Top Lures for Fat Albert

Sometime between the end of September and mid-October, the first false albacore begin to show in local waters lured inshore by dropping temperatures and fall baitfish migrations. Word of their arrival usually sends a rush to the surf along both the north and south shores of eastern Long Island and launches an armada of small craft toward inlet mouths and local rip waters across the inshore scene.

Considering the fighting abilities of the albies, it’s no wonder that so many anglers love them. They are exceptionally fast, extremely powerful for their size, and more challenging to tempt than bluefish or stripers. Generally traveling in small pods as they race up and down the beach or slice easily through active rip waters, their numbers can build into solid schools as October advances past mid-month. Hook a couple and watch in awe as their first, second and even third powerful run peels line from your reel at an alarming speed and you’ll be hooked forever on chasing this comparatively small member of the tuna family.

We did bury a mention above that although fairly abundant at the height of their season, which usually peters out just before Thanksgiving, albies can be challenging to tempt; some days “frustrating” would be a better description. When locked on tiny rainbaits like and bay anchovies, sardines, silversides and sand eels, “little tunny” can become especially selective. For that reason, it behooves their fans to carry a selection of lures that can match the hatch in terms of profile, color and movement.

Following are a half-dozen top-shelf albie selections with tips on how to use them. Grab a couple different ones to ensure you’ve got all the bases covered when heading out to battle these magnificent inshore competitors. Rotate through your choices regularly and you should hook-up more often than not. Any of these lures can be easily tossed with a medium/light, 7- to 8-foot spinning outfit filled with 20-pound-test braided line but feel free to stop by the shop if you’d like advice on selecting a rod and reel combo that perfectly fits your own personal needs and fishing style. 

Deadly Dick Casting/Jigging Lures: A long-time favorite of albie fans the world over, the 1- and 2-ounce sizes of this time tested tin work great when reeled fast enough to skip across the surface. Silver best matches the color of the local baitfish species that the albies feed on in our waters, and the realistic broken flash reflective pattern this lure throws off draws aggressive strikes. Green and purple patterns are also worth trying in an attempt to spark a tough-day bite. Surfcasters needing additional distance should also consider the Deadly Dick Long Casting/Jigging models.

Albie Snax: At first glance, these dense soft-plastic options look like simple jerk baits - but they come alive to dart and twitch with the slightest movement of your rod tip. They can be especially effective when Fat Alberts have small squid, peanut bunker, or snappers on the brain. Rig these on a 3/0 or 4/0 FishSnax lures Twistlock Hook to go weedless, or impale one on a light jighead for extra casting distance and some added depth if needed. You can rip this lure past the lead fish in a small pod, jig it close to the surface when testing larger schools, or simply let it settle beneath the surface using light twitches to bring it to life.

Hogy Epoxy Jigs:  A classic albie offering, Hogy Epoxy Jigs in the 2.5- to 4-inch size feature a double thick epoxy coat for natural light refraction, perfect balance for long casts, and life-like movement during fast retrieves. They can be ripped along the surface, cranked just below, or jigged and twitched if the fish are cruising a couple feet down. They are nearly indestructible, sport a reflective, scaled finish plus a realistic laser eye. The ⅜ oz. to ⅞ oz.  sizes get the most attention from Fat Alberts with pink, bay anchovy, silverside and albie crack all being productive patterns.

Hogy Heavy Minnow Jigs: Looking for something different? Try racing this dynamo through a school of fast-moving albies leaving them no choice but to give serious chase. With a solid metal core and range of exciting colors, this lure casts like a bullet and really shows off in the water. It’s also an easy size and shape for albies to inhale. This albie jewel comes in sizes measuring 1.5 to 4 inches long, giving anglers a lot of options for reaching and enticing their quarry.

RonZ Original Series Soft Baits: Most albie lures are built to focus on the speed of this explosive predator. This one completely turns the tables on the little tunny. RonZ Original Series Soft Baits are ideal for targeting albies. Rather than hustling this lure through the schools, anglers do best by allowing a 4-inch pink, white or white fluorescent pattern to drop through the water column. If you don’t get a strike after it has clearly sunk below the pods, give a few quick turns of the handle to bring it back near the surface and let it die again. When the fish are in a receptive move, that’s all you’ll need to do. For albies that are playing coy, add a couple light twitches to the drop. Most hits come as the lure sinks, although jerking it up to the surface, or fishing it like a stickbait can trigger reaction strikes as well.

Tubeless Diamond Jigs: Diamond jigs with plain single hooks may be among the most simplistic lures ever created, but they’ve been catching fish for generations and albies find them nearly irresistible. Their bright, smooth chrome finish reflects a lot of sunlight under the water while their thin profile wiggles back and forth on the retrieve to draw both powerful reaction strikes and chase downs from furious Alberts. With super strong hooks that easily penetrate an albie’s tough mouth, these lures stick, hold and cast a mile. Silver is generally the hot color, although gold can do particularly well on cloudy days. The 3/4- and 1 ounce sizes (A005, or A007) are most popular, but for inlet and ocean surf fishing where fast currents and high surf can be issues, a 2-ounce diamond can drill albies and also withstand assaults from any big choppers or linesiders that take a swipe. 

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