Giant yellow tag-teamed at Alijos Rocks
BY MIKE STEVENS
SAN DIEGO – Royal Star Captain Alex Natipadab touched base with Western Outdoor News from the long-range grounds for some details on the 70-plus-pound yellowtail that came over the rail on a 7-day trip. The tanker mossback was bagged during two days of fishing at Alijos Rocks where the Royal Star was targeting tuna, wahoo and yes, giant yellows.
“The yellowtail almost yanked the guy in the water, so I took over,” said Natipadab,. “At first I thought it was a big shark!”
The angler was Bob Dawson, and the yellow ate a scad slab fished on 100-pound test. When it was all said and done, the fish tipped a certified scale at 75 pounds.
There was a short delay in the on-the-water report as Captain Natipadab “got busy on 80-pound tuna,” which the Royal Star has been stacking up lately. Speaking on the fishing he’s been getting into in general, he said, “We are greeted upon arrival by hungry and aggressive 50- to 80-pound yellowfin tuna. Giant sonar schools that erupt and bite every sardine in sight. Every bait is a bite five-feet-off-the-stern-type fishing; now that’s long range fishing! ‘Good as it gets’ is almost an understatement at this point.”
