People show up with all sorts
of complicated leaders and leaders systems. The way to go is
the simple way. There is no need for a Bimini twist and the
likes. Talk to the local guides, they use leaders that are
simple and QUICK to tie. A popular formula is a three-step
leader. Start with a fifty pound butt of about five feet, then
two feet of thirty pound, and two feet of twenty pound. Other
guides use three feet of forty pound, and three feet of thirty
pound and three feet of fifteen or twenty pound.
When the water is clear and
calm, fluorocarbon might make a difference. Knotless tapered
leaders also work very well. I make all my connections with a
double surgeon’s knot and attach the fly with a no slip loop
knot. The reason for long and strong leaders is to reduce the
drama close at the boat. This gives you or your partner
something to grab and take a wrap and pull on when landing a
fish. The most stressful time for your rod is when the fish is
close to the boat.
People want to try and lift the
fish closer to the boat with the rod. This action brings the
rod almost straight up and this is called high sticking, and it
breaks rods. Be careful when fighting a fish close to the boat,
and don't get your rod tip too high. We saw over 100 fly rods
exploded last season at Cape Look Out.
Albies eat bait from
microscopic to 5-inch long glass minnows and can be very
selective about size. They can be the most frustrating when
they are eating small bay anchovies. Smaller flies are usually
better. Most fly box es
contain flies from size #six to 3/0.
Most of my flies are Bob Clouser's Deep Minnow, and they are
tied with natural bucktail. My preferred colors are chartreuse
over white, olive over white, gray over white, tan over white
and gray chartreuse and white. Bob Clouser’s Deep Minnow is
not the only pattern that works though.
Lefty Kreh's Deceiver and Bob
and Lefty's half-and-half both work very well; particularly
sunk behind a shrimp boat. Deceivers are a good choice in the
late season when they feed on big glass minnows. Bob Popovics
Surf Candies and Deep Candies also knocks them dead. Poppers
are fast becoming my favorite flies to throw at Albies. Last
winter Bob Clouser told me the only fly he threw last year was
his Floating Minnow. I did not need to ask him how it worked;
the smile on his face said it all. Joe Blados’ Crease Fly is
another unbelievable Albie surface fly. This fly seemed to
draw fish when there weren’t any, and is becoming a crowd
favorite!
To get a fly to an Albert you
don't need to cast 100 feet but you do need to cast quickly
and accurately. If you false cast more than once or twice,
your fly will land where they were; not where they are. Albies
quickly crash the surface and scatter the bait and dive deep
again; either balling the bait back up or waiting for it to
ball up on it's own.  It is important to be able to put the fly
in the erupting water before they sound. I like to strip the
fly three or four times and if necessary, pick up and go again—keep
the fly in their face. Practice your double and single hauls,
and making casts with one back cast. Don't leave home without
them. Another useful cast is the water haul. This cast uses
water friction and a single haul to load the rod and creates
higher line speed. Practice BEFORE you arrive, the bow of a
rocking boat and crashing Albies makes a poor practice pond.
You make a well-placed cast
into spraying minnows, frothing water and whirling birds.
Three strips and the line comes tight; and a momentary pause
that lasts forever. Suddenly the line rooster-tails though the
water leaving a vapor trail, reaching "Melt" speed.
While the pitch of the whining drags increases, you remember
the line on the deck of the boat--your feet begin to line
dance and the line clears (wondering if that knot will ever
come out). As the sound of backing leaves your guides, you watch
as backing you have never seen before leaves the rod tip bound
for the horizon. The look of panic fades until the line goes
slack. The only thing in your mind is to crank (hoping this
large arbor stuff really works) and crank as the fire builds
up in your wrist and for arms. Finally you can see fly line,
but to your horror you aren't keeping up as it passes under
your boat (this sucker must have swallowed the fly, with all this
slack line) and off to the other horizon. A few minute later
the panic turns to a smile as you kiss and release your
Albert. This is much the way my first Cape Look Out "Tunny
Melt" went.
In years past, most of the
fishing was done inside the "Hook". Over the last
two seasons, most of the fish have been found in the ocean
between the hook and Beaufort Inlet. It is fishable in all but
the most extreme weather. Good foul weather gear is a must.
Albies foul weather.
Finding Albies, whether in the
Hook or in the ocean, look for birds. Birds like to follow
breaking fish to pick up stunned minnows. Search the horizon
for hovering or wee-walling birds and Albies usually aren't
far. Gulls can spot and follow Albies even when the Albies are
not showing. Watching the birds will sometimes tell you the
Albies' next move. Following shrimp boats is another good place
to find Albies.
Cape Look Out Little Tunny
fishing is a little slice of heaven. Things can get crowded,
but be patient there are plenty of Albies for all. The more
you cast the more you respect.
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