I took out Ralph today – a seasoned stealhead fisherman who really wanted to add the albie to his list of conquered species. We chased some fish in the inlet – got one hookup in 6 feet of water before moving on down the beach. The hook was an absolute zoo of boats and guides – we got a few chances but decided to brave the chop to find fish elsewhere. Most of the time there were more boats than fish – but if you played your cards right, the fish were there for the taking.
It didn’t take long and within minutes were on nice pods of fish busting big baitballs of bay anchovies and some big silversides (we see more every day). We managed a few hookups (even saw a few take the fly), and a bent hook before Ralph landed his first albacore ever – and he was all smiles. Ralph got a good lesson in the ways of the albie – you don’t have time to make any false casts if you want to get one to eat it! With 15-20 knot NE winds – this boy was a trooper and a pleasure to fish with! I hope he comes back next year for some more albie action!
