By Pete Thomas
An angler fishing off the Baja California city of Loreto has landed a 430-pound yellowfin tuna that might have become a world record if he had followed proper procedure.
Robert Ross caught the massive fish on a trip out of the remote Pisces Collection Lodge, on the Sea of Cortez near Loreto. The lodge is not yet open and does not have a certified scale, or cold storage.
Ross told Pisces Sportfishing general manager Tracy Ehrenberg that he had little choice but to fillet the tuna after weighing it on a butcher's scale at a nearby ranch.
“Once they told me the weight I told them, 'You just cut up your world record,' ” Ehrenberg, whose business is in Cabo San Lucas, said via email.
The International Game Fish Assn. lists as the all-tackle world record a 427-pound yellowfin tuna caught off Cabo San Lucas in 2012.
Ehrenberg said Ross told her, “I kind of thought that it might be a record. It’s the biggest tuna I’ve caught, but what were we going to do with it? It’s important but not the most important for me to get a record. Next time I will call you before cutting it up.”
According to the Pisces Facebook page, the tuna was hooked on a chunk bait and landed standup-style, from a Boston Whaler, after a 2-hour fight on 60-pound test line.
–Photos of 430-pound yellowfin tuna landed by Robert Ross (pictured at right) are courtesy of Pisces Sportfishing
–Editor's note: This catch was originally reported to have occurred off Cabo San Lucas
Most people are unaware how old these fish are, or actually how young. A 430lb fish might only be 8-9 years old. Yellowfin don't get this size usually because they metabolize their food faster than they can eat it, so this fish was living on borrowed time as it was. Additionally, it is a male, as are all YFT this size, so it doesn't hurt the breeding stock to take it.
Posted by: Fraser | May 12, 2016 at 08:47 AM
Robert call me here in US it's ur old Amigo from Mauritius/Soith Africa from Ray (760)214-4113
Posted by: Captain JJ Fin 'SYDNEY'S WAY' Oceanside. Ca | May 11, 2016 at 11:57 PM
It's really sad that this fish has survived to grow this large and you couldn't do a catch and release so that this wonder continues to live.
Posted by: Tony | May 11, 2016 at 05:35 PM
It doesn't say it was caught in CSL, is says CSL angler, which means the fisherman was from Cabo San Lucas.
Posted by: Dany Z | May 11, 2016 at 03:14 PM
My name is Jonnathan and i´m from Loreto Baja California Sur. Loreto is 540 km far away from Cabo. This fish was caught in Loreto NO in Cabo.
Posted by: Jonnathan | May 10, 2016 at 07:54 PM
This fish was not caught off Cabo San Lucas.
Posted by: Keith | May 10, 2016 at 03:01 PM
Where is the Pisces Collection Lodge on the Sea of Cortez?
Posted by: Keith | May 10, 2016 at 02:09 PM