One of the ultimate feats in the world of fishing is catching your first tuna fish. Not only can a tuna species be a really large fish but it can put up an extremely difficult fight. The beauty behind the fish almost outweighs how good it tastes. Still, not all Tuna are the same. Understanding different types of Tuna is essential for knowing how to fish for them as well as how to eat them. To learn about more fishing tips and facts, check out Catch and Fillet.
What are the Tuna Species
Greater Amberjack – This fish is a species of predatory ray-finned fish in the Carangidae family. While it is almost circum-global, this fish has been seen from the Hatteras south to Brazil, along the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. If you make the trip down to Florida or the Bahamas, you can fish for the Amberjack all year round. The Great Amberjack is an important food fish and is known to be very popular in aquaculture. Terrific meat used for sushi and sashimi. The best method when fishing is to drift with bait like grunts and croakers.
Atlantic Bluefin – The body is large in profile and robust. This fish has been seen traveling from both the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean as well as the Mediterranean Sea. The fish can swim at a depth of over 3,000 feet. As one of the most prized fishes to be caught in the ocean, the meat can lead to a big payday as it can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and be worth in excess of $100,000 per fish. With that said, it is the most prized and lucrative commercial fish in the entire world. The luxury sushi restaurants are typically on a wait-list for this fish to feature in their sushi menus. When fishing for the Atlantic Bluefin, you will use large baitfish or even other Tuna baitfish. This fish is a once in a lifetime catch. You will be truly lucky if you are able to Catch and Fillet.
Yellowtails – One of the most well-known species of tuna due to their signature “yellowtail”. Not only can the size of this fish exceed 100 pounds but the fight for catching one could take several hours. This fish has been seen from Point Conception southward to Guadalupe. The hot spot for catching these beautiful fish is in California, specifically in the Gulf of California. Often the Yellowtail Tuna can be caught in the wild but due to the demand for its meat, a significant amount is farmed. The ultimate fish to Catch and Fillet. The meat tastes better raw when the fish is caught during the cooler months of the year. The best method when fishing is chumming or using live anchovies. Deep jigging can also be a very effective method.
In conclusion, a Tuna fish can vary even though they belong to a small family of fish species. The speed and hunting ability of the Tuna sometimes gets overlooked because they don’t feature large teeth as a Shark would. As active predators, these muscular and powerful fish can swim with almost any fish in the entire ocean.