The tuna grounds off Southern California (really, off Northern Mexico’s Pacific Coast) are known for holding some of the largest yellowfin tuna in the world, as angler Mike Livingston found out recently while fishing aboard the longrange boat Vagabond. His 405.2-pounder could be a new IGFA record for this ocean roaming species.
Angler Mike Livingston with his potential world record yellowfin tuna, scaling at 405.2 pounds.
From latimes.com:
Angler lands 405.2-pound yellowfin tuna, likely new world record
December 6, 2010 | 5:30 pm
Two-hundred-pound tuna have long been referred to as “cows,” and 300-pounders are “supercows.” Now there may be the need for a new category created, after angler Mike Livingston boated a yellowfin tuna weighing in at 405.2 pounds, likely a new all-tackle world record.
“When the scale hit that number it was like the Super Bowl here,” Livingston, 63, a retired school administrator from Sunland, Calif., told Pete Thomas Outdoors in reference to cheers from a crowd of nearly 200 which gathered to witness the weigh-in.
The 80-foot sportfishing vessel Vagabond returned to Point Loma Sportfishing on Monday after a 10-day expedition in search of huge tuna. Livingston’s catch was made Tuesday west of Magdalena Bay on the southern Baja California peninsula.
The fish, which measured 85 3/4 inches from nose to tail and had a girth of 61 1/2 inches, took almost 3 hours to land. It will be submitted to the International Game Fish Assn. for approval as an all-tackle world record.
Vagabond Capt. Mike Lackey said IGFA rules were followed so the catch likely will replace the current record, a 388-pound, 12-ounce specimen, caught by Curt Wiesenhutter in April, 1977.
