Harkers Island Albies- 2008
Friend Jim Kosa was kind enough to invite me to join him on Harkers Island, North Carolina to fly fish for False Albacore, affectionately called fat albies, or little tunney. Jim booked early and hooked up with Brian Hoarsely, considered by most in the area to be second only to his wife Sarah Gardiner ! Jim chose Halloween weekend, because it is peak of season, and there is a wonderful pigpick barbecue for all fisherman that Saturday night.
On the way down we were excited to see that Brian had a featured article in Saltwater Fly Fisherman magazine- great pics and a real good buzz about these spectacular fish. A relative of the tuna, the albies are not edible, but are extremely fast and quite beautiful—metallic green missiles chasing anchovies in the blue waters of these lower Outer Banks islands.
We stayed at Calico Jack’s Hotel, this east end hotel was owned until recently be renowned local guide, Donnie Hatcher—Donnie was a kick at the community Pig Pickin, telling us about his favorite method and flies for catching monster reds in 8” of water!
Breakfasts were memorable at the Fish, Hook and Grill (two eggs, grits, sausage patties and coffee- 4.50) along with a waitress, the 70-something wife of the cook, who was known to over or under charge even-handedly.
We had a warm greeting and finger licking by Marley the dock hound, and were blessed with the nicest dawn in two weeks—
This was a beautiful trip highlighted by the catch and release of a half dozen albies each, dozens of blues, sightings of dolphins, whale, ocean sunfish. And the first albie blitz of the season—schools of the green bullets, in rolling seas 3 miles from shore. Which also meant that Ben was soon on his knees praying for solid ground.
We heard later that squalls and 60 mph winds arrived two days after we left! Guess we had that good old Hungarian-Italian luck going for us!
Thanks Jim- great trip!
