False albacore are famous for being finicky. During the fall run, they gorge on bay anchovies and often ignore offerings that do not resemble the naturals. One sweltering August morning, I cast a Royal Anchovy to a school of albies ripping through bait, then made another cast, and then another. Several casts later and just as I was losing confidence, I hooked my first albie of the year.

After releasing my catch, I cut the anchovy imitation from my leader. Capt. Ken Turco, who was with me, could not believe I cut our favorite albie fly from my leader. "What are you doing?" he asked. "These fish won't be up all day."

Mini Peanut Bunker

He was right, but I should have connected to a fish sooner. I had thrown a dozen casts, maybe more, into the froth of feeding albies, also known as little tunny and fat alberts, and I only caught one fish. Because the forage was small peanut bunker, not bay anchovies, I figured I had the wrong pattern. So I tied on a Mini Peanut Bunker to match the bait the fish were eating.

I fired my first cast uptide of the commotion. The current carried my Mini Peanut Bunker into the epicenter of the action. Atop the casting platform, I watched as an albie changed direction and charged my imitation. A bump, a pause, and pow! The rod arched as my reel roared. Later, while the albie danced the tuna tango below the boat, I savored the fight and the satisfaction of knowing my imitation scored. When I landed the little tunny, I saw that it had inhaled the fly deeply--a sure sign of a confident take. I caught four more fat alberts that morning, each one sucking the fly deep into its throat.

Albies annihilating bay anchovies is the highlight of the saltwater season for many fly rodders in Long Island Sound and elsewhere. But just as the predictable bay anchovy run highlights September and early October fishing, small (one- to three-inch) peanut bunker provide good fishing for albies that devour schools of peanut bunker in August. The peanut bunker are young menhaden, also called pogies. These young baitfish seek the security of shallow estuaries to mature. The albies force them to the surface, where their panicked pace pushes water. Fueled by fear, they glow hot-white with pearlescent shades of pink, lavender, and blue. They hurdle the surface en masse to flee from impending death. It's quite a sight to see.

My Mini Peanut Bunker pattern fuses the classic tying designs of Bill Catherwood with modern synthetics to mimic the inherent traits of these young menhaden, making it a wise fly choice for albies feeding on menhaden in August. Its synthetic tail of EP Fibers and Angel Hair oozes with iridescence and the colors of natural peanut bunker. The silhouette is perfect--oblong and tapered. The stacked deer-hair head continues the color pattern, provides an exceptional target, and keeps the fly pushing water near the surface.

Because albies rip through bait at electrifying speeds, anglers often want to use a fast retrieve. But experienced fly fishers know a slow retrieve is best. Cast the Mini Peanut Bunker uptide of the action. On a tight line, tease the fly slowly through the blitz. Let the fly's deer hair push water while you swim the fraud to where the albies are hunting food. Let the translucence, sheen, and color fool the fish. Let the fly's marabou-like motion seduce the albies.