OUTDOOR NOTES : Fishermen Closing In on Record Giant Yellowfin Tuna

It takes a special breed of fisherman to tackle the giant yellowfin tuna of southern Mexico, and for those who take long-range fishing seriously, there is the ultimate goal--a 400-pounder.

Tom Pfleger came close to becoming the first to reach that goal Tuesday morning aboard the Polaris Supreme, bringing to gaff a 370-pound fish, the biggest since Curt Wiesenhutter landed a 388-pound 12-ounce yellowfin in 1977.

Pfleger’s fish, like Wiesenhutter’s, was taken off Clarion Island of the Revillagigedo chain and could qualify as a world record for the 130-pound line class, although a few scratch marks from an attempted shark bite may disqualify it. The International Game Fish Assn. considers shark-bitten fish mutilated and does not recognize them as records.

Yet when the Polaris Supreme returns to San Diego the day before Thanksgiving, Pfleger’s fish might not be the biggest on the vessel. Owner-operator Tommy Rothery, contacted Tuesday afternoon via high-seas operator, said that another of his passengers had just lost a fish estimated at more than 300 pounds, and that more could be in the area.

“We think we may have lost a couple more,” Rothery said. “It’s hard to judge because we’re getting some real big tiger sharks--like 600- and 900-pound tiger sharks--and they make pretty darn good runs themselves, so some of those fish we lose; we’re not sure if they’re sharks or tuna.”

Add world record: Probably the biggest wahoo ever caught on the West Coast was taken recently off Cabo San Lucas, and attempts are being made to qualify the fish as a world record in the 50-pound line class.

Jim Badia, of Washington state, was fishing with his father William aboard a 22-foot panga when he hooked the large wahoo. Badia brought the fish to gaff in about 20 minutes, and when he brought it into port, a crowd gathered to marvel. It weighed 143 pounds on the unofficial dock scale.

“The guy who caught it is probably 6 foot and the wahoo’s probably a foot and a half longer than him,” said Darrell Primrose of the Finistera Tortuga fleet. “It looks like a 140-pound marlin with no bill. It’s huge.”

Unfortunately for Badia, the slender fish was cut into steaks by dock personnel before it could be weighed on a certified scale, which could keep it from the record books. The record for 50-pound line is a 140-pound fish taken off Cat Island in the Bahamas. The all-tackle world record is a 155-pound 8-ounce wahoo caught off San Salvador in the Bahamas in 1990.

Briefly

SALTWATER--Southland fishermen have found schools of large yellowtail at the Cortez Bank and the area is getting most of the overnight boats’ attention. More than 200 fish, to about 40 pounds, have been caught since last Saturday. . . . The abundance of squid in Southland waters is keeping some white seabass interested off the Channel Islands and Palos Verdes Peninsula. The rest of the action is happening on the bottom.

Cabo San Lucas: Tropical storm Nora has long passed and fishing has picked up considerably, with dorado biting as close as half a mile from land’s end. Striped marlin are the prevalent billfish, although big blues are still coming in regularly. Tuna catches have dropped.

East Cape: Fishing for most species good, according to a group just back from the annual Los Amigos Marlin Tournament. Three-day results: three blue marlin--the biggest a 300-pounder--three striped marlin, 29 sailfish, 32 dorado and 21 tuna.

Loreto: Yellowtail and skipjack tuna are biting at Coronado and Carmen islands, weighing to 20 pounds. Dorado are coming in and roosterfish are being take inshore north of San Bruno.

HUNTING--Applications are still available for the 1991 black bear season, which runs through Dec. 29. More than 400 tags have been returned completed so far. The hunt will end when the quota of 1,200 bears has been rescheduled. Tags can be purchased at Department of Fish and Game offices for $19.25. . . . Ducks, at San Diego City lakes: Sutherland: four hunters took one mallard. Barrett: 35 hunters took 46 ducks, 20 ringnecks. Limits by John Thompson, Manhattan Beach, and Greg Commentz, San Diego. Otay: 41 hunters took 36 ducks, including nine ruddies and nine greenwing teal. Limit by Charlie Ryan, San Diego. Barrett and Otay reopen Nov. 30, Sutherland Dec. 1. . . . The Guide to Hunting Quail in California is not available through Department of Fish and Game offices, as noted in the upland game regulation booklets. The book is currently out of print.

INSTRUCTION--Big Game & Offshore fishing, Rio Hondo College, on Tuesdays Nov. 26 to Dec. 30, at 7-9:30 p.m. Registration at PC 123 or by calling (310) 699-6189. Instructor Al Zapanta. . . . Shallow water lingcod, Nov. 30 aboard the Sea Hunt out of Ventura Sportfishing. Instructors Dan Dunlap and Kit McNear. Details: (818) 762-5873.

SHOWTIME--The San Diego International Boat Show--featuring boating and fishing seminars, and a variety of boats and accessories--will be held Thursday through Sunday at the San Diego Convention Center.