If you never caught an albie or bonito-Make this the year

[rossg]

THE KEY TO KEEPING THE BLUEFISH AWAY IS THE LIGHT WATERED DOWN CHUM.
lOTS OF SPEARING IN THE SLICK
WE WILL ALL BE TALKING ABOUT IT WHEN THEY GET IN.
I HAVE CAUGHT THEM AT THE MUD BUOY(OFF THE HIGHLANDS) AND SOUTH AT THE RIDGE.
THESE FISH RUN LIKE NOTHING YOU HAVE SEEN.
IM TALKING 100 YARD INITIAL RUNS
MAKE SURE THOSE DRAGS ARE SET.
ROSS
THE LADY J

[Capt. Ed]

Hi Ross,

Do you mind if I use this as a Fishing Tip on our Front Page?

Thanks,

Ed

[mboy]

I have caught them before (mostly at the Shrewsbury rocks).

Like catching mini yellowfin

Used to be a OParty boat in belmar that targeted them when everyone else chummed blues atnight (forgot the name).

I am def curious about the killie or spearing only chumming tho.

[Skolmann]

Why go all the way to the Mud Bouy or Mud Hole?

When I was running my boat, I made decent catches of albies (with an occasional bonita right by the tip of the Hook south to the Nude Beach. Most times they were anywhere from 20-100 yards off the beach. granted it was run & gun fishing--everytime a pod of working terns was spotted I'd run upcurrent from them and fire off a cast or two. By far the best lure was as a tubeless AVA 007 or 017 tied directly to your main line. We used medium action 6'6" spinning rods with light mono. When more than 2 were hooked up, it was the classic 'chinese fire drill'. Great fun. One thing you have to realize in this fishery is that you're going to miss at least of the pods that pop up because they don't stay up for long. 

Our game plan was to have at least 2 rods rigged up and ready to go for albies/bonita while drifting for fluke. Always keeping our eyes open for working terns.

Albies/bonita usually appear in the same locals year after year so at least you'll have a starting point. I usually did the best from the last week in August to mid September.

Last albie I caught was in mid October while aboard a party boat fishing inside Raritan Bay (in fact it was just outside the Monmouth Cove marina Inlet). I ended up culling it out a big school of chopper bluefish working spearing & peanut bunker. Saw plenty of other albies that day but no other hook ups. Ended that day with not only the albie & bluefish in the #6-8 class but at the end of the day we got into stripers off the tip of Hook where I added bass to 32"s to complete my grand slam.

[Luna Sea 5]

How many killies do you bring and how many do you throw out at once while chumming with them?

How do you choose a location to start chumming with the killies or small amounts of spearing?

When I know they are at the mud bouy, what I do is bring a couple of quarts of Killies and a bunch of spearing... OK, honestly at this point, Killies are way to expensive unless you catch your own, so you only need spearing.  Take a hand full, line them up and cut them into small pieces.  Start your slick.  Then take a whole spearing, hide the hook in the bait as the fish spoke easy, tie the hook directly to the line, DO NOT USE BRAID, it will break, use a mono leader if you have braid on the reel, leader at 20 lbs test and not more, remember, they spoke, float your bait down with the chum.....  You will see the fish take your bait, then hold on.....

[IrishAyes]

Now that sounds like fun.  Don't forget to post when they come in.   

[Luna Sea 5]

i don't target them unil late august, once the party boats start getting them, then I will take a ride out there and make a Bluefish, Albi's, and Sea bass trip all on one stop.

[mboy]

i don't target them unil late august, once the party boats start getting them, then I will take a ride out there and make a Bluefish, Albi's, and Sea bass trip all on one stop.

your'e boats bigger. I will ride with you

[salty pig]

dont care who takes the Pig as long as we go out for them  they sound like they fun to catch  and good eating???

[hareball]

hi guys,

would it be a good idea to try trolling first to locate them then start with the chum?

[mboy]

I don't know of too many people that eat them. Very "gamey" for a fish. Lots of red, bloody meat.

[hareball]

i'll give it a try. NJ angler did a show on them and showed how to bleed them and put them in brine for an hour then take it out and have some sashimi on the boat. worth a shot

[Skolmann]

I don't know of too many people that eat them. Very "gamey" for a fish. Lots of red, bloody meat.

False albies are purely game fish but bonita is yummy 

[Luna Sea 5]

i don't target them unil late august, once the party boats start getting them, then I will take a ride out there and make a Bluefish, Albi's, and Sea bass trip all on one stop.

your'e boats bigger. I will ride with you

not a problem, you can come with me anytime... just let me know

[Luna Sea 5]

I don't know of too many people that eat them. Very "gamey" for a fish. Lots of red, bloody meat.

yes, not my favoriate, By the way, what size boat do you have..

[rossg]

I dont like the run and gun fishing and prefer to fish them in a slick.
When they are there, you can throw out a handful of spearing and see them come into the slick to pick up the bait.
You then can bait them with a big spearing.
Seine up a bunch and put them in the freezer

Ross

[Luna Sea 5]

I dont like the run and gun fishing and prefer to fish them in a slick.
When they are there, you can throw out a handful of spearing and see them come into the slick to pick up the bait.
You then can bait them with a big spearing.
Seine up a bunch and put them in the freezer

Ross

exactly

[hareball]

thanks for the tips!

how much or little do you have the drag at?

I hear they are fast so i'd hate to be feeding line out and overspool.

[Luna Sea 5]

it all depends on the particular size of the fish.  They run in schools so they all will be similar.  I use a spinning reel, set a loose drag and just feed out line until it hits, then slowly tighten the drag to its perfect set.  They are really fun to catch and very, very fast.  Its also a much different fight then a bluefish.

[mboy]

i don't target them unil late august, once the party boats start getting them, then I will take a ride out there and make a Bluefish, Albi's, and Sea bass trip all on one stop.

your'e boats bigger. I will ride with you

not a problem, you can come with me anytime... just let me know

Let me know when you are going.

Just ordered me a drop/umbrella net to get some fresh spearing when I am solo and will be ordring a seine soon

I will bring PLENTY of fresh bait