Jacks, Amberjacks and Pompanos: Family Carangidae
Species: Seriola dorsalis (Valenciennes, 1833); from the Italian word seriola (for amberjack) and dorsalis (the long dorsal fin). Some sources now use Seriola lalandi. Scientists now feel there are three yellowtail species—Seriola dorsalis, Seriola aureovittata (northwest Pacific), and Seriola lalandi (Southern Hemisphere).
Yellowtail reported at 46-pounds caught at the Crystal Pier by Thomas Shinsato in 2015
Alternate Names: Forktail, tail, rat (little fish), firecracker (small fish), mossback (large fish), amberjack, white salmon, amber fish and cavasina. In Mexico typically called esmedregal or medregal de rabo amarillo.
35-pound yellowtail taken from the Balboa Pier in 2003
Identification: Typical jack shape with metallic blue to green above, a brassy horizontal band along the sides from eye to tail; silvery below; some fish are olive-brown to brown. Fins and tail are yellowish
Small, firecracker-size yellowtail caught by Rita at the Cabrillo Mole in 2015
Size: To 80 pounds and over 5 feet long. Most caught from piers are less than 10 pounds. The California record fish weighed 63 lb 1 oz and was caught at Santa Barbara Island in 2000. The diving record is for a 65 Lbs 0 oz fish taken at the Cortez Bank, San Diego Co. in 1988. The listed IGFA World Record fish weighed 109 Lbs 2 oz and was caught at Ohara, Chiba, Japan in 2009.
48.5-pound yellowtail taken by Tony Troncale at the Crystal Pier — 2012
Range: Circumglobal in warmer waters and some temperate waters. In the eastern Pacific from Malpelo Island (300 miles west of Colombia), the Galápagos Islands, central Mexico, the Gulf of California, the Pacific coast of Baja California, and California north to northern British Columbia. Unverified reports from Gulf of Alaska off Kodiak Island and Cordova. Most common south of Point Conception.
Habitat: Epipelagic (surface down to about 200 feet deep); usually found in surface waters around offshore islands, rocky reefs, kelp beds and floating kelp mats. Recorded to a depth of 1, 023 feet. Primarily feeds on squid and fish.
Yellowtail hooked and fought at the Redondo Beach Pier before being hit by a sea lion — 2010
Piers: Most southern California piers located near reefs or kelp will see a few yellowtail caught during the year. However, they are always a bonus fish and rarely caught in large numbers off of piers. In addition most of the yellows taken are the small firecracker-size fish. Best bets: Ocean Beach Pier, Oceanside Pier, San Clemente Pier, Redondo Beach Pier, and the Hermosa Beach Pier. Crystal Pier in San Diego is by far the best pier in the state for yellowtail and many fish in the 30-40+ pound range have been taken.
Yellowtail reported at 55 pounds from the Crystal Pier in 2006
Shoreline: Rarely taken by shore anglers.
Small yellowtail caught at the Green Pleasure Pier in Avalon in 2015 (although picture is at the Cabrillo Mole)
Boats: One of the most prized species for boaters in southern California. The traditional “yellowtail grounds” have been at Catalina and the Coronado Islands.
Yellowtail from the Redondo Sportfishing Pier in 2011
Bait and Tackle: If an angler wants to try for yellowtail he should have heavy enough tackle to insure a fair chance of landing the fish. Yellowtail like to head for rocks or kelp as soon as they’re hooked so line should test 20-30 pounds, hooks should be small (size 6 or 4) but strong, and the angler must make sure the fish is played out before it nears the pier and the pilings. Although lures work well on boats, almost all of the pier-caught yellowtail are taken on live bait—especially on small jack mackerel, Pacific mackerel or Pacific sardines.
Yellowtail reported at 42 pounds, Crystal; Pier — 2004
Food Value: A good eating fish with mild flavor, small flakes and firm texture. The flesh is off white and and moderate in fat content. The flesh can be cooked in any manner but is probably most commonly broiled or bar-b-cued. A favored Japanese dish, and it’s very good, is Hamachi (yellowtail) Teriyaki.
Yellowtail captured at the Monterey Wharf #2 in 2012
Comments: One of the favorite southern California sport fish but much more common out in deeper water.
My first yellowtail, many, many years ago
My son Mike’s first yellowtail along with a bonito — San Diego, 1983
Yellowtail reported at 34 pounds caught at the Crystal Pier by Hallman in 2012
Yellowtail reported at 48 pounds at the Crystal Pier by Angel Hernandez in 2016
Yellowtail reported at 36 pounds taken at the Crystal Pier by Studman in 2016
Yellowtail reported at 40 pounds. Taken by Angel Hernandez at the Crystal Pier in 2017
A list of large “unofficial” yellowtail caught from piers. Unlike most species, the majority of the largest, pier-caught yellowtail have been landed in the past twenty years. While literally thousands of yellowtail were caught in the early years of the piers, mostly at the Redondo Beach wharves/piers or the McFadden Wharf in Newport Beach, most were small fish under 10-12 pounds in size. The last few years has seen the records smashed and primarily at one pier—Crystal Pier in San Diego.
55 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Montre Somsukcharean, September 21, 2006
Source: Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop & Peggi Straker
52 ½ Lbs. — Pine Ave. Pier (Long Beach), D. W. Fletcher, September 19, 1896
Source: Los Angeles Herald, September 19, 1896
50 Lbs. — Pine Ave. Pier (Long Beach), Al Decker, July 1894
Source: Los Angeles Herald, July 3, 1894
≈ 50 Lbs. — Avalon Long Wharf, December 1896
Source: Los Angeles Times, January 20, 1897
48.5 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Tony Troncale, August 6, 2012
Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop & Tony Troncale
46 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Thomas Shinsato, August 2015
Source: Source: Crystal Pier Bait Shop & Thomas Shinsato
42 Lb. 1 oz. — Oceanside Pier, Elmo Nealoff, July 1955
Source: Oceanside Pier Bait Shop
42 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), October 2004
Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop
42 Lbs. — Avalon wharf, Lee Wilson, June 9, 1897
Source: Los Angeles Herald, June 10, 1897
40 Lb. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Angel Hernandez, June 14, 2017
Source: Personal communication
≈ 40 Lbs. — Redondo Beach Pier, October 2008
Source: bloodydecks.com
40 Lbs. — Avalon wharf, W. M. LeFavor, May 21, 1908
Source: Los Angeles Herald, May 22, 1908
40 Lbs. — Wharf No. 3 (Redondo Beach), Japanese fisherman, August 1907
Source: Los Angeles Times, August 18, 1907
40 Lbs. — Wharf No. 1 (Redondo Beach), Seth Owens, August 22, 1897
Source: Los Angeles Herald, August 22, 1897
40 Lbs. — Avalon wharf, Mrs. Boyce, June 9, 1897
Source: Los Angeles Herald, June 10, 1897
≈ 40 Lbs. — Hotel del Coronado Pier, September 21, 1899
Source: Los Angeles Times, September 22, 1899
≈ 40 Lbs. — Avalon Long Wharf, December 1896
Source: Los Angeles Times, January 20, 1897
36 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), August 2016
Source: Crystal Pier Bait Shop
35 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), August 2012
Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop
35 Lbs. — Balboa Pier, Aaron, November 1, 2003
Source: PFIC
35 Lbs. — Avalon Wharf, November 1899
Source: Los Angeles Times, November 8, 1899
34 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Angel Hernandez, August 2016
Source: Angel Hernandez
34 Lbs. — Crystal Pier (San Diego), Hallman, August 2012
Source: James Barrick, Crystal Pier Bait Shop
34 Lbs. — Wharf No. 3 (Redondo Beach), William Codie, September 26, 1910
Source: The Redondo Reflex, September 29, 1910
34 Lbs. — Avalon Wharf, Al Delaney, August 17, 1908
Source: Los Angeles Times, August 16, 1908
33 ½ Lbs. — Wharf No. 3 (Redondo Beach), August 24, 1910
Source: Santa Ana Register, August 25, 1910
33 Lbs. — Newport Wharf, E. P. Deffley, May 1909
Source: Los Angeles Herald, May 22, 1909
32 ½ Lbs. — Redondo Wharf (Wharf No. 1), August 23, 1891
Source: Los Angeles Herald, August 24, 1891
32 ½ Lbs. — Avalon Wharf, W. M. LeFavor, May 20, 1908
Source: Los Angeles Herald, May 22, 1908
31 Lbs. — Ocean Park Pier, Mrs. J. O. Jaquess, September 25, 1902
Source: Los Angeles Times, September 25, 1902
30 Lbs. — Huntington Beach Pier, Earl Nelson, May 7, 1934
Source: Santa Ana Register, May 8, 1934
30 Lbs.— Hotel del Coronado Pier, Joe Larnel, August 31, 1898
Source: Los Angeles Times, September 1, 1898