Also known as
- Yellowfin US
- Ahi US
- Allison Tuna US
Identification
A streamlined, torpedo-shaped powerhouse built for sustained high-speed swimming and relentless pressure. Densely muscled with a deep body. Adults develop swept-back profiles with elongated rear extensions, more pronounced in males.
- Brilliant metallic dark blue back fading through silver-white flanks with a brassy-gold side stripe
- Broken vertical lines and golden spots across the lower flanks
- Long, bright yellow second back fin and anal fin forming sickle shapes in adults
- Long yellow side fins reaching past the second back fin
- Large eyes adapted for hunting in clear oceanic water
Where it holds
- Offshore
- Oceanic
Behaviour
Voracious opportunistic predators that use coordinated schooling tactics to herd and overwhelm prey through the water column. Smaller fish hit almost anything; adults turn selective for larger, high-energy bait. Daily vertical migration — surface at night, deeper by day, with extreme dives over 1,000m. Form size-sorted schools that associate with dolphins, whale sharks, and floating structure. Most active in 24-29°C (75-84°F) water, drawn to temperature breaks, weed lines, and bird-working bait.
Diet: Sardines, Anchovies, Mackerel, Flying Fish, Squid, Crustaceans
How it's caught
Line Fishing
Trolling
Troll skirted lures, rigged ballyhoo, or spreader bars at 6-9 knots in a staggered spread of four to six lines. Work temperature breaks, weed lines, floating debris, and bird activity. Vary speed and lure position to trigger cruising schools.
Chunking
Drift at a steady pace while dispersing cubed mackerel, sardine, or bonito to build a consistent chum slick. Present hooked baits at varying depths through the slick on fluorocarbon leaders. Deadly for bringing wary schools boatside.
Live Lining
Slow-troll or drift live mackerel, sardine, or skipjack (bridled or nose-hooked) near working schools, floating debris, and kelp paddies. Let the bait swim naturally and feed line on the take before coming tight on a circle hook.
Jigging
Drop knife or butterfly jigs (100-400g) onto marked schools and work with fast vertical sweeps. Speed-jigging with long, hard strokes or slow-pitch with rhythmic lifts — match weight to current and depth. Deadly when fish suspend midwater.
Spinning
Cast large poppers and stickbaits to breaking fish, bird activity, or tuna boils. Aggressive pop-pause retrieves with cup-faced poppers or long walk-the-dog sweeps trigger explosive surface strikes. Also effective with high-speed metal jigs.
Spear Fishing
Bluewater Spearfishing
Chum with cut bait to pull schools into range, dive to 10-30m, and intercept cruising fish on their line. Trophy fish over 45kg are almost always taken free-swimming rather than under burley. Requires a breakaway rig and float system.
