I went cove hoping in B-bay after my tuna trip. I had a cooler full of ice and wanted to get a tunoid on the fly since I failed to get one on the charter. Looking for Bonito, I drove here and there with the kayak on top of the Jeep and a map in hand. What I found was Albies. Since some of them were jumping clear out of the water complete with hangtime there was no mistaking them. I quickly put the yak in the water and gave chase. First fish, 3lb blue When I got the little guy to the boat I lost the fly. I tie on 30lb floro to get through the blues. The next hour and a half I paddled my butt off getting a couple of good really good shots at them. A couple of follows where I run out of line to strip and one whack that I didn't set on. Other than that it seemed like the blues out numbered the albies and my leader and fly selection were taking a beating. A fly charter I talked to on the water said he'd searched all day and had found them about the same time I did. So considering the amount of water and my limited ability to cover it in a yak I was very lucky to get a shot at them.
What is the recommended tippet size for albies and bonito?
Yup 40# floro. I've said it before - if floro is invisible in the water what difference does it make if you are using 15 or 40? Other than the knot I don't think there is any difference and the results have been acceptable.
I use 40 lb fluoro as a shock tippet in front of 20 lb fl. until the spanish macs go away. After the third week of October down here they go away then I just use 20 lb. Never had any trouble getting bites. I try to stay below 20 lb class tippet just in case...
For those of you wondering about tippet size, listen to Roop and Hawkeye I am in complete agreement with them. I don't pussy foot around with any fish especially the Albies, when I hook them I put the screws to um' immediately and if I break them off Oh! Well!......But I am the boss not them for this reason I will not use anything lighter than 20 lb. Fluoro leader. If Fluoro is as invisible as they claim it to be than you should not even worry about whether they see it or not. Beef Up and put the screws to um' that is my advice, if they don't hit what you have to offer I don't think the leader has anything to do with it........Period! Plus look at all the time wasted re-rigging to lighter tippet when that time would have been better spent casting and searching. Just my .02 cents and please don't take it as ranting, I just think there are too many flyfisherman that make thing's way too complicated, just try and remember when you were a kid and had no money, you went out and found some worms, went over to the local pond, climbed a tree to retrieve somebody's snagged hook and bobber which was rusty, tied it all on put the worm on the hook and caught fish. Very simple and effective, I constantly have to remind myself to stop thinking and get fishing.
Nick, in my very limited albie experience, I would say standard fly backing is more than adequate. After my 2 piece fly rod became a 3 piece I landed my first on a spin rod with 40# fluoro leader and 15# line.
I have a theory that the key to landing these fish, if you're casting to breaking fish, is to use a fly & fly line that keep the fly on top.
Get a copy of Trey Combes Blue Water fly fishing. He says it much better than I can!
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