Albacore fishing
The Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) has large eyes and long pectoral fins. This is why this species is also known as longfin tuna. The largest Albacore can reach up to 140 cm (4.6ft) and weigh up to 40 kg (90lb).
Albacore are mainly caught trolling lures, mainly skirted lures because their primary food source is cephalopods. This pelagic fish appears to be wide-spread and abundant in the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. When fishing for albacore you can also catch skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna and bluefin tuna.
Top Albacore Fishing destinations
Albacore can be found in the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean.
In the U.S. & Canada, albacore are generally caught off California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia between June and October. August and September normally are the best time of year for albacore fishing.
The best time for albacore fishing in the Canary Islands is March, April and May. These months they can be found mixed with bluefin tuna and bigeye tuna. Albacore can be caught until October or November in the Canaries.
How to fish for Albacore
Albacore can be caught on both natural bait and lures. The tunas are usually located by trolling. Great albacore lures can range from swimmer baits cedar plugs to hard heads and rubber squid.
Once they are located they can sometimes be brought next to the boat by chumming small baitfish. At that point they can be targeted with baits or lures.
Good to eat Albacore
The Albacore is a very good eating fish. The have firm meat, very popular in the finest cuisines. Albacore can be a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Widely used for canned tuna, albacore can also be used for sushi. Other great ways to eat albacore is grilled or Pan-Cooked combined with a citrus-ginger sauce or an oriental sesame sauce for example.
Other Fish Species similar to Albacore
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Atlantic Bonito (Sarda sarda) is a rapid fish species known for being great hunters. They have striping on their backs with silver-coloured undersides and they grow up to 30 inches long. They have a hydrodynamic body shape, even more so than larger tuna.
MORE INFO >Atlantic Bonito
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The Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a pelagic fish that can grow up to 500kg (1000lb). The biggest Bluefin Tuna ever caught was 780kg (1496lb). These great fighters can be caught trolling, jigging, casting or drifting; mainly off-shore.
MORE INFO >Bluefin Tuna
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The skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) have a strong body with black stripes on the side. The largest skipjack tuna can reach up to 100 cm (40 inch) and weigh up to 10 kg (22 lb). Skipjack are mainly caught trolling lures.
MORE INFO >Skipjack Tuna
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Yellowfin tuna grow fast, up to 400 pounds (180kg) in about a 7-year lifespan, and they range in length from 59 inches to 88 inches long. They’re known for their torpedo shape, with a pointed nose and a sickle-shaped tail, and have dark blue backs with yellow sides (thus their name) with a silver underside.
MORE INFO >Yellowfin Tuna
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Best Albacore Fishing Charters
North Shore Sea Tours
Porto Formoso S. Miguel Açores, Azores
18,00 ft
4
Offshore
La Línea De La Concepción, Strait of Gibraltar
38,39 ft
10
Overdraft Charters
Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape,
16,40 ft
4
Tora Tora - BlackRiver Charters
Riviere Noire, Mauritius
50,00 ft
12