Since August, Capt Jeff Kidwell of Wilmington Fishing Expeditions, and I couldn't seem to find a day to get out on the water. I have been trying different spots around the Wilmington, Carolina Beach, and Wrightsville area from the shorelines with some success. But avid fans of Mikey D Fishing will recall one of our pro tips: "When fishing in a new area or new water, use a guide to learn the tactics, techniques, and territory to fish". Turns out that bad weather and competing calendars provided a chance to go after one of the most sought after of fall fisheries: the false albacore "albies" run.
When Capt Jeff suggested that instead of going after fall reds in the intracoastal waterway, we might target "ablies" on the fly, I was all in. It was a cool day for autumn fishing in NC, with temps in the upper 60s and gusty winds. The fishing is even more challenging considering that much of the action takes place just outside of the surf.
The first groups of false albacore were readily visible several hundred yards away. Akin to Chesapeake striper fishing in the fall, the fish bust mullet and bay anchovies, chasing them completely out of the water as gulls and terns fly above to grab the remnants of the aquatic chaos. The scene is tipped with dolphins and sharks shadowing nearby. All this while beachgoers lounged blissfully unaware just a couple hundred yards away.
Now albies are known to be incredible fighters. And the pull that ensued lived up to the hype. However, it took some time before I got to feel it for myself. The first groups of fish popped up for 10 - 20 seconds and then reappeared from a new spot. I also had to learn how to get the fly moving through the water fast enough to entice a strike. A long double haul cast downwind was required so not spook the fish. For many predatory schooling fish like stripers or red drum, the best cast is made to the edge of the group. With false albacore, you should present the fly (we were using a chartreuse clouser minnow) right in the middle of the frenzy. What was new to me, was just how fast you need to get the fly moving through the water. With Capt Jeff's guidance, I started stripping the fly by tucking the reel under my armpit and stripping the line hand over hand as fast as possible. When it all came together, a quick strip set initiated an albie run that grabbed all of the fly line and a lot of the backing on my 10wt. rod within seconds. What a fight! After landing 3, I needed a break. After landing 5 or 6, the day was complete, and another incredible sportfish was checked off of the Mikey D Fishing list! Thanks to Capt. Jeff Kidwell for a great day on the water and working through the conditions to land several beautiful fighters.
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Tight Lines,
Mikey D Fishing
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