Albacore on a fly?

[Two Fister]

Just looking out the window at the snow falling wondering if anybody ever heard of somebody going after albacore with a fly rod? I've caught bluefish, stripers, and false albacores on a flyrod on the other coast, but I've never heard of anybody trying for Pacific albacore with fly gear. I'm thinking it would probably be a good way for equipment makers to test their gear.
TF

[mandinga]

anything can be caught on a fly rod...


unfortunately thats all i can tell you. :shrug:

[Two Fister]

What do you think for a setup?

I'm thinking 12 weight fast action rod, fast sink shooting head, shock tippets and my really big reel.

This could really mess things up for me. :dance:

[mandinga]

that sounds about right...i dont know if you would need shock tippets though...


I'll bet you could catch them right on the surface with an insanely fast strip!


I have seen them fish for these with huge chum buckets...I'd imagine that would be the key to success.

[Downstream]

I have caught albies on a fly. This was outside Monterey Bay, CA. What we did was troll standard lures until we found a school of fish. Then, we would reel up the conventional gear, and start casting our clousers and matukas. WOW what a great fight on fly gear! Often the hits came just as the fly hit the water. We used 9-11 wt. set ups. with shooting heads and lots of quality backing. I hooked what must have been a 50 pounder and it just took off to Hawaii-no chance to stop it with my 9wt-I was worried I would lose my whole line-as my leader was about 40 lbs, but he finally broke off. I would imagine that the same thing would be done off the Oregon Coast.

Tight Lines, Tim

[TillamookChinook]

Check the Salty Dogs archives. There were several posts on this topic last summer. I think some guys fished for and/or caught albies on flies.

I read a trick on a Mediterranean tuna website that might be helpful. When you find a school of tuna, cut the engine and spray the surface of the water with a water hose, making the surface look like there is a school of bait on top. You could cast your flies into that "bait" school without having to actually throw buckets of chum.

TC

[3riversBob]

There's a shop in Yachats on the coast the specializes in ocean fly fishing. Not sure of the name but I stopped in there once and the guy did say that they went after tuna on a fly.

Bob

[Mark Vickers]

anything can be caught on a fly rod...


We'll be seeing you at this year's "Sturgeon on a Fly" gathering? All it takes is for you to catch one (legitimately) and you're instantly in record books.

As for albies, it is done quite regularly. You can even catch charters out of San Diego where everyone on the boat is using fly gear and going after albacore, yellowtails, and bluefins. Don't count on catch and release though as any fish that comes within gaffing range of the boat crew is toast...

[mandinga]

anything can be caught on a fly rod...


We'll be seeing you at this year's "Sturgeon on a Fly" gathering? All it takes is for you to catch one (legitimately) and you're instantly in record books.





hmmmm, something to think about...never done it myself, but i know people have...check link.
http://www.cypressflyfishing.com/photo_gallery/

You got my curiosity running and since I have nothing better to do(4-day weekend :dance:) I called the place with the pictures(link above) and she told me..."we catch sturgeon on the fly, although it is not the most effective method to fish for them we do it all the time"

She told me that they have specific flies for sturgeon...and i quote again "you can catch anything on a fly rod that you can catch on a bait/gear rod"...

This is not going to make me try to catch a sturgeon on the fly...


People used to say the same things about marlin, sharks, halibut, catfish along with many others...if it swims it can be caught.