How to "Yo-Yo" for Yellowtail using Iron (popular local lure and style of fishing)

The 2010 season has been shaping up to be another good sportfishing season as with past El Nino season's as many local Captain's and boat owners predicted last year. The Yellowtail season is setting up to be one of the best since the early 90's according to Western Outdoor News. One thing I love about this great sport is either there is always some new tip or skill to learn or to improve on the knowledge you already have.

(Sample of a few of my favorite "heavy iron" for Yellow's)

(Here's a pic of my lights for comparison - note the Barricude paint chips
Fyi - Don't mess with the hooks like I did, keep the stock trebles - I was bored one day and tried a few lol - Dark Green Light is Calico Bass candy for casting along the kelp line or drop in a kelp hole with heavy line)

One of these skills and must have knowledge in any San Diego fisherman's skill arsenal is to know how to fish the iron, both the light surface and heavy deep water varieties. The focus of this article is how to fish for Yellowtail with iron using the yo yo technique when the fish are deeper.

When the Yellowtail bite is hot, especially early season big "home guard" variety which our 3/4 day sportfishing boats have caught good numbers already this season, it's important to know how to "yo-yo" iron (weighted metal lures casted or dropped and retrieved). This is must have knowledge and skill for those days when the explosive Yellows show and all they are biting is deep yo-yo's.

The deep jigging or yo-yo technique with heavy metal lures generally outproduces lighter surface jigs on a daily basis this time of year when Yellows are in deeper water many times feeding at local clam beds or deeper water structure. Year round Yellow's especially farther south along the Baja Coast are caught in good numbers using the yo yo technique as well.

Salas 6x Junior, Ironman 3 and 5's and Tady AA or 9, among bottom jigs that works well when the bite is deep 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.

A fast ratio reel and a rod with a good butt section for turning big fish near structure in deep water is a good setup for yo yo. Basically just drop your lure over the side straight down and let it drop fast until it hits the bottom. Then engage the reel and retrieve as fast as you can about half way to even all the way up then stop and let it drop to the bottom again and repeat, hence the name like a "yo-yo".

Just keep up this technique using various retrieve speeds and depths when reeling in the iron before letting it drop again and take note of the depth you are in when hooked up or bit so next time you can concentrate more on fishing that zone. Generally local Yellow's like a fast retrieve but if one way doesn't work after being exhausted, try something different.

For color I start by matching the bait and/or water color in the area being fished. Anything scrambled egg, green or chrome/mackeral I personally like and start with but everyone has their own advice here. Tady, Salas, Sumo are all popular brand heavy iron that work great for yo-yo Yellowtail.

I don't get too involved in line whether braided, mono, fluro or p-line. Personal preference here again. I'm old school and still like a good mono 20 - 30# with my Daiwa Sealine and my Cal Star Graphighter 800M, lot of butt for turning bigger fish and 8ft for great casting the "lights" with a fast action tip. The Sealine has a smoking fast retrieve and casts for miles as I say. Anything similar is adequate - I leanred on a Cal Star 870 with a Penn Jigmater 500 because I figure learn on a basic setup like that and the nicer gear will be effortless to hone skills.

Well that's all for now I hope this sheds some light on the subject of how to catch Yellowtail Southern California party boat style.

Rob