It's turkey time nationwide, but it was tuna time and a historic day at San Diego's sportfishing landing today.
Dennis Williams, 49, a foreman mechanic at a Mercedes dealership in Carlsbad, hopes to put his name in the record book for a 381.1-pound yellowfin tuna he caught Nov. 21 on an 11-day trip aboard captain Randy Toussaint and captain Tim Ekstrom's Royal Star.
Glenn Evans photo
Angler Dennis Williams (left) and Royal Star captain Randy Toussaint pose with the catch.
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Williams' tuna, if approved by the Florida-based International Game Fish Association, will topple the record of 376 pounds, 6 ounces caught on 130-pound line by Kenneth Yokoe at Clarion Island on Jan. 5, 1996.
Williams used 100-pound Izorline monofilament with 130-pound Spectra backing on a Shimano Tiagra LRS two-speed reel and Calstar rod. His fish, caught 70 miles off Cabo San Lucas, is the fourth-largest yellowfin landed by a sportboat angler and just 7.65 pounds from the all-tackle record, a 388.75-pound tuna caught by Curt Wiesenhutter on April 1, 1977.
“I'm just elated,” Williams said today shortly after Toussaint weighed the fish at Fisherman's Landing. “I've been fishing long-range trips for 10 years, and believe me, there are a lot of guys who are better fishermen than me. But it's not all skill. There's a little luck involved, too.”
Toussaint said he and three deckhands gaffed the fish and hauled it aboard the Royal Star.
“The yellowfin record is the most coveted record in our industry, and to get one like this is super special,” Toussaint said. “Look at how much effort is put into fishing for these big tuna. For us to get the fourth-biggest ever is huge for Dennis, huge for the boat, huge for the industry. He just did a stellar job fighting it. Never used the rail, never needed any help. If this one doesn't qualify for a record, nothing will.”
San Diego-based sportboats have had trouble getting their top fish approved for records. Other than Wiesenhutter's all-tackle world record, the top two tuna were disqualified for various reasons such as the angler getting help from the crew or fighting the fish while resting the rod and reel on the rail of the boat. Mark Gasich's 399.6-pounder caught aboard the Polaris Supreme is the biggest ever landed, but it didn't qualify because a crewman assisted on it. Dave Manella's 394-pounder caught on the Royal Polaris didn't make it because he received help from the crew.
None of that appears to be an issue here, which should enable Williams and the Royal Star to have an entry in the IGFA's 2009 record book.
Ed Zieralski: (619) 293-1225;
ed.zieralski@uniontrib.com
