night.GearSpreader barsBallyhoo rigsOffshore trolling combo
- A late-summer offshore target, July through August — fly-line sardines under kelp paddies, troll cedar plugs, or chunk-fish a stopped school.GearCedar plug trollingRinged live-bait hooksFluorocarbon leader
- Best June-September; troll skirted lures and feathers near FADs and porpoise schools, or chunk and drop jigs to fish holding deep under bird activity.GearCedar plugsTuna jigsHeavy fluoro leader
When & Where Yellowfin Tuna Are in Season
Peak Good Fair Slow
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf of Mexico Offshore | ||||||||||||
| Mid-Atlantic Offshore | ||||||||||||
| Northeast Offshore | ||||||||||||
| Southern California Offshore | ||||||||||||
| Hawaiian Islands Offshore |
Yellowfin Tuna Regulations
FloridaFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)AlabamaAlabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Marine Resources Division (Outdoor Alabama)MississippiMississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR)LouisianaLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)TexasTexas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD)Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council)GMFMCVirginiaVirginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC)MarylandMaryland Department of Natural Resources, Fishing and Boating ServicesDelawareDelaware DNREC, Division of Fish & WildlifeNew JerseyNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish & Wildlife (NJDEP Fish & Wildlife)New YorkNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Division of Marine ResourcesMid-Atlantic Fishery Management CouncilMAFMCAtlantic States Marine Fisheries CommissionASMFCConnecticutConnecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Marine FisheriesRhode IslandRhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), Division of Marine FisheriesMassachusettsMassachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF), Department of Fish and Game / Mass.govNew HampshireNew Hampshire Fish and Game Department (Marine Fisheries Division)MaineMaine Department of Marine Resources (DMR)NOAA Fisheries (Greater Atlantic Region / New England-Mid-Atlantic)NEFMCCaliforniaCalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Marine RegionNOAA Fisheries (West Coast Region)PFMCHawaiiHawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR)NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office (in coordination with the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council)WPFMC
Always check local regulations — seasons, size, and bag limits vary by state and species, and change year to year. When in doubt, release.