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Albacore, Thunnus alalunga

Introduction: We would like to extend a warm welcome to the newest fish on the IFSC list. The Albacore is a tuna up to 100 lbs (40 kgs) that follows prey fish into Irish waters, and if the Blue Fin Tuna is anything to judge by, it sticks around until November.  The Long Fin Tuna as it is also known is usually caught out at sea rather than on inshore marks. Albacore captures around Ireland have been mostly made by commercial boats operating in the so called "Irish Box" off the south west coast. Some of the adventurous boat skippers on the south west coast around Cork and Kerry are offering long distance trips specifically fishing for Albacore and other sub-topical species coming up towards us on the warm Gulf Stream current in the warmer months. 

Boat tactics: As a shoaling predator fish, one could expect to capture Albacore is the same fashion as one would their larger tuna species, by trolling a suitable bait like mackerel outside the prey fish the Long Fin Tuna are feeding on - all tuna feed or near on the surface and are thus readily identifiable from the boat's flybridge.  Given their size a 30 lbs rod/rig should prove more than sufficient for a species rarely over 50 lbs (22 kgs).

Shore tactics: No Albacore have ever been reported as caught from the shore in Ireland.