How to Catch False Albacore – On The Water
What is an albie?
Short for false albacore, “albies” are among the trickest Northeast inshore saltwater fish to catch, but with their speed and strength, and the relatively short season, they are the favorite of many fly and light-tackle anglers.
A pelagic fish, albies have streamlined bodies, and are built to attack prey in short bursts of speed. Although albies resemble tuna, they’re more closely related to the mackerel, and are sometimes mistaken for bonito. In Florida, they are called “bonita” adding to some of the confusion.
Also called “little tunny,” albies rely on their sight, and feed during the daytime. They primarily eat small baitfish like silversides, peanut bunker, and bay anchovies. Despite their small size, many anglers consider albies to be the hardest fighting inshore fish. Most albies weigh 4 to 12 pounds, but some have been known to grow well over 20-pounds. The world record albie weighed 36-pounds and was caught at Washington Canyon aboard a boat fishing out of New Jersey.
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When is the best time to fish for albies?
Late summer and early fall are the best times to fish for albies. The first New England albie reports come from the southeast corner of Martha’s Vineyard around mid-August. Within days, the little tunny spread throughout Nantucket Sound, the Vineyard Sound, Cape Cod, and the Elizabeth Islands. By late-August and early September, there are albie catches in Rhode Island, Long Island, Connecticut, and northern New Jersey.
➤ Where is a good place to catch false albacore?
Sometimes albies recklessly feed on small baitfish and will eat almost anything.
Video: Drone video of albies blitzing on bay anchovies
But more often than not, they’re not feeding on the surface. With that being said, you’re probably wondering, “Where is a good place to catch false albacore?”Albies do not hang out around traditional fishing structures like reefs and bridges. However, they will trap small baitfish in areas with strong current. Think of places like islands, jetties, inlets, lighthouses, and harbor entrances.
What’s the best boat fishing tackle for albies?
When buying boat fishing tackle for albies, a lightweight setup is a must-have. Try a 7-to-8-foot medium-power spinning rod meant for 8 to 17-pound fishing line, or 10 to 20-pound line. A 3000 sized fishing reel keeps it light and fun. 20-pound braided fishing line with a smooth finish is great for longer casts. Finally, albies have good eyesight, and a 15-pound fluorocarbon leader will reduce the ability of the fish to see the line.
Related Article: The Best Rods for Albies in 2024
Related Article: Choosing an Albie Fishing Combo
What are the best albie lures?
By far, the most popular albie lures are slender minnow-shaped casting jigs made of foil-wrapped lead coated with epoxy or resin, fitted with molded in eyes. These “epoxy jigs” resemble the small baitfish that make up most of the false albacore diet, swim well at fast retrieve speeds, and cast well without sinking too quickly.
READ MORE: 13 Casting Jigs for False Albacore
Soft plastics are very effective for false albacore when casting distance is less important. Weightless plastics, like the Fish Snax Lures Albie Snax, are worked erratically, at varying speeds, and can be more effective than casting jigs at fooling finicky albies. Slender plastics paired with light jigheads, like the 4″ RonZ, are also effective when worked near the surface.
READ MORE: How to Fish Soft Plastics for Finicky False Albacore
Before epoxy jigs became widely available, anglers relied on slender metal casting jigs, like the Swedish Pimple and the Deadly Dick Long Casting Lure to catch false albacore. While they are still effective today, and more durable and better casting than most epoxy jigs, they sink faster, and are often less effective, than the more lifelike modern options.
How do I catch albies?
Albies often feed at the surface, under birds, making for exciting and visual fishing. Approach the blitzing albie schools slowly, being sure not to approach too closely or too quickly, which could scatter the school and end the blitz. Also, be considerate of other boats working the school, putting safety and etiquette ahead of your desire to catch fish.
A sound strategy, once you’ve identified where the albies have been feeding and where the baitfish schools are set up, is to idle in an area and wait for the albies ratherthan run toward every bird and breaking fish you see.
Once in range of breaking fish, make an accurate cast, ahead of the direction in which the fish are feeding. While a fast retrieve is often effective, it’s more important to make sure the lure is swimming well. For casting jigs, the lure should swim just under the surface occasionally skipping, imitating a small baitfish scrambling to stay alive.
With soft plastics, a wider variety of retrieves can be employed from fast, skipping retrieves to slow, walking retrieves.
WATCH: How to fish Epoxy Jigs for False Albacore
Kayak Fishing for False Albacore
While the speed of a boat can be advantageous, the stealth of a kayak makes it a great platform for pursuing false albacore. It’s not uncommon for a kayak angler to find himself in the middle of an albie blitz. Pedal-driven kayaks leave hands free to cast to albie blitzes that pop up suddenly, within range.
Read More: How to Catch Albies in a Kayak
WATCH: Kayak Fishing for False Albacore
With so many options to choose from, buying a yak can be difficult. We break them down in the Fishing Kayak Buyer’s Guide.
Albies from Shore
Albies occasionally feed within casting distance of shore, giving land-based anglers the opportunity to catch these fast-moving gamefish. Look for albies within surfcasting range around inlets, jetties, harbor mouths, and rips.
READ MORE: How to Catch Bonito and Albies From Shore
When fishing from shore, it pays to keep a lure in the water rather than wait to see albies before casting. Stake out a likely area, and keep casting until the albies show up. Often “blind casting” is rewarded with a few bonus albies.
WATCH: Surf-Fishing for False Albacore on Nantucket
Can I eat false albacore?
“Yes, you can eat albies,” says On The Water Executive Editor, Kevin Blinkoff. He recommends marinating and searing the little tunny in this simple recipe.
“It wasn’t just edible. It was a delicious meal with some cold sesame noodles and quick-pickled veggies,” says Blinkoff.
False albacore are not typically harvested for human consumption, but anglers who’ve deep-hooked and mortally wounded a fish can take them home to eat. Bled, iced, marinated in sauce like teriyaki, and seared, albies make passable tablefare, though they’re unlikely to become your new favorite food fish.
➤Related Content
Article: Ambushing Albies on Structure
Video: OTW Shorts – Albie Season
Article: Soft Plastic Baits for Finicky False Albacore
Video: How to Catch Albies from Shore
Article: Albie Tips from the Pros
