Sarasota False Albacore Fishing

Sarasota false albacore fishing is incredible! It is one of my favorite forms of angling here in Sarasota, right up there with casting plugs for big snook. Part of what makes it so exciting is that there is much more involved than just fishing. It is a bit like hunting and fishing combined. Patience is required as we tried to figure out the movements of the false albacore, waiting for a good opportunity.

False albacore are a pelagic species. That means they spend most of their time in the middle to upper part of the water column. Bottom structure and other cover is really not a factor, other than bait tends to congregate in those areas. False albacore basically roam the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean and devour helpless bait fish.  They are available in Sarasota around Easter and Thanksgiving most years.

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But, it’s not as easy as just seeing where they are, driving over, and casting into them. Will actually, sometimes it is! But most of the time it is not. Most of the time the fish are quite fussy. There are days where they pop up here, pop up there, never stay in one place long enough to get a good shot. That is just part of the game. Most days though, staying patient will result in at least a few good opportunities.

There are several factors that add to making the fish finicky. Generally speaking, fishing for false albacore is best when the water is clear. Obviously, that means they can see well. Therefore, longer casts and lighter leaders are required. Also, often times the false albacore are feeding on glass minnows. Glass minnows are very small, sometimes only and inch long. A a 6 inch bait tossed into the middle of that 1 inch bait will not look natural and usually will not draw strike.

Sarasota fishing charters

Tackle for false albacore fishing is pretty basic, though it needs to be an excellent working condition. False albacore make long, fast runs and will test the drag system on the real. They are basically small tuna fish and are fast and powerful. The guides on the rod need to be free of nicks and abrasions. Finally, all not need to be well tied.

The best all round outfit for false albacore fishing is a 7 foot spinning rod in a medium heavy action. A stiffer butt section is required to subdue a nice false albacore. But, the tip needs to be limber enough to cast a light lure a fair distance. A 3000 series spinning reel spooled up with 10 pound monofilament line or 20 pound braided line completes the outfit.

I like to double 4 feet or so of my running line when using monofilament. I do so using a spider hit, but a Bimini Twist is fine as well. Then, I attach a 30 inch section of 20 pound fluorocarbon leader to the double line using a Double Uni Knot. Going is light is 20 pound leader will increase strikes however, Spanish mackerel can be a nuisance. They will cut right through that 20 pound leader quickly. If Spanish mackerel are present, and you can get away with it, bump the leader up to 30 or even 40 pound test.

Sarasota false albacore fishing seasons

Every season is different, but generally speaking Easter and Thanksgiving are the peak times. The fall runs seem to be more reliable. This may be due to the fact that there is less angling pressure in the fall than there is in the spring. It also feels like the fronts that move through in the spring are little more severe.

A strong onshore breeze will shut down the Sarasota false albacore fishing. Rough, choppy, dirty water is not to the liking of the fish. Several days of East when will have the water settled down. That is just part of the game when false albacore fishing, and really fishing in general.

Artificial lures

Capt Jim has been a fishing guide in Sarasota, Florida since 1991. Anglers who are interested in purchasing the equipment that he uses and writes about in his articles can do so HERE on the PRODUCTS page.

I rarely use live bait when Sarasota false albacore fishing. Artificial lures are very productive and to me just more enjoyable to fish. My number one bait is a #8 Rapala X-Rap slashbait. White and olive are my two favorite colors. These lures are just the right size and have a great action. They float on the surface and dive down a couple feet when retrieved.

Bass Assassin Sea Shad jigs are my second choice for Sarasota false albacore fishing. Lighter colors work best. Jigs are particularly effective when the fish are a little deeper in the water column. There will be days when the albacore are up and down. Anglers cast the jig to the last known location of the fish and are allowed to sink before being retrieved back in.

Small Silver spoons are another productive lure for false albacore. Spoons come in all shapes and sizes and can be easily tailored to match the available forage. Spoons cast the mile and can be worked either near the surface or down deeper. They are great all round lower for both false albacore and Spanish mackerel.

Sarasota false albacore fishing techniques

With all artificial lures the technique is basically the same. I like to run on plane as slowly as the boat will stay up and search for signs of fish. Any bait fish dimpling on the surface or birds working will get my attention. I will then stop and patiently scan the area to see if fish are coming up. If nothing materializes, I move on.

Sometimes if I see a big flock of birds sitting there, I will give it more time. This can be an indication of a big school of bait beneath them. Birds will oftentimes sit on the surface like that waiting for the false albacore and mackerel to drive the bait fish to the surface.

 

Once fish are found, the boat is stopped and I try to determine a pattern in their movements. Here in Sarasota, the fish mostly seem to be moving north to south. If the fish are staying on the surface and not moving the boat can be eased into casting position. I then shut the motor off and allow the boat to drift into casting range and my clients fire off a couple long cast into the fish.

Fast, erratic retrieves are productive

The best retrieve for Sarasota false albacore fishing is usually a very fast and erratic one. The plug and spoon both have this type of action built-in. A fast retrieve with short jerks of the rod tip should produces strike.

The best retrieve with the jig and grub combo is usually to allow the jig to sink a few seconds then reel it back in as fast as humanly possible. But, fishing is not the same every day. If you get into the fish and these retrieves don’t produce, switch up the retrieves and then even maybe the baits until a productive pattern is found.

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This is the ideal situation, and does not happen all the time. More often than not the fish pop up quickly for a few seconds and are moving fast. If the speed and direction can be determined, the boat can be placed in a position to intercept them. If this sounds hit or miss, well that’s because it is! There are times where you just can’t get on them. But that’s part of the challenge and part of what makes it fun.

While I prefer casting lures to breaking false albacore, trolling can be an effective way to locate them. If the fish are up and down and hard to get on, trolling can be an effective way to hook one. Those Rapala X-Raps do a fine job when trolling. Spoons may be trolled as well, though anglers will need to use a swivel between the leader and the running line. Jigs tend to roll over and are not as effective when trolling.

Using live bait to catch false albacore

While I primarily fish for false albacore with artificial lures, live bait will certainly catch them. One extremely effective technique is to chum with live bait. This is a great technique for children and other inexperienced anglers. It gives them a good chance to catch a big fish without having great casting skills.

A cast net is used to obtain the bait fish. This can be done on the flats just inside the passes or out on the beach itself. Once the well is fall of several hundred frisky baits, the boat is anchored. There are three artificial reefs right off of Lido Beach and these usually hold Spanish mackerel when they are around. Otherwise, I try to find an area where I see fish or just choose a spot that has been productive for me in the past.

Once the boat is anchored a couple handfuls of chum are tossed out behind the boat. I may even take some of the bait fish and chop them up in pieces. If the mackerel and false albacore are around, it won’t be long before they find the chum. Then, it is just a matter of hooking a bait on and tossing it out behind the boat. I hookup should quickly ensue. No weight is used on the line, just a #1/0 hook.

Fly fishing for false albacore

Fly fishing for false albacore is fantastic sport! Other than tarpon, it is the hardest fighting fish that Sarasota offers to visiting fly anglers. The technique is basically the same, as I try to put the boat 30 or 40 feet away from a school of breaking fish. The fly is cast out and the angler strips back as quickly as possible. The strikes are ferocious!

A 9wt fly outfit is best, though if the albacore are run an unusually large, a 10wt will be a better choice. Floating lines are fine as the fish are almost always taken on the surface. A 10 foot tapered leader with a 20 pound bite tippet and a #4 bait fish pattern fly completes the rig. Glass minnows, Crystal Minnows, Clouser Minnows, and D.T. Specials are the top producing flies.

False albacore are generally considered not very good to eat. After catching one of these gallant game fish, angler should hoisted up for a quick photo than get it back in the water as soon as possible.  It is also important to use tackle heavy enough to subdue them in a reasonable amount of time.

The procedure for releasing a false albacore is a bit different than other species. They need water moving through their mouth and over there gills. Therefore, when a fish is being released, the angler throws it headfirst into the water as quickly as possible. This will get the water moving over it skills and it should respond and swim away.

Fishing charters Sarasota, Fl; Additional species

Anglers targeting false albacore do have opportunities for other species. There are days when many Spanish mackerel are seen, but not as many false albacore. The same artificial lures mentioned above will catch a lot of Spanish mackerel. The only real difference is the need to bump the leader up to 40 pound test.

King mackerel also sometimes come in close to shore. These fish can run in excess of 40 pounds. Is very difficult to land one on the light spinning tackle used for mackerel and false albacore. Anglers targeting king mackerel use heavier spinning tackle or medium conventional outfits. The primary technique is to slowly troll large live bait fish such as blue runners and cigar minnows.

Sharks can be plentiful in the inshore Gulf of Mexico off of Siesta Key and Lido Key this time of year as well. The best approach is to catch a small mackerel and cut it into chunks or small fillets. A slightly heavier spinning outfit is used with a 5 foot 80 pound leader and a large #6/0 hook. Anglers can also use a steel leader, the sharks are not nearly as shy as the other species.

So, if you happen to be in Sarasota and the spring or fall and you have this opportunity, give it a try. It is a very cool and unique angling experience. It is a bit like fishing, a bit like hunting, all while sitting on the beautiful Gulf of Mexico on a pretty Florida morning!

Capt Jim Klopfer

(941) 371-1390

captklopfer@comcast.net

1059 North Tamiami Trail Sarasota, Fl 34236