FishingmaltaFree cancellation up to 5 days beforeFrom €380
Instant bookingLa Starfisher se llama CalamardoFree cancellation up to 1 day beforeFrom €350
Mister Fish ChartersFree cancellation up to 5 days beforeFrom €350
One and onlyFree cancellation up to 5 days beforeFrom 22,000 MUR
ti batoFull refund if weather cancelsFrom 20,000 MUR
You can pick an albacore out on deck by its pectoral fins, which are long enough to reach past the start of the second dorsal fin. It travels in schools in blue water, often deep, hunting small fish and squid, and it rarely comes inshore. That makes it an offshore trolling fish: a spread of lures behind the boat, a long run to the grounds, and a crew watching the sounder and the birds.
The clearest picture on this page comes from Malta. Fishingmalta sails from Ta' Xbiex on a 33 foot Targa, and on its trips albacore, like dorado, usually mean a run of about 10 to 20 miles out, though some days bring them closer to shore. Its trips are shared, a 5 hour morning from 07:00 and a 4 hour afternoon from 12:00, with fuel, permits, tackle, bait and drinks included and an ice box for the catch. Mister Fish Charters in Marsascala runs private 3 and 4 hour trips from 09:00 for up to 4, with offshore trolling among its methods. Both boats are on our Malta fishing charters page.
In Spain, La Starfisher fishes the Málaga coast with a captain of more than 20 years' experience, on private trips from 3 to 9 hours leaving at 08:00 for up to 8. A longer booking gives more time in deep water, which is where albacore live.
Two Mauritius boats list albacore: One and only, trolling and jigging from Trou-aux-Biches on 5 or 9 hours from 06:00, and ti bato, out of Cap Malheureux on 5 or 7 hours from 08:00. Albacore do live in the Indian Ocean, but off Mauritius they are a fish that may turn up on an offshore trolling day rather than one to plan the trip around.
Questions and answers
Short answers to what people ask before they book. Anything else, ask the captain in chat.
How far offshore do Malta boats go for albacore?
With Fishingmalta, albacore, like dorado, usually mean running about 10 to 20 miles out, though on some days the fish come closer to shore. The distance depends on where the fish are, the weather and the trip you book, so ask the day before.
How can I tell an albacore from other tunas?
Look at the pectoral fins. On an albacore they are very long, reaching back past the start of the second dorsal fin, while on a yellowfin, bluefin or little tunny they are clearly shorter. The flesh is also paler than other tunas, which is why it is sold as white tuna.
Can I take an albacore home from a charter?
Often yes, if the boat's catch policy and local rules allow it, and Fishingmalta carries an ice box for the catch. Albacore are among the best eating tunas, so ask the crew to bleed the fish and ice it at once, and bring a cool bag for the trip home.