International Yellowtail Derby

A Fishing Competition for the Best Catch of:

Crowd at San Diego's first Yellowtail Derby Circa 1950
(Photo Courtesy of San Diego Historical Society)

Miss Yellowtail Derby 1962 Sharon Wetzel Poses
(Photo Courtesy of San Diego Historical Society)

San Diego's Yellowtail Derby Has Long Colorful History

San Diego's original Yellowtail Derby ran for 28 years, from 1946 to 1973. It was sponsored and produced by the San Diego Jaycees.

It was a multi-month event with qualifying periods and finals. Prizes ranged form cash to cars, trailers, trips and fishing gear. It built up to where every year more than 10,000 anglers competed and many from LA, Orange Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and often won.

Last year, at the urging of Stephen Cushman, Chairman of San Diego's Board of Port Commissioners, John Campbell took up the challenge and resurrected the Yellowtail Derby.

Mr. Campbell's extensive experience in the fishing community made him an ideal candidate to resurrect the tradition of the Derby, including being the IGFA Representative for California 7 years, Sales Manager for South Coast Sportfishing Magazine, and originator of the fishing section of The Log Newspaper.

So last September, the first annual running of the new International Yellowtail Derby got underway and was an unqualified success. The fishing window was 8 days.

This year, anglers will have up to 36 fishing days to fish - May 5th to June 9th, 2012. Anglers choosing from only one day to fish to all 36 days will have an equal chance to win a prize, as the biggest fish.

The Derby will conclude with a Awards Ceremony on June 10th, 2012.

About the Yellowtail

The yellowtail is a coastal, schooling fish that sometimes enters estuaries. It has been reported to occur occasionally in very large schools in the Gulf of California.

It feeds predominantly in the morning and late afternoon on small fishes, invertebrates, and pelagic crabs. Small to medium size fish generally undertake seasonal migrations. Larger individuals are more solitary and less migratory.

The yellowtail is easily recognized by its bright yellow tail and a characteristic brass colored stripe that runs along the median line of the flanks from the tip of the snout to the tail. It is closely related to the greater amberjack. It can be distinguished by the greater number of developed gill rakers, 21 - 28 on the first arch, while the amberjack has 11 - 16.

The yellowtail is a fast swimmer. The strike is vicious and is followed by a long, hard run and sometimes two or three shorter runs before the fish is boated. Fishing methods include trolling or casting with live baits or with lures.

The yellowtail's habit of driving bait fish up against the shore makes casting from the beach possible at times. The advice of experts is to allow time for the bait to be swallowed, then strike hard.

The Yellowtail occurs south of the equator (not in equatorial waters) off Argentina, southern Brazil, St. Helena, South Africa, Australia and North Island, New Zealand.

About the White Seabass
Inhabits the eastern Pacific between Magdalena Bay, Baja California, Mexico to Juneau Alaska. They are usually found near the mainland shore over sandy bottom or around near kelp beds, but they may also be found in shallow surf or deeper waters.

It may be taken by drift fishing or still fishing with live baits or by slow trolling, jigging or casting with feathers or small, flashy metal lures. They eat sardines, anchovies, squid, small mackerel and other small fishes and crustaceans. Most are caught near the mainland shore and around Catalina and San Clemente Islands. The best fishing is said to be at night near the bottom. Off California the species is most numerous from about May to September.

The white seabass and its relatives are weakfishes. The name "weakfish" refers to the tender, easily torn mouth tissues characteristic of these fishes, not their fighting ability White seabass are a prized game fish and an excellent food species. The flesh spoils quickly, and should be eaten soon after capture

About the Albacore
(Bonnaterre, 1788); SCOMBRIDAE FAMILY; also called longfin tuna, long finned tunny Found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas, it is pelagic and migratory. Usually remains in deep clear blue tropical or warm waters, but makes seasonal migrations into colder zones The most distinguishing feature of this member of the tuna and mackerel family is its very long pectoral fins that reach to a point beyond the anal fin. The pectoral fins of other adult tunas may also be moderately long, but never extend all the way to the anal fin. Though the very long pectoral fins readily distinguish the adult albacore from other adult tunas, Fishing methods include trolling with feathered jigs, spoons and lures; live and whole bait fishing with mullet, sardines, squid, herring, anchovies, sardines and other small fishes

San Diego's International Yellowtail Derby - 3960 West Point Loma Blvd. - Suite H347 - San Diego, Ca. 92110
Tel: 619-991-5480 - E-mail: john@internationalyellowtailderby.com - Web Site: www.internationalyellowtailderby.com