Albie Obsession

Fuc#king Albies. Every single year like clockwork. Around August 20th or so. You start wondering. They coming in? Numbers?. Early or Late ? In recent years you see a post. They are back.  OK .. Game On! These little bastards are so incredible that they reprogram your brain to only think about dashing green missiles hitting your hopeful placed fly at 40 MPH.  And they are good, it’s like they know. When they first come in they are chewing… and kind of like whatever… hit anything.. that’s the week you want them if you are lucky enough to time it right. But after a little while they get smart… they dial in on the bait, with eyes like lasers they get the chance to pick… and if you don’t have a little chop on your side for a little “al natural “ camouflage, a little bit of water confusion on the surface rather , you better have your A game or you are going look like a fool.  And they usually win. Fly fishing for False Albacore is the shit. It’s a battle, a test of will comparable to sinking a 3 footer in a golf major for some hardware. I have never battled a tarpon, never caught a bonefish, but I can honestly say when these things are busting 30 feet from the boat you got to breathe and focus and make decent shots. For the lucky people that have hooked up, we all know the reward for good patience is truly awesome and addictive.

And you want it… again and again and again.  And god are they beautiful. They hit like a freight train, take screaming runs, pull like the dickens, fight till the end. If you land the thing, you get to look at it for a minute and wonder how it is possible that a fish could have that much color, reflecting all of it’s brilliance right in front of you. At last, we unhook and send this wonderful creature back into the ocean. Nothing for the table here, just pure sport. A fly rodders dream. Perfection.

I can remember the first one… will absolutely never ever forget it. One of my great friends on and off the water, Captain Eliot Jenkins, premium fly fishing guide, shut down beer league hockey defensemen and superior ball striker on the links, told me about these things around 2012.  He said I wouldn’t believe how great fishing for these fish were so we set up a trip. Watch Hill, Rhode Island was the destination. We gave it a shot but as it turned out the bite was just off that day. It wasn’t happening. Couldn’t find them.. the way it goes sometimes. He said not to worry we will come back in a few weeks and get it done.

Enter October 5, 2012…  That was it.. When it all started for me anyway. Montauk. Where else for your first albie right? The Mecca… The End.  Captain Jenkins wasted no time. We sprinted over in the 23 Parker on a bluebird. He put me on the bow and I was staying there until it happened. After a few minutes on site, a sweet pod showed up, I totally fumbled cast it was embarrassing. A quick regroup,and with the pod luckily still busting I tossed a half assed double haul and heard a resounding quote from the Captain etched in my brain till this day. “Kells your tight… he ate it .” I didn’t even know. Suddenly, 50 feet of Intermediate and 80 yards of backing went off my reel like a bullet.  What was this on the end of my line? The handle on the fly reel smashed my knuckles, I was stupid confused but it was insane. After a wonderful fight and finally getting the albie boatside I was amazed at how such a little fish could do so much and mean so much. It was so triumphant. A quick pic a high five and back in she went. Fucking amazing. I will never forget that ever.

As fly anglers we know may it be fishing in a small stream for brookies, slinging the surf for stripers or chasing albies, you have to do a lot of stuff right, to get the results. For albies however you have to do a lot of stuff really really right to get the results.  You got to have your game going. You have to cast well, time it right, set up properly with boat position, lots of things. These fish make you up your game. And it is so worth it. They make you a better fly angler. It takes patience and practice. To find them and to catch them.

Since then the addiction has been quite severe.  Every year I enter the fall with a clear head and then slowly deteriorate into albie rehab. Some better than others. I remember fishing Point Judith with another great friend Jeff Sarcione and a few seasons ago spending two of the most fantastic days albie fishing on Nantucket with one of my closest friends George guided by Jeff and Lynne Heyer of Cross Rip. I have heard stories and have had folks send me texts of their adventures and pics of their first ones caught on the fly.  It really does change you as an angler. It is so special.

You will absolutely remember these journeys, the nights you slept in the truck, the trailer problems, the lack of sleep. Calling guides for some intel, trailering your boat and the hope of getting some chances. The things these precious fish make you do! I beam at the thought of the next one. The shot, the take, the whole experience is so freaking cool.  I hope we all enjoy a great fall albacore season. Take your time, set up, play nice… It gets crazy out there, cause these fish make you that way. They are only here for about 8 weeks, probably because they know as fisherman we couldn’t handle it much longer.

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Words by Matt Kelleher. Featured image by Ben Scott @tashmooflats

Captain Eliot Jenkins can be reached at greasybeaksflyfishing.com For charters for albies around the cape and islands CT, RI and NY