BajaNomad - Red Rooster Pictures (with 362# Tuna) for fisherman only!!!

Red Rooster Pictures (with 362# Tuna) for fisherman only!!!

tripledigitken - 6-14-2009 at 02:08 PM

The Red Rooster III docked this morning in San Diego with a load of Tuna some weighing over 300 #'s. Wahoo were plentiful as well. The largest Tuna caught by Mike Ashford weighed in at 362#'s.

[Edited on 6-14-2009 by tripledigitken]

Cypress - 6-14-2009 at 02:22 PM

Congratulations to all.

Someone is going on a fish diet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8098393.stm

Mulegena - 6-14-2009 at 02:34 PM

Blue Fin Tuna on Endangered Species List

Yellow Tail Tuna on Threatened Species List

Cypress - 6-14-2009 at 02:43 PM

Mulegena, Oops! Didn't know that. Thanks! Changes my whole outlook on the catch. How 'bout shame on those greedy SOB's?

tripledigitken - 6-14-2009 at 02:46 PM

I can see why some don't post here anymore. I'm considering a vacation from here because there's always someone that wants to politicize every frikin thing. Sorry that some pictures of fish caught by some sportsfisherman on a 15 day trip offends you.

Why don't you post some pictures of gill netters or seiners that in one day take 50 times what this boat took. Get a life.

It's no wonder some think that Nomad is a downer.

Ken

Skeet/Loreto - 6-14-2009 at 02:52 PM

Ken: Agree with you 100%.
Why donot those Weakminded, Cry Baby Whining Cowards go somewhere else.

The Seas are full of great Fish, The Sea of Cortez is loaded with lots of Fish and they still try to spread their False BS on the Board.

Someday they might, just might, go to the Sea of Cortez or other places and learn first hand ,instead of depending on some Liar for information that has no basis of Fact!!

Here I go again. Fighting for Baja!

Cypress - 6-14-2009 at 03:01 PM

Skeet/Loreto. Thanks for your words of wisdom.

Pops - 6-14-2009 at 03:05 PM

Oh !!!!!

Poor little fishies !!!!

Cypress - 6-14-2009 at 03:18 PM

Pops, Your's also. :biggrin:

jeffg - 6-14-2009 at 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by whistler
No such thing as a yellowtail tuna.

Yeah I guess they were more threatened than we ever realized!

Don Alley - 6-14-2009 at 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena
Blue Fin Tuna on Endangered Species List

Yellow Tail Tuna on Threatened Species List

Bluefin tuna are endangered in most of their range.

But people are responding. Concerned people like our caring Nomad here.

1.They are creating networks of inshore fishing reserves, closed to sport fishing, where presumably the tuna can hide, should they choose to abandon their natural high seas habitat.

2.Other correct thinking folks are critical of the eastern pacific yellowfin tuna fishery portrayed here. Each one of these yellowfin tuna can never become a bluefin, thanks to Captain Cates and his evil crew of bloodthirsty tuna slayers.

3.They have invented a mythical fish, the yellowtail tuna.

4. They have created international regulatory bodies to regulate the commercial interests that take tens of thousands of tons of tuna a year. Like the ICCAT, that regulates the Atlantic bluefin. Since they began regulating the industry 20 years ago, the breeding population has only decreased by 90%. Well Done!

5. They have invented Tuna Farming. Now, we grow our own tuna! The tuna are captured in the wild, at pre-spawning ages. But these fish don't count towards legal quotas; after all they have not been "landed" at a plant, just moved into pens. Then they feed them fish and fish products (10 lbs of netted fish for every lb of growth) until they are ready for the Japanese sushi markets, when they still are not counted towards allowed quotas because, hey, they were taken from a tuna farm, not the open ocean. Besides, they are not the rare, critically endangered Yellowtail Tuna.

Don Alley - 6-14-2009 at 04:39 PM

Seriously, yellowfin tuna are not an endangered species.

In the Eastern Pacific, where the San Diego sport fleets operate, the tuna are the least exploited population of tuna in the world. Populations are still healthy. One reason is that in this part of the yellowfin's range, they have a tendency to associate with dolphin. This has discourages seiners who hope to keep their "dolphin safe" label. Mexico, on the other hand, has chosen to seine these fish (and dolphin) and force political acceptance of a bogus "dolphin safe" claim.

No dolphin were hooked, netted or harmed by the passengers of the Red Rooster III. And that's an outstanding catch for a San Diego boat, it doesn't get any better than that.

But it's part of the territory now- anti fishing crowds that are growing as fast as the consumption of wild ocean fish. There's a contradiction there, but a threat as well. So learn to play golf.

Russ - 6-14-2009 at 05:07 PM

Thanks Ken it really does the heart good to see some of you excellent photos of a successful trip. A sportsman's dream!

Skipjack Joe - 6-14-2009 at 10:34 PM

Thanks for the pictures Ken.

I've always loved to drive down and watch the boats come in and unload. It made me dream of the excitement of the trip and made me yearn to go myself. It's a time honored event. Like the gathering of townspeople in Nantucket when the whaling ships came in from their voyages.

Heck, when I was a youngster I would get a kick just going to a fish market and seeing them on ice. Sometimes I would even poke them in the eye with my fingers and watch them rotate in their sockets. It all came from dad, who loved the sea and all in it.

Skipjack Joe - 6-15-2009 at 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fishbuck

I love to catch tuna! I love to catch tuna almost as much as I love beautiful Mexican women. And I would give my life to protect both.

<groan>

baitcast - 6-15-2009 at 07:33 AM

Take you back a few years,the first Red Rooster 1963,target fish Bluefin,Gaudalupe Island.

capt. mike - 6-15-2009 at 07:48 AM

tasty eatin Ken!

Von - 6-15-2009 at 08:25 AM

Everyone and everybody is entitle to their own opinion guys lets not get b.......tt hurt here post and reply everything come on lets grow up...what are we twelve?

Uh oh

bajajudy - 6-15-2009 at 04:00 PM

I thought that this was a post about roosters

henry.jpg - 27kB

Paula - 6-15-2009 at 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajajudy
I thought that this was a post about roosters

Hey, Judy, is that a chicken-of-the-sea? :biggrin:

Thanks for the pictures, Ken!

tripledigitken - 6-15-2009 at 04:22 PM

Judy,

:lol:

Thanks Paula, didn't think if would create an "issue" though.

Ken

bill erhardt - 6-15-2009 at 04:39 PM

Ken........Your post created an issue with me. That issue is a lust to get out there and find one of those big bruisers........

longhairedbeatnik - 6-15-2009 at 04:41 PM

I am sorry but this picture will be posted years from now when we are wondering whatever happened to the fishery in Baja. Thanks for your response Mulegena and for caring about these fish and ignoring the bloodthirsty bunch here who think for today and do not worry about the future generations who will never know these fish.
Its very sad to see.

Don Alley - 6-15-2009 at 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by longhairedbeatnik
I am sorry but this picture will be posted years from now when we are wondering whatever happened to the fishery in Baja. Thanks for your response Mulegena and for caring about these fish and ignoring the bloodthirsty bunch here who think for today and do not worry about the future generations who will never know these fish.
Its very sad to see.

If you think the sportfishery is going to be responsible for the demise of these fish you are talking out of your ass.

Your problem is not that you are thinking for today, your problem is that you are not thinking at all. You have no facts here, just prejudice. People like you will focus their misguided ire on the sport anglers taking 5% of the catch, and ignore the commercial behemoths taking tens of thousands of tons. So people like you can buy their canned tuna, or enjoy Sushi in places a thousand miles from the sea.

Bloodthirsty? I've done more to protect fish and fish habitat in my life than you could ever dream of, and unlike you, done it honestly. Go flock yourself.

bill erhardt - 6-15-2009 at 05:25 PM

Don.......All that just because longhaired from California called you bloodthirsty? What if she said something really bad about you. I have to admit that my lust to catch one of those big yellowfin is a blood lust. I do want some of that blood on the deck of my boat. I'm sure that broadsides from the likes of beatnick and more gentle, but pointed swipes, of the mulege type discourage many from posting fishing reports on this forum. I usually prefer to post someplace where others can't lodge a response.

fishbuck - 6-15-2009 at 05:36 PM

Red Rooster III
June 10th, 2009

Good evening folks. We finished off our trip today with another great day of fishing. A lot more action today on the smaller grade fish. Fish from 60 to 80 pounds. That meant releasing fish throughout the day. We kept 22 tuna: 260, 250. 225 and the last fish of the day caught by Mike Ashford, a 380 pounder. As the big 324 yesterday this beast was tail wrapped as well. Sure helps things out. What a great way to finish an epic trip. Most of the other fish were 120 to 180 pounds, very nice grade.

The weather is still nice, lets hope it stays for another 3 days.

Andy Cates

Timo1 - 6-15-2009 at 06:25 PM

what was that????

I don't appreciate the dumbest poster position being passed on to a new (maybe) kid on the block...when I've worked hard to hold that position

I came in here a few years back with THE dumbest post and have kept a
consistant posting scheduale...Please give credit where credit is due

tripledigitken - 6-15-2009 at 07:16 PM

Some more pictures seeing as how this has become such a popular thread.

The many bloodthirsty folks (with their children in tow)waiting for the weigh-in

TV news crews broadcasting the event

The moment of truth

tripledigitken - 6-15-2009 at 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by longhairedbeatnik
They also pack in the bloodthirsty ones at the bullfights as well but that does not make it right. Use some logic and do not just post abusive crap to make your point if you have any.

You sir are the one that finds it abusive. One thing you will find out, if you are here long enough to discover, is that most here are sportsmen and it plays a large part in their love of Baja. You have every right to disagree, just go "off topic" if you want to rant and rave with largely missinformation regarding the Sportfishing Industry. I would suggest you educate yourself on the topic and quit making a fool of yourself in front of so many people.

Ken

Russ - 6-15-2009 at 08:01 PM

Quote:

Here we'll read anybody's rantings but please don't try stir up trouble and ruin anothers post. Start your own and "Use some logic and do not just post abusive crap to make your point if you have any."

Ken Bondy - 6-15-2009 at 08:14 PM

I have a different perspective on this. First, I think sportfishing makes a minor impact on fish population, particularly the big pelagic species like yellowfin. There is no incidental catch, and the fish are taken one at a time. I also do not think yellowfin are endangered (although bluefin clearly are). I have absolutely no problem with sportfishermen who obey the laws and use their catch for food. Before I started diving and taking pictures underwater I was an avid fisherman and killed (and ate) my share of fish including yellowfin. But the more I started seeing these magnificent creatures underwater, I came to the point that I just can't kill any of them any more. This is hypocritical, since I eat seafood. But I just can't do the killing myself.

Once returning from a dive at Cocos Island in Costa Rica a very large yellowfin swam by me close range. I don't know if he/she was a 300 pounder but the fish was substantially bigger than me. I managed to fire off one frame:

For me, I would rather see them like this.

++Ken++

Got this off the NOAA website

BajaDanD - 6-15-2009 at 08:15 PM

I got a freezer full of Ahi and yellowTail and Albacore and proud of it.
Yellowfin tuna can spawn almost daily with millions of eggs each time.
They are not threatend Except for the ones in my freezer

Sustainability Status
Biomass: Yellowfin tuna biomass (Eastern Pacific, or EPO) is 96% of the biomass needed to support maximum sustainable yield (BMSY); Central and Western Pacific (WCPO) biomass is 10% above BMSY.
Overfishing: Yes (EPO); No (WCPO)
Overfished: No
Fishing and habitat: The majority of yellowfin tuna are caught with purse-seine gear that is deployed near the surface and therefore has minimal impacts to habitat.
Bycatch: There are bycatch issues in the purse seine fishery. Yellowfin tuna are often found in association with various species of dolphin. Some fishermen used to take advantage of this by setting their nets around the dolphin herds in order to catch the large tuna beneath them. In the 1970s, dolphin mortality was estimated to be hundreds of thousands of dolphins per year. Now, after continued research, improvements in fishing gear and techniques, and adoption of international agreements, dolphin mortality has been reduced to under 1,000 dolphins annually. For more information, see NOAA's www.dolphinsafe.gov. Most purse seine fishermen today use Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) to target tunas, which can also result in the bycatch of species including sharks, sea turtles, mahi mahi, wahoo, and juvenile yellowfin and bigeye tunas. The least sustainable bycatch in FAD sets is believed to be sea turtles, small bigeye tuna, and silky and oceanic whitetip sharks. However, for stocks for which no assessments are available, interpreting the significance of this bycatch from the point of view of the stock or the ecosystem is not possible at this time. In addition to bycatch in sets, on-board observers have reported sea turtles entangled in webbing hanging into the water column underneath some common FAD designs.
Aquaculture: There is currently no commercial aquaculture of yellowfin tuna in the U.S.

Science and Management
Yellowfin tuna is a highly migratory species (HMS). There are two stocks of yellowfin tuna in the Pacific Ocean, eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) and western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council has managed yellowfin since 1987 through the Western Pacific Pelagics FMP. The WPFMC and the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) have taken steps to better coordinate management of pelagic fisheries, which led to the development and implementation of the PFMC's Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for HMS 2004. Both Councils now collaborate in the management of Pacific yellowfin tuna, and the Councils and NOAA Fisheries Service science centers in both regions work together in the preparation of stock assessment and fishery evaluation (SAFE) reports as well.

In March 2007, NOAA proposed to implement Amendment 14 to Pelagics FMP to end overfishing of WCPO yellowfin tuna. This amendment would establish federal permitting and reporting requirements for all U.S. Hawaii-based small boat commercial pelagic fishermen. This amendment also recognizes the need for internationally coordinated management actions to ensure that overfishing of yellowfin in the Pacific ends.

In addition, since highly migratory species move throughout large areas of the Pacific and are fished by many nations and gear types, management by the U.S. alone will not ensure that harvests are sustainable in the long term. The U.S. is a member of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), which is responsible for the conservation and management of fisheries for tunas and other species taken by tuna-fishing vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The IATTC manages the EPO yellowfin stock through fishing capacity limits and periodic closures of the purse seine fishery. The IATTC performs regular assessments of this stock. As a member of IATTC, the U.S. has implemented IATTC conservation and management measures for yellowfin tuna and bigeye tuna. The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), an intergovernmental organization to coordinate management of HMS in the western and central Pacific, was established in 2004. Congress ratified U.S. membership on the Commission in June 2007. The WCPFC has adopted conservation and management measures for yellowfin, including limiting purse seine effort to not exceed 2004 levels or the average of 2001-2004 in waters under their jurisdiction. In addition, the catch of yellowfin tuna is not to be increased in the longline fishery from the 2001-2004 levels.

Life History and Habitat
Life history, including information on the habitat, growth, feeding, and reproduction of a species, is important because it affects how a fishery is managed. High reproductive potential in yellowfin tuna means they may respond to management actions more rapidly than species that reproduce slowly and in small numbers.

Geographic range: Yellowfin tuna are found throughout the Pacific Ocean, roughly within latitudes 40 degrees North and 40 degrees South but most abundant between 20 degrees North and 20 degrees South.
Habitat: Yellowfin is a tropical species, occupying the surface waters of all warm oceans. Yellowfin favor water temperatures between 64 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit. Larval and juvenile yellowfin stay in surface waters while adults are increasingly found at greater depths.
Life span: Relatively short; likely to be a maximum of 6 to 7 years
Food: Yellowfin are opportunistic feeders at all life stages, feeding on whatever prey is available at the time. They feed primarily during the day. Larvae feed on crustacean zooplankton. Juveniles prey on epipelagic or mesopelagic members of the oceanic community or pelagic post-larval or pre-juvenile stages of island-, reef-, or bottom-associated organisms. Adults feed on crustaceans, cephalopods (octopus, squid, etc.), and fish. Off the west coast of Baja California, Mexico, and southern California, pelagic red crab and northern anchovy are also important parts of the diet.
Growth rate: Growth and development are rapid in the early years of life but gradually slow thereafter.
Maximum size: 7.8 feet in length; 440 pounds in weight
Reaches reproductive maturity: Between 2 and 3 years of age at minimum lengths of 2 and 2.26 feet for females and males, respectively
Reproduction: Yellowfin tuna have high "fecundity" (reproductive potential) and spawn frequently. They are "serial spawners," meaning they are capable of repeating spawning almost daily, with millions of eggs per spawning event.
Spawning season: Peak spawning during spring and fall
Spawning grounds: Yellowfin tuna spawn over broad areas of the Pacific. They spawn throughout the year in tropical waters and seasonally at higher latitudes at water temperatures over 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Migrations: Yellowfin are capable of large-scale movements and move freely within the broad regions of favorable water temperature. They are known to make seasonal excursions to higher latitudes as water temperatures increase with season (the extent and nature of which is unknown).
Predators: Predators of larval and juvenile tuna include fish, seabirds, porpoises and other animals; predators of adult tuna include marine mammals and sharks. There is also high degree of cannibalism of juvenile tunas among large yellowfin in the southern Philippines.
Commercial or recreational interest: Both
Distinguishing characteristics: Yellowfin have a very long second dorsal fin and anal fin, which may reach well over 20% of the fish's length. Their coloring is black metallic dark blue and changes from yellow to silver on the belly, which has about 20 broken, nearly vertical lines. The dorsal and anal fins and finlets are bright yellow.

[Edited on 6-16-2009 by BajaDanD]

BajaBruno - 6-15-2009 at 09:13 PM

Timo1, you're a guy who has not lost his sense of humor watching the school chase the poison bait. :tumble:

A well done post. Thanks.

fishbuck - 6-15-2009 at 09:35 PM

Yellowfin tuna have high "fecundity" (reproductive potential) and spawn frequently. They are "serial spawners," meaning they are capable of repeating spawning...

I must be part Yellowfin tuna!

castaway$ - 6-16-2009 at 09:50 PM

Eat Salmon the other pink meat.

BajaGringo - 6-16-2009 at 11:10 PM

Thanks Ken for the post and pictures. Most of us "get it".

Don't sweat the rest...

:rolleyes:

woody with a view - 6-17-2009 at 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by castaway$
Eat Salmon the other pink meat.

unless it's farm raised :barf:

... the only thing pink i'll eat is taco

Cypress - 6-17-2009 at 01:00 PM

Gonna have to trim his comb, before that red rooster is ready to rumble. About those fish, One of 'em would do me for at least a year.

gpm414 - 6-17-2009 at 08:39 PM

Interesting information from the NOAA site about the life cycle of the Yellowfin tuna. I'm wondering how the catch on the long range boats is preserved. The fish don't look like they have been cleaned, or packed in ice. The fish look pretty beat...so, how are they stored after being caught??

fishbuck - 6-17-2009 at 09:08 PM

They either freeze them whole or in a ice brine tank. Most of the long range guys trade them at the dock to a cannery who gives them canned tuna.
They may keep one or two. I fillet my own but some guys have it done on the boat.

fish cleaning

BajaDanD - 6-17-2009 at 10:04 PM

They do not allow cleaning of fish on the boat on long range trips. Mexican law does not allow cleaning of fish on the boat it was caught on. Some over night boats do it, even some two dayers, but the long range boats dont.
Most fish are flash frozen on the first part of the trip. fish caught near the end of the trip, some boats put in a Refridgerated salt water brine. This is best
Most people do not trade their fish for Canned they might trade some but most is taken by one of the local fish processors. They are there waiting when a long range boat comes in. They clean cut and package your fish and even ship it to you.
The tuna that was frozen looks a little beat up but isnt really. The fish that went into the RSW comes out sushi grade if handled gently.
DanD

[Edited on 6-18-2009 by BajaDanD]

Geo_Skip - 6-18-2009 at 08:35 AM

Damn, now a 22 pound yellow tail just seems like BAIT.

BajaGringo - 6-18-2009 at 09:08 AM

:lol:

gpm414 - 6-18-2009 at 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaDanD
They do not allow cleaning of fish on the boat on long range trips. Mexican law does not allow cleaning of fish on the boat it was caught on. Some over night boats do it, even some two dayers, but the long range boats dont.
Most fish are flash frozen on the first part of the trip. fish caught near the end of the trip, some boats put in a Refridgerated salt water brine. This is best
Most people do not trade their fish for Canned they might trade some but most is taken by one of the local fish processors. They are there waiting when a long range boat comes in. They clean cut and package your fish and even ship it to you.
The tuna that was frozen looks a little beat up but isnt really. The fish that went into the RSW comes out sushi grade if handled gently.
DanD

[Edited on 6-18-2009 by BajaDanD]

Thanks, flash freezing and the salt water brine will do the trick in keeping the meat in good shape. I didn't know it was illegal to dress the fish while at sea. Wow, 300 lbs of canned tuna would keep me in sandwiches for quite some time.

fishbuck - 6-18-2009 at 10:04 PM

I didn't know about the "no fish cleaning" rule because I've never been on a trip over two days.
But ya, the fish are totally fresh if your on a boat with a good fish hold that either freezes the fish or uses the frozen brine.
The brine tank is like putting the fish in a giant slurpie.
I saw the fish processing guys too. But I thought it was only for custom canning of fish. They can your fish and put a special label with your name.
But if you trade your fish to starkist or those guys you don't get much back. But still, it's difficult to fit a big fish like that in your freezer so sometimes it's worth it to trade for canned.