As the summer season comes to an end in North Carolina many saltwater anglers are eagerly anticipating the transition into the fall season and the arrival of false albacore along our Crystal Coast. As the north winds begin to blow and the water temperatures begin to drop, every baitfish in the region starts to move out of our local inlets and predatory fish respond, none more aggressively so than false albacore. Also known as little tunny, bonita or Euthynnus alletteratus to scientist throughout much of their natural range, these powerful fish in the tuna and mackerel family (Scombridae) migrate along our nearshore waters. They are easily within reach of most small boats capable of heading out into the ocean on a calm day. Its not uncommon for albies to move into the surf zone, giving well prepared surf anglers a real treat!
False albacore typically show up close to shore in North Carolina during September and can be found within casting range of the surf through November or December. The waters around Cape Lookout National Seashore provide world renowned albie fishing, with most boats leaving out of Morehead City, Beaufort, or Harker’s Island. Most of the fish you will encounter in the area are from 6-10 lbs but it is not uncommon to see some pushing 20lbs and even larger. The state record false albacore was caught in 1991 at 26lbs 8oz. Fish released over 34’ earn the lucky angler a citation.
Finding the fish usually involves searching for coastal seabirds, mostly gulls and terns, as they are on the search for baitfish schools streaming out of our local inlets. Savvy anglers search for the bait being pushed up to the waters surface by the feeding albacore below. Just a few hovering birds can be a sign that there are fish in the area, but sometimes the water comes to life and the fish erupt on the surface and the baitfish leap from the water attempting to avoid becoming prey. Successful anglers choose to slowly approach the schools as they are busting bait on the surface and cast artificial lures or flies into the path of the feeding fish.
Often overzealous boats will make the mistake of running to the schools too fast and running over the fish, which breaks up the bait pods, sending them down which effectively kills the bite. Instead, it is important to make note of what direction the school seems to be moving and approach them cautiously, especially since you will also attract quite a bit of attention from other fishermen. If everyone is patient and plays well together it is possible to allow several boats to fish the same school, allowing everyone the chance to hook up without shutting down the bite. At times when there is a lot of pressure, the best option may be to sit in a likely spot with good activity and wait for the fish to pop up near you. To much run and gun whack a mole fishing and the bite dies quick, and these days there are a lot of other anglers out there so its important to play nice and understand the process. If a specific area is to pressured, I am known to break away from highly trafficked areas where many people congregate and go out on the search for my own pod. There are locations where you can always find fish, but often the crowds make it to difficult and not much fun. There is so much good water in our area, part of the fun is exploring and attempting to find fish away from the crowds.
Sometimes finding them feeding on the surface proves challenging but a easy fall back is to fish behind the shrimp trawlers as they cull their catch off the beach. This practice can attract a variety of saltwater species that have somehow leaned to listen in to the low frequency sounds of the hum of the inboard motor. Some days you will find albies gorging themselves on the bycatch and others you may find several species of shark enjoying an easy meal. As you approach the shrimp boat, ensure you can see their gear is out of the water. You have to approach fairly close, just bump it in and out of gear as one angler works the controls at the helm while your partner steps up to the bow to make the long cast. Albie fishing truly is a team effort as anglers have to be patient. The person navigating is just as important as the person making the cast. Either one of you take your mind of the fish for a moment and it can be over just as quick as it came together. Some days its one right after another if your approach is slow and methodical. Take your time and make sure you are in position before yo make the cast.
Once you find them, casting to aggressively feeding fish is truly one of the most excitingly opportunities available to many anglers, as this style of sight fishing always gets your heart up and racing. On top of that, there are not many fish that can be found right off of the beaches that fight as hard as the little tunny, especially on light tackle. Once you convince a hungry albie to eat your offering you have to hold on light and keep your drags set just right in order to bring them to the boat. Its no wonder they have developed a cult like following through out their range. While they may not be great table fare, they are prized for their ferocity and stamina.
Light tackle gear is standard when targeting the albies, with 7’ rods designed to throw ¼ oz. to 2 oz. lures being most common. 2500-4000 class reels are a good place to start, spooled up with 15-20lb braided line to maximize your casting distance and line capacity. I then add 20-24" of 15lb test fluorocarbon leader, tied directly to my main line with a double uni-knot. Having a heavier rod on hand incase you see the larger fish known as buffaloes. Big Spanish and snake kings feed in the same manner and mix in with the albies. Lucky anglers will sometimes find the trophy size red drum in the same areas feeding, so you never know what you may see. It pays to be ready, as opportunities come and go fast out on the water.
Anglers often cast shiny metal lures of varying size and color to the feeding fish. Kastmasters, stingsilvers, and sea striker jig fish lures are all popular options as they can be found in a wide variety of colors and sizes. Sometimes having the right size lure makes a difference as the fish can become picky only eating lures that are the same size of the baitfish they are feeding on. Smaller baits like glass minnows or anchovies may require a ¼ oz lure, while larger silversides or bunker might be better mimicked by a ½ or even a ¾ oz. jig I also like to use a 4” DOA jerk shad in white, chartreuse or pink on a 1/8 oz jig head when they are feeding on larger prey.
As picky as false albacore can sometimes be, there are other times that they are feeding so aggressively that they will strike out at anything thrown to them as long as it is retrieved fast. On days like this it is a lot of fun to catch them on 3 ½ “ topwater lures such as a Rapala Skitter Walk. If you have a hard time getting them to commit on the topwater sometimes it pays to vary your retrieve and slow it down a little.
The fishery attracts a large number of fly fishermen to the area. Most anglers use 8 weight rods, but the bigger fish requiring a bit more backbone so having a 10 weight onboard is not a bad idea. Once you get the fish to the boat they have a tendency to dive down deep so you need to have enough backbone to lift them up. It is also important to have a quality reel with a good drag system, as the budget models are usually not up to the speedy runs the little tunny make when they initially strike. Many fishermen use intermediate sinking line but when they are busting on the surface use of a floating line is not uncommon.
Fly fishermen attempt to match the hatch and use a variety of flies depending on conditions. Clouser Minnows, small surf candies, deceivers, small poppers, and crease flies are all useful as the fish can change their feeding habits without warning. The same goes for color, variation is the key. Combinations of pink, chartreuse, white and silver are among the most productive offerings you can cast. It’s best to be prepared and have several different flies and color patterns ready to make sure you can entice a bite from a finicky albie. Again, typically the best retrieve speed is as fast as humanly possible. There are times when you will want to let your offering sink down below the baitfish school, mimicking an injured silverside or bay anchovy, but most fish are landed when stripping the line back using a double-handed retrieve, with the rod tucked underneath your arm. By using both hands you can not only move the line faster, you are more in touch with your fly and less likely to have slack line which often leads to missed opportunities.
Lots of my albacore pictures were taken by my good friend and frequent fishing partner Captain John Mauser. Thankful I was able to get a shot of him that was deemed cover quality!
Regardless if you choose spinning tackle or a fly rod, with fishing being so hot its important to remember some of these unwritten rules when out on the water. As more people are discovering the joys of light tackle saltwater fishing, remember to be courteous to others and focus on having fun!
I also want to invite you to come out on September 28 for The Saltwater Angler Networks "Angler's Night Out" event in Raleigh. Looking forward to leading a session detailing the fishery and sharing lots of good insight into one of my favorite fisheries along our coast!
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