Tuna

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  "Tuna catch with rod & reel,
  Santa Catalina Island, Ca."
  Bluefin Tuna

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  "Tuna caught with rod & reel
  Santa Catalina Island, Ca."
  Bluefin Tuna

Tuna (Thunnus) comprise fifteen species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly. The largest of the tuna are the bluefin.

Tuna of several species are fished at the California Channel Islands:

• Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Wikipedia: Pacific bluefin tuna

• Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares)

Wikipedia: Yellowfin tuna

• Albacore (Thunnus alalonga)

The Tuna Club, Avalon, Santa Catalina Island was officially founded on June 15, 1898 by biologist, author and sportsman, Charles Frederick Holder and friends. Its founding was prompted by Holder’s June 1, 1898 historic catch by rod and reel of a 183-pound bluefin tuna.

In the News~

July 21, 1909 [LAH]: “Avalon, July 20. Flying signals of distress, and their launch, Cornell, half full of water, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Robinson of the Boston department store were picked up off the west end of San Clemente Island by Captain George Romans of the launch Ramona early this morning. On board the sinking launch with Mr. and Mrs. Robinson were C. H. Knapp of Seabreeze, Florida, and H. C. Davidson of Los Angeles. A large hole had been made in the launch Cornell as it had passed over a sunken reef. At the time of the mishap Mr. Robinson was steering the boat, while Captain Cornell was attending to some minor details of the engine room. The Cornell was abandoned and the party arrived safely at Avalon from Clemente late this evening. They are now quartered at the Metropole. Three days ago Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, with Mr. Davidson and Mr. Knapp as their guests, chartered the launch Cornell for a trip to Clemente. They were in search of bluefin tuna. Owing to the fact that Mr. Robinson was steering against the sun, he had not seen the reef over which the launch passed. The boat will probably be a total wreck. An effort will be made to float it if possible tomorrow. The Cornell was valued at $3000 and would probably weigh five tons. During the trip the party caught several varieties of large fish, including black sea bass, yellowtail and albacore.”

September 19, 1909 [LAH]: “Gifford Pinchot, United States forester, yesterday landed at San Clemente Island a swordfish weighing 180 pounds and measuring seven feet nine inches in length. Pinchot plated the monster for more than two hours from the launch Juanita, on standard tuna club tackle. The fish was taken to Avalon for the purpose of being mounted and recorded. Despairing of catching tuna at San Clemente Island the Pinchot party will put in the early part of the week angling for the gamey bluefin at Catalina. A large number of yellowtail, black sea bass, albacore and white fish have been taken by the party, although as yet no records have been broken.”

May 26, 1926 [TI/Avalon]: “A report from San Clemente Island Monday, stated that several schools of bluefin tuna had been seen near China Point, San Clemente Island.”