Albie Hunt

[bucko]

For the last 5+ years I have been trying to catch an Albie or Bonito from shore using a fly rod. I’d read reports looking for specific flys, time of day, tide and specific locations. I did a considerable amount of driving and spent some time on Martha’s Vineyard. Over the years I saw Albies break (explode), saw what looked to be a fast moving green cloud (school of Albies) attack a baitfish ball. Sometimes the Albies would be right in front of me…speed by at what I’m told can be as much 40 mph. Sometimes the fisherman next to me would get the Albie. I spent a lot of time blind casting to a seemingly Albie less ocean.

The other day…was my day. Shortly after arriving at the latest hot spot I got the hit and saw my line disappear like a bass or blue can’t do. I felt the thrum of the Albies tail on my line. My drag was tight so the fight was controlled. I landed my first Albie. As I continued to fish I was fortunate to hook up multiple times. I learned fly line tangles are a bigger issue with Albies when compared to Bass. An incoming run can make a complete mess of backing when attempting to keep up with the speed of these fish. Palming the reel with an Albie should probably be left to a more skilled fly fisherman. When I finally stopped the results were 5 hits and 4 Albies landed.

I’d like to thank some of the fisherman who post here and elsewhere who provided the fly used and coached me through my first successful Albie Hunt.