I believe its probably a multitude of factors. I hate to pin things on “climate change”…but…Its a question to ask. I know the old timers say that they have disappeared for years on end in the past 30/40 years. As great as the OBX are, the number there are down big time…I think. I will say, when my Pop started us offshore 25 years ago YFT’S seemed as common as dolphin are now.
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Originally posted by RedstripeI believe its probably a multitude of factors. I hate to pin things on “climate change”…but…Its a question to ask.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>Well if you’re gonna bring “climate change” into the equation, then someone should reach out to the Global Warming Expert Al Gore and see what he thinks!
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Originally posted by FishnBarrelsIf Mitch Roffer thinks yes then Im going to go with Yes. Very few people in the world have more knowledge and data to back it up than Roffers
Mitch is a good guy, but he made the same prediction last year…and we all know how that panned out…
I know of 3 different fisherman that saw big schools of yellowfin in May but the fish were moving North fast and none were caught. There is alot of water moving out there and how many days a month do people actually get to fish and what percentage of that vast blue area is fished on those days? And then we are always expecting to see yellowfin on the surface if they are moving past…but what about the water column and all that space?? There are alot of variables and no one has the perfect equation figured out
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Originally posted by FishnBarrelsI know of 3 different fisherman that saw big schools of yellowfin in May but the fish were moving North fast and none were caught. There is alot of water moving out there and how many days a month do people actually get to fish and what percentage of that vast blue area is fished on those days? And then we are always expecting to see yellowfin on the surface if they are moving past…but what about the water column and all that space?? There are alot of variables and no one has the perfect equation figured out
If you look at the many places yellowin are caught, fishing methods are constantly evolving. I know of very few boats around this area that do anything other than troll.
If you run up to the OBX the boats that are trolling strictly for tuna have spreader-bars all over the place, some guys are turning off their bottom machines bc they believe the frequency will turn off bites,and most everything is as light fluoro as they can get away with. I have a buddy down in Cayman that stricly chunks with cut bonita and blackfin. They do the same down in the gulf. Another friend in the Bahamas uses strictly kites and 40lb fluoro for yellowfin.
I would imagine the right time with the right approach, you could boat a few here…
Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.
- More Maxims of Mark, Johnson, 1927
31’ Contender
“Touche”
250 HPDIs
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Originally posted by DownandOutFoxhunter
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My very first offshore trip I caught a 50lb yft. Haven’t seen one since off SC coast.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>
Well there you go! At least we know who scared away the Yellowfin!
Forget Sacrificing LandSick - I’m thinking Foxhunter!! Just Say’n!!I would sacrifice myself! as long as I could still get to catch them, but pretty sure that makes it a dealbreaker on the sacrificing
36 Contender Fisharound
Are We There Yet?
I started trolling for tuna as a kid working on a west coast commercial jig boat. Later I had a boat out of Cabo for a few years where I caught hundreds of small (up to 30lbs) yft trolling with cedar plugs and small tuna feathers. The big tuna I’ve caught (maybe 25 or 30 over 100lbs) have all been on bait. Usually at least 100yds away from the boat with a kite or flylining (just keep letting it go out with no pressure). Occasionally a 1 to 3 oz egg sinker to get it down a little. A slow steady chunk or live chum line in a known area is mandatory. My biggest is 186lbs. on stand up tackle from an anchored boat. I’m hoping they show up here again. I’ll be ready
19ft. Carolina Skiff
w/115hp Yamaha 4stroke
27ft. Contender
w/twin 225hp Yamaha 4stroke
quote:I think that the point is, in the 90's, you could see them on ANY given day. They certainly are not here like they used to be. They used to catch 400+ of them during the governor's cup and then one year, the YFT catch went to 0. That's not because people just aren't fishing on the right days or using the right methods. It's because of a drastic change in environmental conditions. No other explanation is valid.
Originally posted by FishnBarrelsI know of 3 different fisherman that saw big schools of yellowfin in May but the fish were moving North fast and none were caught. There is alot of water moving out there and how many days a month do people actually get to fish and what percentage of that vast blue area is fished on those days? And then we are always expecting to see yellowfin on the surface if they are moving past…but what about the water column and all that space?? There are alot of variables and no one has the perfect equation figured out
Check this article for those who didn’t experience the “old days”…
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/yr2008/sept15/sept15_tuna.html
Also notice in the article, the increase in caught billfish as the tuna catches started to taper… Again, environmental…
I have logs dating back to the early 90s. From '91 to 2006 we landed zero blackfin and zero sailfish. All dolphin, Yellowfin, Wahoo and blue marlin. Since 2006 we have caught an avg of 3 sails and a half dozen blackfin a season. And zero Yellowfin. That’s S. Fla fishing…
I believe the giant jump in billfish #s the article is referring to are mostly sails.
Good read Skinnee. Thanks!
Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.
- More Maxims of Mark, Johnson, 1927
31’ Contender
“Touche”
250 HPDIs
We also have not seen the Kraken at G-Town hole since 03’ either…
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Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
Skinne- as discussed on page 1, there is a little current off our coast called The Gulfstream. It is one of the strongest current systems in the world. The current and movement of water temps also drastically affect the weather. Currents changing in the Gulfstream might be that little environmental change you mentioned above, but hey we already discussed that. Im sure that you already know everything I typed as do most people that will read this…BUT the point of this thread was to discuss possibilities and thoughts on the issue. No one REALLY knows why the fish aren’t here. Shoots, more $$ has been spent going to space than trying to figure out where every species and group of fish spawn and why. There are many topics and discussions on here that NO ONE has the answer to so please, for the sake of all of us…stop thinking that you have all the answers. 13,099 posts …how many hours spent on this website trying to prove to yourself that you are always right? WAY TOO MANY!
Oh man 2 more pages coming up
Chad
Cobia 256 Express
Pulled by a Dodge Ram 3500
Charles, I don’t have to prove I am right when I am. Facts are facts.
Im curious about reports of yft anywhere south of obx and inside of the Bahamas. There has been Bluefin caught over the past few years as far south as blackjack hole and the steeples. I haven’t heard the same about yellowfin. I also read some posts about Bluefin around the betsy ross reef in the past… just not anyone that I know personally. Has anyone had the same experience?
quote:They catch yellowfin every year on the abacos side of the Bahamas and in the northwest providence channel (between Lucaya and Bimini). I think that they are pretty tight lipped about it for the most part, but they still get them pretty consistently for those willing to make the run. The tuna run in the channel is in the summer time though.
Originally posted by LandSickIm curious about reports of yft anywhere south of obx and inside of the Bahamas. There has been Bluefin caught over the past few years as far south as blackjack hole and the steeples. I haven’t heard the same about yellowfin. I also read some posts about Bluefin around the betsy ross reef in the past… just not anyone that I know personally. Has anyone had the same experience?
- I just hope fishnbarrels approves this post. Evidently my last post was not approved.
For those who just don’t get it.
http://www.neaq.org/conservation_and_research/climate_change/climate_change_and_the_oceans.php
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Originally posted by LandSickIm curious about reports of yft anywhere south of obx and inside of the Bahamas. There has been Bluefin caught over the past few years as far south as blackjack hole and the steeples. I haven’t heard the same about yellowfin. I also read some posts about Bluefin around the betsy ross reef in the past… just not anyone that I know personally. Has anyone had the same experience?
The Cape Canaveral buoy (100 miles from shore) has always been a hot spot for YFT’s all spring and summer. So they catch them south of us, and north of us, but just not here along the western wall of the stream. Plenty of longline boats catching them out 100-120 miles though.
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Oyster Baron
NMFS = No More Fishing Season
“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”
So… basically what you are saying is, I just need to be on a larger boat!?! That’s what I’m thinking… 
Sellsfish is spot on…so it sounds like the current btn Cape Canaveral FL and OBX is pulling the fish deeper- The Bump is one of the major current controllers off our coast and sends all the blue water around charleston certain times of year-
There were some seen/caught within range of the GTH…Not many, but not zero.