There was spirited celebration on the San Diego waterfront Monday morning after the boat Vagabond returned from a long-range fishing trip into Mexican waters and offloaded the heaviest yellowfin tuna ever caught by an angler.The behemoth, landed by Mike Livingston of Sunland, Calif., weighed 405.2 pounds; it's girth was 61 inches and it précised nearly 86 inches from nose to tail.
Livingston, whose previous large tuna weighed 100 pounds, said he developed a rash while "worrying about how big this fish was going to be."
He was so exhausted after the marathon battle that he quit fishing for the day and caught only one small tuna the remainder of the trip. Vagabond anglers caught eight tuna weighing 200-plus pounds, including two that topped 300 pounds.
The only known previous catch of a yellowfin heavier than Weisenhutter's was a 399-pound specimen caught in 1992 aboard the Polaris Supreme. But because more than one angler handled the rod the catch did not qualify as an IGFA record.
Livingston's fish was trucked to a taxidermist, where mounts will be made for him and the Vagabond Sportfishing office. A brief statement on the Point Loma Sportfishing website read:
"Holy Cow! The Vagabond long-range sport fisher just returned to the dock today with a historic, potential world record mega cow tuna catch. The official weight of 405.2 lbs. was met with cheers, champagne, and congratulations all around."
