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Albacore

Albacore

Albacore show up off British Columbia's west coast each summer as part of a North Pacific migration that sweeps juvenile and subadult fish from offshore spawning grounds toward the productive feeding waters near Vancouver Island.

Canada's jig fleet — mostly 35-to-60-foot coastal vessels — targets them from late summer into fall, and the fishery matters both commercially and to sport anglers willing to run offshore for clean blue water.

Scientific Name: Thunnus alalunga

Also known as Longfin tuna, longfin, albie

Physical Characteristics:
  • Pectoral fins are distinctly long — reaching well past the second dorsal fin — which separates albacore from all other tuna at a glance.
  • Deep metallic blue on the back, fading to silvery white on the belly; the trailing edge of the tail fin has a white margin.
  • Most fish encountered off B.C. are juveniles and subadults in the 10–35 lb range; the species can reach around 80 lbs at maximum.
  • Body is torpedo-shaped and heavily muscled — built for sustained open-ocean swimming, not bursts around structure.

What to know

Habitat Distribution

  • A migratory pelagic species, not native to Canadian waters year-round — juveniles and subadults push into B.C. offshore waters seasonally as part of a North Pacific circuit.
  • Found in the open Pacific off Vancouver Island, typically in deep blue water well offshore, following temperature breaks and baitfish concentrations.
  • The Canadian coastal fleet operates within the Canadian fishing zone under the US–Canada Tuna Treaty, which allows cross-border access for both fleets seaward of 12 miles.
  • A separate Canadian high-seas fleet chases albacore much farther west across the North Pacific before following fish back toward the B.C. coast in fall.

Key Locations

  • Offshore waters west of Vancouver Island, B.C. — the primary Canadian zone where the coastal jig fleet operates each summer and fall.
  • The broader North Pacific high-seas grounds, where Canada's larger freezer vessels follow albacore from the Wake Island area back toward the B.C. coast through the fall season.

Specific Spots

  • Temperature and color breaks — where clean blue offshore water meets greener inshore water — are the primary locating tool; fish tend to hold on the blue side.
  • Sea surface temps of 59–66°F are the target window; running SST charts to find that band offshore of Vancouver Island is standard practice before leaving the dock.
  • Deep offshore canyons and seamounts concentrate baitfish and squid, which pulls albacore into predictable zones rather than scattering them across open water.
  • Once a school is located, fish are often found near the surface and will come to a boat actively chumming or trolling — they're not holding to bottom structure.

Albacore FAQ

Answers from onWater's species guide.

What are the best lures and bait for Albacore?

Cedar plugs and feather jigs trolled at 6–9 knots are the traditional workhorses of the B.C. albacore fleet, simple, durable, and effective at imitating baitfish in a spread.

When is the best time to fish for Albacore?

Summer (July–September): peak arrival of juvenile and subadult albacore in B.C. offshore waters; the coastal jig fleet typically starts earlier in years with limited salmon opportunity.

How do you catch Albacore?

Most Canadian sport and commercial effort happens from boats running well offshore of Vancouver Island into clean blue water, locating fish by reading SST charts for temperature breaks, then trolling cedar plugs or feather jigs in a spread to raise fish.

What do Albacore eat?

Squid are the primary forage, albacore eat more cephalopods than most tuna, which is why squid-colored jigs and soft plastics in white, pink, or purple are staple producers.

Where do Albacore live?

A migratory pelagic species, not native to Canadian waters year-round, juveniles and subadults push into B.C. offshore waters seasonally as part of a North Pacific circuit.

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