# 200lb YFT Freeport 9/7/09



## c1 (Jan 11, 2006)

We headed out toward Nansen to take on some YFT for the first time ever. But we never made it because of our fuel burn, I figured it was going to be too close for comfort so I stopped at Campeche, Sunrise, and Tequila for most of the day. Just before dark we ran over to the Cervizas. We caught a couple of gags, a dozen or more yellow tail sea bass, and plenty of black fin tuna. I have never seen those yellow tail sea bass before. They are a beautiful fish and look like their are going to be excellent eating. Most of the tuna were caught at night. My son, Garrett Oswald, Pat Thomas, and Steve Manrose from Fishing Tackle Unlimited made the trip. Garrett and Steve were the work horses on the boat; it was unbelivable wacthing them jig all day and night. I tried jigging for them myself, but I guess I'm just getting to old. Early morning I wanted to Marlin fish alittle while, so I slow trolled a blue runner and within two passes I hooked up. After a 1 1/2 hour battle I caught my biggest YFT ever. We took a few pictures and then I gutted before she went on ice. She wieghed 195lbs gutted at Bridge Bait. Texas Parks and Wild Life and owner of Bridge Bait said it was the biggest YFT tuna they have seen. It was an awesome memory for me.


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## Snap Draggin (Nov 11, 2007)

That is a PIG!!


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## rookie06 (Oct 1, 2005)

AWESOME catch!! Bet that was one heck of a battle!!! Good job and great memories being made!!


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## NattyArty713 (Jun 1, 2007)

WOW!!! That is a beast!!


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## Reel Blessed (Apr 7, 2005)

Great report and congrats on the huge yellow!


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## 007 (Mar 11, 2008)

Good job Carl!!


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## bwguardian (Aug 30, 2005)

That is one of the biggest YFT I have seen come out of the GOM!


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## teckersley (May 25, 2004)

NICE job Carl. Since I now have the same boat as you albeit 3 x 225s rather than 3x300 optis, what gives you concern for range? I have not needed to go beyond 90 miles yet but would be curious to get your thoughts on range and what gave you the concerns. I have the optional 60gal tank to total 360gal capacity. That should be plenty to go even further than BV, nancen, or the gardens I would hope.


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## MZapalac (Aug 12, 2005)

Nice job Carl, that is an awesome tuna! What a great experience to catch a tuuna of that size as well as have your son being there to partake in the experience. Man that's what it's all about.....Mark :cheers:


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## tuna crazy (Sep 5, 2007)

Great catch!!!!


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## nelson6500 (Jun 8, 2007)

Holy mother of tuna that a big one, great job guys.

matt


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## Calmday (Jul 7, 2005)

Awesome fish Carl. Congrats.


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## c1 (Jan 11, 2006)

I have both tanks as well, the main tanks is stamped 272 gallons but is really 260 burnable gallons, and aux. tank is stamped 70 and it is about 58 burnable gallons. I filled up the boat today and it took on 300 gallons. The 225s get about 1.6 in bay like conditions and 300s get 1.1 I was going for speed over mileage for ska tournaments.


UNLEASHED said:


> NICE job Carl. Since I now have the same boat as you albeit 3 x 225s rather than 3x300 optis, what gives you concern for range? I have not needed to go beyond 90 miles yet but would be curious to get your thoughts on range and what gave you the concerns. I have the optional 60gal tank to total 360gal capacity. That should be plenty to go even further than BV, nancen, or the gardens I would hope.


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## rainbowrunner (Dec 31, 2005)

What a stud fish. Congrats!


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## igo320 (May 17, 2005)

Congrats Carl! Unbelievable catch and thanks for posting the report. 
Kevin


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## High Seas Drifter (Sep 7, 2008)

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn!


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## Levelwind (Apr 15, 2005)

Fantastic fish, great job Carl


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## Rock Bottom (Aug 6, 2009)

Just shy of the Texas State Record of 216lbs!


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## BretABaker (Dec 31, 2008)

Congrats on an awesome allison!


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Very nice indeed! PIG
AGF


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## CamoWhaler (Jul 13, 2006)

what a pig !!!
good job


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## wacker (Mar 22, 2006)

Rare find for our water.:cheers::cheers::cheers: :cheers::cheers::cheers:


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## team notorious (Mar 21, 2006)

Not shy of the State Record, It weighed 195 gutted and dehydrated. It would have blown the state record away. Great fish Carl, I guess that, that will be another mount for the wall!


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## Savage Rods (Apr 27, 2005)

Nice YFT Carl. What a beast. I bet that wore your arms out for a few hours. Great catch


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

Nice Tuna there capt.


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## fathom lures (Jan 27, 2007)

*Exellent!*

awesome catch, the state record is 216# !! did you measure fork legnth? 73 or 74" would be record fish.


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## c1 (Jan 11, 2006)

I didn't think to measure it.


fathom lures said:


> awesome catch, the state record is 216# !! did you measure fork legnth? 73 or 74" would be record fish.


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## MXCapt (Jul 17, 2006)

Congratulations!!!! Its amazing what our waters can produce. Fish of a lifetime!


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## sharkbait-tx70 (Jun 28, 2009)

congrats on a sweat tuna....That outta keep ya in some tuna salad for a while.....


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## ToTuff (Aug 25, 2004)

*pig*

Dang Carl that is a pig!
Much better than a slimy greenback!


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## cabolew (Aug 12, 2005)

Nice Catch!!!!


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## stryper (Nov 10, 2008)

Congratulations nice fish ! You mentioned catching it on a trolled bluerunner, On what gear?


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

WOW! Congrats.


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## THE REEL WON (Apr 21, 2006)

Awesome tuna, congrats.


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## Cutter (Jun 23, 2004)

aweseme tuner, congrats! 
you wont be eating tuna from a can, thats for sure.


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## Mikeyhunts (Jun 4, 2007)

Wow thats a jaw dropper!!!

Congrats.


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## ccbluewater (May 21, 2004)

MOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Nice Cow, Carl! That is a beast, and can only imagine the chaos on deck when you could see those sickles down deep!!


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## Karl (Oct 25, 2005)

Nice AJ. I saw you catch the Yellow Tail. I was on the boat in the background of your picture. I caught a 56#Warsaw Grouper and a 36#AJ at that spot that day.


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## justhookit (Sep 29, 2005)

do they really have 21 pounds of guts? Sorry, i haven't cleaned one that size.


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## outriger (Jun 26, 2007)

Awesome Catch. Did you have any idea what you had?


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## TNTSpecial (Aug 16, 2007)

Nice one there bud........I'll be ready to go when I get back from Saudi

MM


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

Honestly I'd rather have caught that fish than an average Blue, great fish.


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## Robalo Barry (Jul 28, 2009)

That sounds like an awesome trip and that is an amazing fish.


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## c1 (Jan 11, 2006)

I caught it on a 50w Shimano Tiagra with 80 lb. test, and with stand up gear.


stryper said:


> Congratulations nice fish ! You mentioned catching it on a trolled bluerunner, On what gear?


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## c1 (Jan 11, 2006)

I would guess that I gutted about 10 lbs. and what ever blood loss. She was over 200 lbs. but I doubt it was a state record.


justhookit said:


> do they really have 21 pounds of guts? Sorry, i haven't cleaned one that size.


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## Digidydog (Jun 20, 2007)

Did y'all catch any other yft over there?


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Wow, great catch.


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## Pope (Jun 20, 2004)

I may have been surprised. It could have had as much as 21lbs of blood, guts and bait in there. Either way, awesome fish.


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## Jillcay (Aug 17, 2005)

My lord - that is one big TUNA!!!!! Awesome catch Carl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Batboy0068 (Oct 10, 2006)

congrats again and thanks for the sushi again I was the guy going out that morning when you guys were cleaning that beast


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## Bellyup (May 22, 2004)

Great catch!!!


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## BigOTex (Jun 14, 2005)

*You the man..............................*



c1 said:


> We headed out toward Nansen to take on some YFT for the first time ever. But we never made it because of our fuel burn, I figured it was going to be too close for comfort so I stopped at Campeche, Sunrise, and Tequila for most of the day. Just before dark we ran over to the Cervizas. We caught a couple of gags, a dozen or more yellow tail sea bass, and plenty of black fin tuna. I have never seen those yellow tail sea bass before. They are a beautiful fish and look like their are going to be excellent eating. Most of the tuna were caught at night. My son, Garrett Oswald, Pat Thomas, and Steve Manrose from Fishing Tackle Unlimited made the trip. Garrett and Steve were the work horses on the boat; it was unbelivable wacthing them jig all day and night. I tried jigging for them myself, but I guess I'm just getting to old. Early morning I wanted to Marlin fish alittle while, so I slow trolled a blue runner and within two passes I hooked up. After a 1 1/2 hour battle I caught my biggest YFT ever. We took a few pictures and then I gutted before she went on ice. She wieghed 195lbs gutted at Bridge Bait. Texas Parks and Wild Life and owner of Bridge Bait said it was the biggest YFT tuna they have seen. It was an awesome memory for me.


Carl,

1st you dominate the snapper category.....now tuna !! Congrats what a COW !

Putney


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## 27contender (Dec 22, 2008)

WOW


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

Mr. Carl,
Thats a once in a life time fish...








​
U Dun Goud!​









ps: sure hope that little picture is of you,, I think it is


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## onemorecast19 (Jan 31, 2009)

*tuna*

thats a toad


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## KevinA (May 22, 2004)

HOLY COW,

thats a very impressive Tuna. congrats.


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## Chase This! (Jul 20, 2007)

Way to go, Carl. Truly a once and a lifetime fish. You da man!!!

Brandon


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## jjordan (Sep 6, 2006)

wow, nice fish


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## ccm131313 (Jul 12, 2009)

WOW!! That's a PIG!!


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## StarlinMarlin (Aug 3, 2004)

Awesome, great catch!


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## texasjellyfish (Jan 23, 2006)

wow


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Just think if you wouldn't have err'd of the side of caution and went on to BV, you wouldn't have that trophy fish of a lifetime  

Awesome fish....


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## Capt Chad (May 1, 2006)

congrads hell of a fish. 

Chad


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## KConway (Jul 9, 2006)

What a fish! Congrats Carl.


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## mahiseeker (Jan 26, 2006)

Nice report, & awesome catch


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## c1 (Jan 11, 2006)

Thanks for all the positive feedback.
Carl


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## Snake (Aug 5, 2005)

very nice that is something to be proud of....


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

Fish of a life time for sure.We hooked into one in Grand Isle, fought it for 2 hours on a Tiagra 30.We all got to look at it as it was boat side just out of gaff range by about 10 feet. It made one last run and the line popped. 200lber for sure. We atleast got to see the fish and admire it. Truly a fighting machine. Id give up 5 blues for that pig in the box. Good job on landing that beauty. If you have more piks, post them up. 

Was the top sycle fin missing, couldn't see it in the pictue. Figured that thing would be about 4 ft long. Beautiful fish.


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## fuelish1 (Aug 3, 2004)

too cool!!!!! great pics too! congrats!!!!!


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