However, if the fish are smallish, a smaller reel (like the Daiwa SL30SH) full of 20 pound line will be fine, and you'll get more distance with the lighter irons on it. They can also show up in the most unexpected places. as a lot of times off Baja or early spring at the Coronado Islands, La Jolla or other popular Yellowtail spots fished by sport boats out of San Diego Landings. (Here's a pic of my lights for comparison - note the Barracuda paint chips amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Frozen chum bags dragged behind your boat will help to chum the water, heavily starting out. Mossback yellow's hang around structure and the heavier tackle makes it easier to "turn" the fish and keep it away from structure thus less chance of breaking an angler off. Any reel from a inexpensive Penn Jigmaster 500 to my favorite new reels Accurate's "Boss" Series. This reel is perfect for yellowtail, amberjack, big halibut, tuna, stripe marlin, bottom fish, and whatever you are looking to catch in your local waters up. For best all around YT reel my vote would go towards a Newell 533 5.5. How do you think about the answers? Ali explains his tips on how to catch yellowtail off the coast of San Diego. I match mine with an 8' to 9' CalStar Graphighter class rod or Seeker for rediculous long casts to boiling Yellowtail. Yellowtail have a reputation of being fussy eaters, and the most successful anglers have a good understanding of the species' environment and know what signs to look for when they are close or feeding. My favorite colors are in the photo's above. Probably the best ones you'll find. Baja, Mex. As the yellowtail begin to bite well, you should let up on the chum. Figuring out big game "mossback" Yellowtail often comes down to experience, and no one's more experienced than the veteran skippers and their crew who guide both long-range and local anglers to fish, year in and year out. The best rod to pair with your reel is a Blackfin spinning reel rod. I may do a few longer trips. If you may have already noticed, Penn clearly manufactures some of the best-selling fishing reels, and many of their products are pretty close to each other in terms of features. The Conquest if in the angler's budget I highly recommend. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Your opinions will be valued! amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit"; If in doubt ask your deckhand how to best rig for the conditions. When they're not biting, nothing seems to work and the real challenge of the hunt comes in to play. skill arsenal is knowing how to fish the iron, both the light surface The Spinfisher reel is a true workhorse, with a full metal body and sideplates, PENN’s IPX5 sealed waterproofing, and a 5+1 sealed stainless steel ball-bearing system. This kind of fishing can take a lot of patience and local knowledge which is where I hope I have provided some helpful information to help land that first or next Yellowtail. ... Reel: The Stella 14000 reel is about the same physical size of a Stella 10000 but has a bigger drag system and a little more line capacity. When targeting yellowtail with this rig, avoid fishing too close to the bottom, especially over structure, because you are likely to inadvertently catch lingcod or rockfish. How to "Yo-Yo" heavy iron is one of my favorite techniques to catch Yellowtail when they are deep feeding on clam beds, spawning squid or whatever else they eat year round and are holding in deeper water. Yellowtail are caught all over Southern California. Fly lining and Dropper Loop live Sardine, Anchovy or small Mackerel are how deep sea fishing trips in SoCal fish.  If the fish are biting on the surface usually evident by a lot of bird activity diving the surface feeding on bait being pushed up by fish below feeding then fly-lining using just a small #2 - #4/0 live bait hook with little or no weight is best. Use a "jig stick" or rod of at least 8 feet to throw surface iron (metal lures). As far as backlashes, they happen to everyone. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; I have put together tips from my decades of fishing and working sportfishing boats all over San Diego, Baja, Mexico and Hawaii. Shimano CALCUTTA 400B, Round Baitcating Freshwater Fishing Reel - This is more like the older Calcutta 400's that were populare in the 90's. This way, the yellowtail snapper will feast on the baited hook. Most often the anglers catching the most fish are those who can cast a bait far distances. amzn_assoc_design = "enhanced_links"; A graphite rod in the 8 to 9 foot lengths are great for casting way out to where a big Yellowtail may be pushing a bait ball to the surface evident by working birds on the surface. Yellowtail are great prepared and eaten just about any way - grilled over the BBQ, baked in the oven wrapped in foil with your favorite peppers, onions, tomatoe & vegetables (this is my personal favorite because it can be eaten right from the foil. All of 'em cast extremely well as long as you have good thumb control. They are excellent fighters and great eating. Add to Cart. The collar and bellies are great eating too. The Accurate Boss Single Speed Boss Series X Single Speed or for turning bigger game fish the BX-2 Series. Also it's high ratio cranking in line fast perfect for yo-yo or fast retrieve surface iron casting. As the bite comes on a little more aggressively, go to 20 pound line on a medium reel like Penn 500 Jigmaster you can never go wrong and should be part of any anglers tackle, similar in size to a Penn Jig master or another favorite for throwing iron on my Cal Star Graphighter 800L (light) or a shorter "rent-rod" size pole like a Cal Star 870 Fiberglass medium action rod with a lot of "butt" for turning the bigger fish) with a Daiwa Sealine X 30 Sha. All white for when White Sea bass are on the chew. They are a bit pricey for some people but if you want the best catch success for deep Yo-Yo Jigging. but they are not my "go to" yellowtail reels. In this article, you'll find: Reviews of the best spinning reel for saltwater in 2020. My favorite reel for local tuna and Yellowtail is Accurate Boss Valiant, a reel every Southern California angler needs in their mix of rods and reels. The best rod to pair with your reel is a Blackfin spinning reel … That one that’s the pain in the ass to catch in the holding trays is the best. Find lots of yellowtail fish recipes at Fishermansbelly.com. It's an invitation you will regret and will shut the bite down losing fish time. Accurate's Boss Valiant 300 Best (ok Rob's favorite) Fishing Reel for Southern California - San Diego Inshore Gamefish & Light Offshore Tuna. Anyone know the exact location in Palos Verdes, CA to go lobster fishing? Most anglers target yellowtails around kelp beds using artificial or live bait. l MUCH prefer my jigmasters or squidders over a comparably priced daiwa. Other reels that work best for the bigger yellowtail are the Shimano Talica II 12&16, Accurate boss 400 2-speed, and the Shimano TLD 30. What would it take to lure you into a stranger's van? 0 0. Using Anchovies and Sardines When selecting your bait, always pick the liveliest bait in the well. My favorite for it's insane long casting ability and high gear ratio for Yo-Yo fishing for Yellowtail the Daiwa Sealine Series. Develop a feel in your thumb to slow the spool when one starts to form, often that will allow it to pull itself out. Source(s): https://owly.im/a91tR. Other species however do get caught more on full moon periods such as White Sea bass and Bluefin Tuna. Good luck and tight lines. My preference is the Daiwas, the SX-40 Sealine is probably best suited for the surface iron for local yellows (use 30 pound line). Whether in chrome/blue, white/blue or scrambled egg, it is hard not to get bites if yellowtail are around. Accurate Boss Conventional Fishing Reels are one of the most popular Southern California angler fishing reel picks for Tuna and Big Game fish - Search or browse for the new Accurate Boss Fury FX-600X Reel - Right-Hand best price point reel or buy here! Join Yahoo Answers and get 100 points today. Any dull lead color is good. Surface Iron or … Looking to buy my dad a spinning reel that he can cast bait with. Out since the late 90's this fishing reel is one of the best bang for the buck deals for So Cal anglers fishing the very popular daily 3/4 day fishing trips to the Coronado Islands for a day of Yo-Yo or Surface jigging for Yellowtail Daiwa Sealine Series reels for superior casting and high gear ratio. One of the best reels that I love to use is the Canyon Reel Saltwater 5000. Need to buy him a spinning reel he can cast bait with. Spinning Reel Size: (2500 or 25) Suggested mono: 2.5kg-4kg (5-8lb) Suggested Braid: 5-12lb Common Applications (Guide only): Small fishing reel mostly suited for light fishing in lakes, rivers, bays, harbours etc. Accurate BV2-800 – The new Valiant BV2-800 has arrived with a bang. Alltackle.com. bored one day and tried a few to spare the released fish - Dark Green Light is Calico Bass candy for Match with a Seeker or CalStar basic rent rod model type or I spent some money on a beautiful 15-30# G-Loomis one piece all graphite Saltwater Series or Phoenix has become a popular Southern California choice rod for plastic swim bait and light Anchovie casting long a breeze in combo with the Daiwa Sealine 20x or similar. Fishermen in SOCAL have perfected casting conventional reels and can make impressive casts without backlashing. These reels are made for this type of fishing where yo-yo jigging requires the fastest retrieve and angler can reel in. They are out nearly every day of the year and know best at a given moment what is biting and how to rig. Yellowtail are hands down my favorite fish for eating when fresh (best consumed within the first three days of being caught) otherwise the fish can taste "gamey". l have a couple newells that work perfectly for them. Trolling swimming plugs, like the Rapala CD 18, is effective during the spring near the Coronado Islands when the yellows are "breezing" and haven't settled around structure. For more on yo-yo jigging for Yellowtail I wrote an article here all about the fun technique and tackle required. Feel free to Email me anytime for more info, tips, recommended tackle or boats I like. amzn_assoc_asins = "B00144AI58"; I don't get too involved in line whether braided, mono, fluro or p-line. With so many options, finding the best rated saltwater spinning reel can get tricky quickly. Heavy iron popular to So Cal anglers in Tady 9 heavy jigs for yo-yo are Scrambled Egg, Tady 9 Green Variations, Blue and White, Blue and Chrome and Mackerel/Chrome are a few favorites although the chrome variation can attract too many Barracuda when they are thick and Yellowtail are in the mix or lurking below the schooling Barracuda in a chum-line feeding frenzy. Current ranks as a major consideration when Yellowtail fishing. Capt. They are bigger, easier to catch and you can use chunk bait (strips of bait) for bait or heavy iron jigs (local name "iron") and yo-yo jigging deep using heavy iron jigs and high-speed retrieve ratio reels like my favorite Daiwa Sealine-X SHA Conventional Saltwater Reel SL-X50SHA 6.1:1 High Speed. Yellowtail are one of the most popular gamefish in Southern California. Yellowtail can be amazingly easy to catch at times during a hot or wide open bite. 1 decade ago. Iron jigs made for surface fishing is the other type of iron available. but they are not my "go to" yellowtail reels. … The Wormist. The Penn 113 “4/0” is the old West Coast standard, but its heavier than current reels and a bit slow gear ratio wise. Re: Best Budget Yellowtail reel Post by trier » Sat Jun 18, 2016 12:47 pm GOB wrote: Rovex Big Boss 5000/6000, best value for money reel on the market for yellowtail … amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Well I hope you all learned something from this article. Then put the clicker on and leave the reel in freespool. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "yellowtail-tips-20"; You'd be surprised sometimes it's the smallest lively pinhead Anchovies that the biggest fish are eating. As far as moon phase and bite success, I lean more on the current and changing tide as more important factors for biting 'tails. but they are not my "go to" yellowtail reels. Other days I start with my favorite colors and switch if I see other anglers landing more fish when I'm not or take advice from the deckhands who are out fishing every day and know what is working best on a particular day. This rod/reel combo is perfect for throwing (casting) light surface iron jigs for when the fish are closer to the surface. Yellowtail have no problem swimming up 10 to 15 feet to gobble a tempting live bait. Penns are awesome reels get a penn gs 545 it free spools like crazy with reel oil in it not penn grease I love my penn 4/0 senator. I always throw on birds working the surface which sometimes takes a really long cast. My favorite colors are in the photo's above. amzn_assoc_asins = "B001449KN4"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Can you cast with a conventional reel? amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; I fish mine brim full of 80-pound Spectra to a short 3-foot, 60-pound fluorocarbon leader. Generally local Yellow's like a fast retrieve but if one way doesn't work after being exhausted, try something different. The reel can hold 400 yards of 65-pound braid but is still small enough to fit on a medium-weight spinning rod with good action and sensitivity. Alltackle Tuna Package - 4 x Shimano Tiagra 50 Combos w/ Essential Lures. Popular for fish type (most common species): Bream, Trout, Whiting, Bass, Flathead, Perch, Luderick. (Sample of a few of my favorite "heavy iron" for Yellow's). With a low gear for more torque, two-speed reels provide the best of all and a high gear for quicker line recovery. Routinely reaching sizes over 30lbs they mean business. Just make sure you are holding bottom. You may notice a particular boat's schedule to be full during full moon nights during Spring through Fall. Both Accurate Boss 400x, 500x or 600x have huge 6:1 ratio great for popular Southern California - San Diego deep "Yo-Yo" technique where dropping deep and cranking in at blazing speeds trigger the Yellowtail bite. If you wanna spend fifty to seventy bucks above your limit, Penn International Nine-Sixty-Five or Nine-Seventy-Five. Fyi - Don't mess with the hooks like I did, keep the stock trebles - I was If you want the best I highly suggest purchase an Accurate BX-400X BX Boss E-Series Reel with a line capacity of 300 yrd./20# mono is perfect but really any of the big name reels with a high gear ratio for fast retrieve and even two-speed for larger fish will work. Yellowtail Fish caught further South in Mexico and South of Coronado Island's at popular spots where tuna crab and clam beds reside are more plentiful and they are not as elusive as yellow's caught off San Diego and the rest of So Cal. l have a couple newells that work perfectly for them.