Supporting Hogy Lures

False Albacore Research

Through citizen science on the GotOne app

Contribute to false albacore research with your GotOne app!

When you catch and log a false albacore (albie, fat albert, etc…) along the Atlantic coastline, GotOne will ask you if you’d like to share your catch data with the team at Hogy Lures.

As a leading brand in the fishing industry, especially for false albacore lures, it is important for Hogy to understand exactly what gear allows for the best catch and release practices. With your help they can produce more lures to better suit your wants and needs as an environmentally conscious angler. For further information check out ASGA and the New England Aquarium!

You’ll be asked to provide a small amount of additional information about your catch including the type of tackle used, the condition of the fish, and whether you fished from your boat or with a guide.

As results from this research on false albacore become available, we will share them with GotOne anglers here on our website and in our newsletter!

Photo courtesy Hogy Lures

Identifying False Albacore

False Albacore (Euthynnus alletteratus) are renowned for their intricate black pattern and vibrant green colors stretching across the dorsal side of their body. A football with wings is the best way to describe the body shape of these speed demons.

Albies can be found across the Atlantic Ocean, as far south as the Caribbean Sea, and as far east as the Black Sea. Although their range is quite vast they only appear on our shores in New England between September through October.

Photo courtesy Hogy Lures

How to accurately record the length of a false albacore

When recording the length of your albie you should use the fork length. Measure in a straight line from the tip of the snout to the base of the tail fin.

Recording additional data about your false albacore catch

When sharing your albie catch data with our research partners, in addition to the total length of the fish, you’ll be asked to record the following information. You do NOT have to fill out all the data if you are unable to do so, and remember, your catch logs are shared anonymously!

Lure type:

Record one of the following possible options for the type of lure you used:

  • Casting jigs less than 2oz

  • Casting jigs greater than 2oz

  • Vertical jig

  • Small plug

  • Large plug

  • Soft bait

  • Fly

  • Trolling lure/other

Caught from:

Record one of the following values to indicate where you caught the fish:

  • Boat

  • Kayak / canoe / board

  • Shore

# single hooks:

Record the number of single hooks on the lure.

# treble hooks:

Record the number of treble hooks on the lure.

Blood:

Examine the fish for signs of bleeding from the hooking site or gills and record one of the following values:

  • None: No blood visible

  • Little: A small amount of blood was visible

  • A lot: Fish was bleeding heavily

Swim ability:

Observe the fish right you release it and record one of the following values:

  • Can’t swim: the fish was not able to swim

  • Weak: the fish swam away weakly

  • Strong: the fish swam away strongly

Hook 1, 2 location:

Record where the hooks were embedded in the fish by selecting from the following values:

  • Mouth: Hooked in the lip, jaw, or anywhere inside the mouth

  • Body (foul): Hooked anywhere on the body (eye, gill plate, fins, etc.), outside of the mouth

  • Esophagus: Hooked in the esophagus (hint: hook is still visible, but at the back of the throat)

  • Stomach (cut line): Hook is swallowed (hint: you can’t see the hook; in this case, just cut the line)

  • Gill: Hooked in the gills (hint: red parts under the gill plate)