Albacore 2020?

[Evan Burck]

I am surprised you guys are not talking about the 364 lb blue fin caught out of San Diego, just one of the 60 they landed during the charter.

Since I work with fishing stuff all day for work and see photos/videos from all over... I only have energy to concentrate on the fisheries I personally participate in

 

[Nick Clayton]

Albacore fishing was insane today. So good I had to grab the fly rod at the end of the day and stick one more for the season.

I'm so burned out and ready for it to end. But God I will miss it over the winter.

Oh, and I put my eyes on a marlin yesterday for the first time.

 

[Clarkman]

Fuck yeah, @Nick Clayton !!!! Way to end it!

 

[cabezon]

Hey Nick,
Enjoy your well-deserved rest. Looks like a mill-pond out there. Thank you for shepherding us out to the tuna grounds this year and getting us into tons of fun. We'll be conspiring over the winter for more offshore excitement next summer.
Steve

 

[bk paige]

Ok Nick whats the story on the marlin?

 

[Nick Clayton]

Ok Nick whats the story on the marlin?

I was trolling along, and looked down at my sonar and saw a real good fish mark at 60'. The kind of mark that was surely to result in a hookup. I turned around, with my hand on the throttle waiting to pull back, and watched the troll rods. Suddenly 200 yards or so directly behind the boat, clear as day, a marlin jumps way out of the water. There are a handful of sightings every year, but this was my first time seeing one.

A commercial albacore friend of ours was out in the general area and also spotted one earlier in the day.

 

[Mems]

Time to live bait an albacore

 

[SilverFly]

Time to live bait an albacore

Sure, if they weren't all 20-30 pound pigs. Maybe if this was Kona or Cairns. The few pointy nose fish we have are all puny little stripers. Raises a good question though as to what the max bait size would be for a 150-200# marlin? Or for that matter a 150-250# bluefin?

 

[Bagman]

Sure, if they weren't all 20-30 pound pigs. Maybe if this was Kona or Cairns. The few pointy nose fish we have are all puny little stripers. Raises a good question though as to what the max bait size would be for a 150-200# marlin? Or for that matter a 150-250# bluefin?

For my Baja trip I bought some hand tied flys for Marlin by a guy that has fished many times for marlin. While I didn’t care to catch a marlin these flys worked for a few of the marlin that were caught. Troll with a top water hookless plug and when the marlin comes up pull in the teaser’s and put a fly in front of it.

 

[Mems]

Chee's monster had a 150lb ahi in its stomach. 30lb albacore is easy prey.

 

[Gyrfalcon21]

View attachment 256997
Chee's monster had a 150lb ahi in its stomach. 30lb albacore is easy prey.

Is that the old Marlin what used to sit in the International Market Place off Waikiki in the 70's?
Was it a Black Marlin ?

 

[Mems]

Look at the pec fins against the body, it was a blue.

 

[SilverFly]

View attachment 256997
Chee's monster had a 150lb ahi in its stomach. 30lb albacore is easy prey.

So that marlin could eat a Washington state marlin.

 

[Bagman]

So that marlin could eat a Washington state marlin.

But a bitch to cast.

 

[SilverFly]

It seems the success of the WFF albacore crews this year has generated some interest within the conventional tuna fleet. In addition to outright fly fishing, I've been fielding some inquiries regarding flies that can be trolled or cast on conventional gear. Absolutely no reason that won't work, really well actually.

So here's a trial run on some more durable anchovy and mack flies using straight Fishair instead of the usual blend with EP or CH. A little rough but passable. I find that Fishair hold up much better but is more challenging to build an accurate profile with. Tied on 3/0 Owner Aki's.