False Albacore: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for Southern North Carolina coast.

Fishing region

Season in Southern NC

Peak months: Nov.

JFMAMJJASOND

Coastal Review: off Cape Lookout the run is strongest from mid-October to the end of November, bigger fish inshore in early November, some at the jetty on Labor Day and along Shackleford Banks in December; also outside inlets south to the SC line. (Our inference)

Season by region

Myrtle Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Long Island	JFMAMJJASOND
North Shore MA	JFMAMJJASOND
Cape Cod	JFMAMJJASOND
Rhode Island	JFMAMJJASOND
Connecticut	JFMAMJJASOND
North Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
South Jersey	JFMAMJJASOND
Delmarva	JFMAMJJASOND
Southern NC	JFMAMJJASOND
Southwest Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Panhandle	JFMAMJJASOND
Alabama	JFMAMJJASOND
Lower Texas	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Protected water under 30 ft off Cape Lookout, the jetty and Shackleford Banks, and outside inlets south to the SC line.

Usually past the bar or outside inlets; blitzes come and go fast.

What to look for

Fast surface blitzes on small bait with birds over them.

What to throw

Metal casting jig (diamond, Hopkins or Stingsilver style)1 to 2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Fast steady retrieve for mackerel; let it sink and rip it up for blues; jig near bottom for weakfish.

Epoxy jig3/8 to 1 oz, Small, matched to silversides, bay anchovies and sand eels. Fast steady retrieve through the school.

Silver casting spoon (Clarkspoon or Drone style)1/2 to 1 oz, No. 0 to 1 / 2.5 to 3.5 in. Burn it. Fast, steady, just under the surface.

Topwater popper or walk-the-dog plug1 to 2 oz, 4 to 6 in. Popper: sharp pops with pauses. Walker: rhythmic side-to-side twitches.

Leader

20 lb fluorocarbon on 10 to 20 lb braid, 4000 size reel, 7 to 7.5 ft medium rod.

Common mistakes

Retrieving too slowly; burn the lure
Casting into the middle of the school instead of ahead of it

Landing

Grab the leader and tail and hold the head still; they shake violently.

Handling

Violent head shakes can drive a hook into a hand

Control the head and tail before unhooking.

Keep or release

Mostly released.

Recipes for false albacore

Typical: unknown. Large: Over 15 lb in early November.

Limits

FishOS has not checked the NC limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries before you keep a fish.

Sources

Coastal Review, Oct 2024: little tunny, fat albert, false albacore (NC) (Angler knowledge)
NC Division of Marine Fisheries: little tunny (Official source)
Florida Museum, Discover Fishes: little tunny (Official source)

All the fish of Southern NC

False Albacore