Thunnus alalunga
The West Coast's summer staple and the original 'chicken of the sea' — the white-meat tuna with absurdly long, wing-like pectoral fins. Off California, Oregon, and Washington, albacore fuel a beloved run-and-gun troll-and-bait fishery.
Troll a spread of jigs and cedar plugs at 6–8 knots until you get bit, then stop the boat and 'bait-stop' the school with live anchovies or sardines. Blind-troll the temperature breaks offshore until you find the warm blue water they love.
Guide data is editorial and general — conditions, regulations, and fish behavior vary by water. Photo: Wikipedia — Albacore.
Use these field marks and context clues to separate albacore (longfin tuna) from similar fish before logging or keeping one.
Match a rig to Albacore (Longfin Tuna) with the Setup Builder, or browse all setups.
A West Coast offshore run-and-gun troll-and-bait fishery.
Cool-temperate open Pacific, holding in the warm-water fingers and breaks that push toward the West Coast in summer.
The pectoral fin is diagnostic — it's extremely long, reaching well past the anal fin. No other tuna in US waters has fins like that.
Both have short-to-moderate pectorals and (in yellowfin) yellow finlets; albacore's meat is white, theirs is red/pink.
Size limits, bag limits, seasons, and gear rules change every year and differ by state (and often by individual water). Always verify with the official source before keeping fish.
