False Albacore are stubborn fighters and a real challenge on light tackle. Anglers sometimes encounter large schools of false albacore, resulting in multiple hookups for hours at a time.
When targeting false albacore, small feather jigs or other bullet shaped lures are effective, especially when trolled at 7 knots or more. In the Mid Atlantic region, a few false albacore usually show up in June. By August, the fish arrive in force, usually staying until Halloween. Because of their numbers, eagerness to bite, and hard fighting ability, they one of the best offshore species of fish for beginners.
In some areas, including parts of New Jersy and North Carolina, false albacore sometimes move close to shore, even entering the surf zone. During feeding sprees, anglers fishing in the surf or along jetties catch them by casting spoons, metal jigs, small plugs, or other flashy lures.
Although false albacore are poor table fare, their belly strips make excellent baits for inshore and offshore fishing.
False Albacore are sometimes confused with two similar species: Atlantic bonita and skipjack tuna. Other names for false albacore include little tunny and fat albert. The longfin albacore, a similarly-named tuna is not often confused with false albacore.
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