| The fastest, most wide ranging and least net-able | | | | Albacore are caught by trolling in likely tuna |
| of all the tuna, Albacore (Thunnis alalunga) are one | | | | feeding areas especially over offshore banks until |
| of the most welcome visitors to Southern | | | | a school is located, then fly lining with live bait. |
| California. Only in years when the water | | | | Sometimes Albacore will be fussy with their diets |
| temperature remains in the low 60's Fahrenheit | | | | and won't touch a sardine - only anchovies. It can |
| until mid-spring will the Albacore arrive at all in | | | | be tricky at these times to keep you anchovy |
| Southern California. In warmer years they arrive | | | | lively when fished on bigger hooks and heavier |
| in Central and Northern California coasts. Albacore | | | | lines needed for Albacore fishing. Also a bait fish |
| are the best table fare of any of the tuna. They | | | | imitating lure or fly, if properly fished, will catch its |
| are the only fish allowed to be sold as "White | | | | share of these wily predators. Again, a fast |
| Tuna" in cans. Fresh the meat is light and delicious | | | | retrieve with rapid, darting motions is the hot |
| with a decidedly meaty texture. | | | | ticket. Fishing blue and silver single-tailed rubber |
| Because of their habits of moving in very fast, | | | | lures "on the slide" is another very effective |
| very loose schools, It's nearly impossible for net | | | | fishing techniques for Albacore. |
| boats to catch Albacore in commercially viable | | | | Preparing Albacore |
| numbers. Nearly all fish are caught on hook and | | | | My personal preference when Albacore fishing is |
| line, either trolled lures or by jack poles from | | | | to not allow deck hands to butcher my fish. |
| commercial boats chumming with bait. This means | | | | They'll toss the best parts of the fish overboard |
| there are always plenty of Albacore around for | | | | to settle on the bottom and become crab lunches. |
| the sport fishermen to hook up. | | | | Know what the BEST part of an Albacore is? It's |
| Catching Albacore | | | | the belly. Toro (Japanese Bluefin Tuna belly) in |
| Albacore are sometimes called "long fin tuna" for | | | | sushi bars is one of the most expensive things on |
| their distinctive extra long pectoral fins. They can | | | | the menu. It's also one of the tastiest. OK, even if |
| get as big as 90 lbs or so but are commonly in | | | | you can't stand the thought of sushi, smoke |
| the 25-50 lb range. They'll eagerly snap at almost | | | | those bellies for a taste sensation that will put |
| any silvery object in the water when in a feeding | | | | Prime Rib to shame. It's melt-in-your-mouth |
| frenzy, even bare hooks, and once on the line put | | | | fabulous. The kama (collar) and head of the tuna |
| up a classic, powerful tuna fight. Just because you | | | | are also delicious eating and are parts that get |
| get it on the end of your line, doesn't mean you'll | | | | tossed overboard every day by deck hands who |
| land an albacore. It's dogged determination to get | | | | are too busy making a few bucks than coaching |
| loose and seemingly herculean endurance make it | | | | tourists on how to eat great fish meals. I get my |
| a favorite among Southern California anglers. | | | | tuna gutted and the gills removed, then take it to |
| Something like 90% of all albacore are taken in | | | | my friendly local sushi bar for proper butchering. |
| water between 62 and 67 degrees F. I recently | | | | I've never seen nor heard of anyone eating tuna |
| discovered this fact in my research but my | | | | roe but would imagine if you found some it would |
| personal experience had already taught me that if | | | | be very edible. |
| the water wasn't within a degree or two of 65, | | | | Eating Albacore |
| there weren't going to be any albacore caught. I | | | | Albacore may be universally prepared in a wide |
| first came to realize this when commercial | | | | variety of techniques. It's great as sashimi, baked, |
| Albacore trolling in Central California in the early | | | | broiled, grilled, steamed, poached, sautéed, |
| 1970's. I was holding a hose supplied by a pump in | | | | smoked, marinated, just about any way you can |
| the boat that took the seawater directly from a | | | | imagine. About the only way not fantastic for |
| through hull fitting to the hose, and was washing | | | | eating tuna is deep fried. The oil content of the |
| down the deck. Suddenly I felt the water | | | | fish is sufficient that frying tends to trap too |
| suddenly change from cold to warm indicating | | | | much oil in the fish. Lately, I've been enjoying |
| we'd just passed a thermocline. Immediately all | | | | Albacore marinated in soy sauce, sweet sake and |
| eighteen of our trolled jigs had fish on! Then I | | | | grated garlic, then grilled on the barbecue. Tuna |
| realized the importance of water temperature for | | | | cooked in this manner melt in your mouth and |
| albacore and had a remote reading sea water | | | | would delight even the most ardent "I hate fishy |
| temperature gauge installed in my boat. From | | | | tasting fish" picky fish eater. One of the last fish I |
| then on I noticed the water temperature when | | | | personally caught last year had the fattest, most |
| we ran into albacore and found it was always | | | | delicious bellies for sashimi I've ever tasted on any |
| very near 65. | | | | fish. |