This has been an incredible year for albies. They came into Boston harbor about 2 weeks ago. Unreal.
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This has been an incredible year for albies. They came into Boston harbor about 2 weeks ago. Unreal.
Like calling patagonian tooth fish chilean sea bass, only albie's are terrible to eat. dont know why people would want to keep them.
Here is an albie a guy got from the rocks at Breezy point the other day, from another site. I think he said they were in and out in 15 minutes, They have been inside Jamaica bay as well. What a year. I haven't gotten any yet but am still trying.
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Anyone want to take a gander as to when the first surf albies will be caught this year? Last year they showed in the surf last week of July. This year the surf seems a little colder but a bluefish boat got one the other day.
One of the fares on the big Jamaica bluefish trip today got a bonito in the slick. I have friends who have trolled a few on the inshore lumps along with bluefish. I say they should be in the surf soon. They are about as predictable as a woman, though and I'm no expert on surf fishing so I don't want to guess when. There is a lot of small bait in the surf though and that is what draws the albies bonito and spanish mackerel in.
Yes rob you can eat them. Good on the grill whole baked in foil with a spicy rub. Much different than false albacore though. Albies are also known as little tunny. I don's think they are really in the tuna family. I believe they are in the mackerel family. The Big Jamaica reported one bonito today as well. I believe they are fishing 6-10 miles to the east of monmouth county beaches. I hope we see albies in the surf soon. Won't be long now maybe another week or so until they show up on the beaches. As someone said the little bait that is all over the surf and in front of the inlets should draw them in.
Bonita very seldom show on the beach as they like very clean water. False albacore show on the beach when water is clean ,warm and full of bait and they are not good to eat. Tuna have red meat Bonita are in the tuna family and have a whitish meat. False albacore are in the tuna family as they show up on the tuna identification charts.
I had it mixed up finchaser thanks for the correction.:HappyWave: The mackerel is a sub grouping.
From wikipedia:
A tuna is a saltwater finfish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a sub-grouping of the mackerel family (Scombridae) – which together with the tunas, also includes the bonitos, mackerels, and Spanish mackerels. Thunnini comprises fifteen species across five genera,[1] the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max. length: 50 cm (1.6 ft), weight: 1.8 kg (4 lb)) up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna (max. length: 4.6 m (15 ft), weight: 684 kg (1,508 lb)). The bluefin averages 2 m (6.6 ft), and is believed to live for up to 50 years.
A boat fishing out in Raritan bay reported albies breaking the surface on Friday. Only a matter of days before someone catches one in the surf.
We also have 5 glorious days of weather ahead of us with the northwest and western winds coming in from Canada. I feel this sustained pattern is a great setup for an albie bite. They are here but not in numbers. It's only a matter of time before someone reports catching one from the surf.
I haven't seen any from the beach out to the Hudson canyon just a few skipjack. Most of the inshore lumps where they first appear are void of life. Just cold clean water. IMO I don't think they will arrive this year they like water in the upper 70's which we have yet to see.
Thanks for the updated intel finchaser. I am as optimistic as buckethead is. They reported catching bonito at the shark river reef and the golden eagle and some other boats have jigged them with the small bluefish they are getting. If bonito are in the mix there should be some albies too. They may not be around in large quantities but I really hope one of us will get one. A lady caught a large 25lb cobia in the Bay Head surf the other day so you know some of those warm water fish are around.
I know the water temps are lower this year but you have to keep the hope alive. Just my .02 of course! No disrespect meant and thanks for the info.
I know I saw it get weighed in. Water temp on the ridge the other day was 68. I'll be out all day tomorrow and let you know if we see any. One of our group is at the canyon now
I know I saw her weigh it at my friends shop to cheer you up Bonita were caught on a few lumps and bumps today NW wind seems to have warmed and cleaned things up pray we get no south winds
Robmedina a massive school of Albacore arrived today 10 miles east Manasquan in the Mudhole chasing sandeels in super clean 75 degree water. Yesterday we caught many fluke and 18 keepers to 7# way up north saw absolutely no life from the Rattlesnake to Manasquan inlet (23miles )we went up and down with 4 boats looking each 2miles apart and marked no bait so or saw any signs of life. On the way down we found a school of 10 to 12" blues outside shark river inlet.
Great news finchaser thanks for the report!
We had 68 to 72 degrees water 2 to3 miles out 75 in the river going out. Ugly water to about 2 miles out up north clean off Manasquan and shark river, clean green 2 to 3 miles out which IMO was clean enough for Albert's but would not support tuna. there was no bait, a friend of mine is out today targeting the albert's
^^^^haha rob love that! Didn't think anyone would remember the Fat Albert cartoon that was great!
A fly fisherman reported today that he departed from the navesink river area and went out into the tip of Sandy Hook looking for albies. He didn't find any so you are right finchaser they may still not be coming in close yet. He did scout further off and found some small 20" mahi and some banded rudderfish under floating debris. He has a small boat and couldn't have been more than a few miles out into the bay to that is somewhat of a good sign. I am hoping to get into them this year after reading all the great reports. Monty I saw a pic of one of yours and I was drooling. Can't wait!
Capt Al Ristori reported some at Barnegat Ridge today-
Capt. Dave De Gennaro reports bonito and liittle tunny are finally abundant on Barnegat Ridge, and he'll be running open trips for them on his Hi-Flier from Barnegat.
I think most of the reports will be from the barnegat ridge and possibly the mud hole. There are bigger concentrations but at least 20 miles offshore. We trolled a bit for them today in the mud hole east but no luck. A few blues and that was it.
They may be a little closer Cappy. The Golden Eagle reported a few caught today. They have been fishing 10-15 miles offshore. Don't know exactly where they were though. Probably no closer than 10 miles.
I agree with the capt. Friends who are getting out say the rigdes and lumps are covered up with false albacore when you find sand eels and small bait. What's coming inshore is a small trickle. There is really no reason for them to come that far in with all the bait that is offshore.Good luck anyway gents!
any truth to the latest claim of albies in the surf at sea bright?
I dont know but here it is!:bigeyes:
Allen Riley of South Plainfield got the first report of little tunny in the surf from Giglio's Tackle in Sea Bright. "Albacore Tony Martino" of Ocean Township caught two plus three Spanish mackerel while casting behind the shop on Saturday.
Ding we have a winner. I heard that he got them on Fri morn.:rolleyes: Don't want to start a war here He's a very nice older gentleman. Dark if you don't think its appropriate you can delete my post. He's a good fisherman and one of the old guard. Knows his stuff. Knowing all that if you didnt see him catch them or a pic that someone has of him catching them I would not believe it. no dis-respect to the old farts in the fishing world but I know Tony. He wanted to be the first one to catch one. Not only does he say he did but he nailed 2 and 3 spanish mackerel as well. Al Riley and his crew have been fishing for them for 2 weeks now and none were caught or lost by Riley and Co. Tony is the only one? No one else is catching them from the surf and he nails a pelagic surf slam in one morning. Just saying.
What he said^^^^ and.Always fish behind that shop since the 60's when Art originally owned it seems nothing has changed next will be the secret lure you can only buy there. Spanish mackerel in 65 degree water and not one seen or caught on a boat all summer in warmer and cleaner water:huh:
After reading these reports^^^^^ decided to take the boat out we trolled the lumps and bumps Klondike ,Manasquan ridge, Eagle lump, Tarpon lump and Augies lump looking for Albert and Bonita again Nada including bait no knock downs birds or signs of life. Water closer to shore was off color. I heard the water further north was tainted due to beach replenishment Went in after doing about a dozen lumps. :idea:Got my surf rod and went to the beach, caught and released a Bluefin tuna kept the Wahoo for dinner.:HappyWave:
^^^^^ha ha LOL!!!LOL!!!!!
Cmon everyone knows to catch a tuna from a beach you have to get the beach permit and lay out your tuna spread to troll for them. Good stuff!
They are pumping sand right behind the shop and to the north.
I made a stop about 2-3 miles south of where they are doing the beach replenishment and you can see a huge difference in the water quality.
The water is very stained from all the suspended particles and we all know the tuna family loves dirty brown water. :naughty: