Anglers to welcome summer with 12th annual Yellowtail Shootout

SAN DIEGO — The first weekend of summer in San Diego will be an anglers’ delight, as the 12th annual Yellowtail Shootout – presented by Costa – comes to town. Anglers will be competing for $50,000 in cash and prizes during the shootout, which would be held June 22-24 in San Diego.

Cash prizes include two side jackpots: largest tuna ($2,500) and largest yellowtail ($2,500); both cash prizes are for BoatUS member boats and offered by TowBoatUS San Diego.

A mandatory captain’s meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. on June 22 at Dana Landing Market and Fuel Dock (on Ingraham Street in Mission Bay). Lines can be dropped into the water beginning at 5 a.m. on June 23; the weigh in will run from 2-6 p.m. at Dana Landing Fuel Dock or Harbor Island West Fuel Dock. The awards ceremony will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Portuguese Hall, June 24.

Boats participating in the tournament must depart from Mission Bay, San Diego Bay, Oceanside Harbor, Dana Point Harbor or Newport Beach Harbor, though all weigh-ins must be conducted at Dana Landing or Harbor Island before returning back to port.

“Bait fishing is allowed before lines-in,” the shootout’s rules stated. “No other lure, jig, or line specifically rigged for any gamefish is allowed in the water before lines-in. Any yellowtail by-catch must be released.”

Walking a fish up to the scales will result in team disqualification; team captains are required to stay with the fish throughout the weigh-in process. All boats must have gear out of the water and in line at 6 p.m., exactly, to qualify; any fish caught after 6 p.m. will not qualify.

The top five winners earn cash prizes; other prizes were not yet determined as of press time.

First place earns $5,000, followed by $2,500 for second, $1,000 for third, $750 for fourth and $500 for fifth. A prize will also be awarded to the “Big Fish” finishers.

The total purse is set to 100 participating teams; payouts will be adjusted should fewer than 100 teams enter the shootout.

Teams are not allowed to use entangling devices, firearms, harpoons or spearguns throughout the shootout; contact with commercial fishing vessels or spotter planes are also prohibited.

Registration is officially open; visit yellowtailshootout.com to register and read the complete rules. The entry fee is $325 per team, up to three anglers. Additional anglers can be added to the team for $100. Fees jump up to $400 per team of three and $125 for additional anglers after June 15. No more than six anglers are allowed on a team.

Yellowtail Shootout 2017 photo