No fish are stronger than tuna, and false albacore (Euthynnus alletteratus, also called little tunny, and locally referred to as fat alberts, bonito, or albies) are miniature tuna that are perfect for the saltwater fly fisher. They average about the size of a football, and around 8 lbs in weight, and huge pods of these fish blitz bay anchovies within a mile of the shore off the coast of North Carolina every fall. October and November are the best months to come to Harkers Island, just a few minutes from Beaufort and Cape Lookout, North Carolina, as the fish here are everywhere then.
Feeding Habits of the False Albacore
It is not hard to locate these fish. Birds flock over the water where the albacore bust anchovies on the surface, and the fish themselves splash and jump, and soar just under the surface looking just like torpedoes. They move fast, busting baitballs (tight schools of the anchovies that swim in a swirling ball) and briefly stay under before popping up somewhere a short distance away, so an angler must cast as soon as an opportunity presents itself.
Flies and Fly Presentation for Harkers Island Albies
The flies do not matter as much as many think. The important part of this type of fly fishing is insuring that the fish swim in the direction of the fly. As these fish often cruise just under the surface in excess of twenty miles per hour, it may be difficult to put the fly a few feet ahead of the fish, but it must be done. White colored flies, in patterns such as clousers, deceivers, and whistlers should do the trick, because the color stands out in the water. Other bright colors like chartreuse, yellow, and pink also work on flies because they allow the fish to see them. Stripping is hardly applicable in this type of fishing. These small tunas swim so fast that they may completely pass the fly before the angler has the opportunity to make a single strip. That being said, when the water is crystal clear (meaning bright colors are not imperative) realistic flies like gummy minnows work, but they are better when hardly stripped. Cast the fly a few feet in front of the fish, and hope it sinks down a little into position before the fish has reached it. The fish will either eat, or swim past the fly, without turning around.
Rod and Reel
Rod and Reel setups should be somewhat heavy. A nine weight rod is on the small side, while a ten or eleven weight should work well. The reel can be lined with a floating line when the fish are blitzing bait on the surface, but when they are feeding deeper (when the blitzing has slowed), an intermediate line, to sink the fly a little deeper, is necessary. When hooked, after an initial run or two, these fish, like all tuna, perform the death spiral, which entails them swimming on their side (utilizing water resistance, and decreasing the use of their muscles) as the angler pulls up on the bent rod, then lowers it to reel in what slack was created. So a stout rod and hardy reel are best.
These fish are everywhere when they pass through the Harkers Island area, but so are boats and other anglers. It is important to exercise courteous boating maneuvers when fishing a pod with other boats, and inevitably, some lines may cross, resulting in tangles. And after all of that, a successful angler's arms will be quite sore the next day from fighting these fish, but it is all worth it.
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