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The bait started to scatter. It started to swim franticly and then 2 Albacore came blasting through the bait like torpedos. The fish were 100 yards downstream before I even got my fly in the water. “So, that’s how you wanna play this game. Next time I’ll be ready for ya.” I saw some Albies running up river this time. They were scattering bait all over the shoreline below me. This time I think there were three or four of them. Everything was right. I had the right amount of line peeled off my reel, the right fly and I was in the right position. There they are! One false cast, my fly hits the water and WHAM! Albie On! My line rips outta my stripping basket. Then, the worst possible scenario happens. The line is coming outta my stripping basket so fast that it gets tangled around a loose end hanging of my chest pack. The fly line wraps a knot around itself and the strap on my pack. The Albie is pulling, I can’t give him any slack or drag. Gone! Heartbreak Hotel. Pete shows up from Massachusetts and joins my other Maine buddies who came down to chase the Albies (Nick, Mike, Louie and Older Pete) and Dan-L from Rhode Island. Pete shows up right on time. The Albies are running up and down the shoreline. He positions himself in a good spot and WHAM! Pete is hooked up to an Albie. He is looking at his backing in seconds flat and the fish is all the way cross river. We all reel in our lines and watch, in envy, as Pete battles the fish and finally lands him. It was a thrill, even to watch. The Albie fishing is so much fun. We fished many different spots in Rhode Island all weekend. We had alot of laughs (usually at my expense) and casted to several fish. The thing with Albie fishing that I like is that it goes from being dead slow to super fast. One minute we are all sitting around cracking jokes on each other, drinking soda/beer and eating Doritoes. The next minute, the Albies come crashing by our feet and we are all casting our little deceiver/clouser flies hoping that we are able to trick an Albie. It all happens so quick. The fish consistently cruise the same patterns along rock walls and shorelines. So, when they come your way, you gotta be ready. Your fly can’t be fowled, you gotta have the right amount of line out, you gotta have your drag set right, you gotta make sure that your fly line is clear of hang ups and most importantly you can’t have a bunch of crap hanging off your chest. Minimize as much as possible. I learned the hardway. These fish are taking you to your backing – no doubt about it. These fish are gonna pick up all your slack line in an instant. So, put your clippers away and all that nonsense. It can be tough enough to hook one of these fish, so be more like Pete and less like me. Pete had no pack on, no vest, just a tee-shirt. He landed his fish. I had all sorts of things hanging off me and my flyline got wrapped around the stuff and I lost the fish that I worked hard to trick the albie and traveled so far to catch him. Oh well, that’s the way it goes – but it is still painful. Nice job Pete! A big thanks goes out to Dan-L from Rhode Island. He helped us with fly and location selection. Like everything else – you gotta fish where the fish are. Thanks for pointing us in the right direction, Dan.