Atlantic Beach, North Carolina.

They’re here.

The wind and weather are cooperating. And false albacore–albies, lilttle tunny, fat alberts, bonito (south of North Carolina) whatever you want to call them–are ready to give your ten weight all the pressure it can handle.

False albacore are one of the greatest flyfishing species in the ocean. And the second week in November often marks the peak of these eight- to 20-pound fish making their return to the famous hotspots of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Albies are almost 70 percent muscle (as opposed to 40 percent for most fish, according to Tom Gilmore’s great book, “False Albacore”), and swim ten times faster than the fastest trout. They can be caught throughout the fall from New England to Florida, but it’s here, in North Carolina, where they are often found closest to shore and in some of the biggest numbers, especially in November.

We got on bait balls of silversides today and had moments when three rods were hooked up at once. Yes, it was crowded with boats at times–sometimes called “combat fishing”–but almost everyone was flyfishing, which was nice to see.

So if you’d like to do battle with one of the fastest fish that swims, grab your favorite nine or ten-weight and get to North Carolina for the time of your life.