Open Year-Round

Albacore Tuna

Thunnus alalunga

Also known as: Longfin tuna

DPIRD Category Nearshore / Estuarine
Peak Season November - April
Difficulty Intermediate
Fight Rating ★★★★☆
Albacore Tuna

Regulations & Limits

NEARSHORE / ESTUARINE

Limits by Bioregion

West Coast N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
South Coast N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
Gascoyne N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
Pilbara N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
North Coast (Kimberley) N/A
Species not commonly found in this region

ℹ️ Regulations can change. Always verify current rules at rules.fish.wa.gov.au

Size & Weight

Typical Size50-80 cm
Max Size140 cm
Typical Weight3-10 kg
Max Weight60 kg

Habitat

Where: Offshore temperate waters, often along current edges and temperature breaks

Depth: Surface to 200m+

ID Features: Very long pectoral fins (extending past anal fin), dark blue back, metallic blue sides

Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Peak Available Poor

Peak: November - April | Water Temp: 15-22°C

How to Catch Albacore Tuna

1

Trolling

Setup

  • Line: PE 2-4
  • Leader: 40-60lb fluorocarbon

Top Lures

  • Small skirted lures
  • Bibbed minnows
2

Casting

Setup

  • Line: PE 2-3
  • Leader: 40-60lb fluorocarbon

Top Lures

  • Metal slugs
  • Stickbaits

Eating Quality

★★★★☆ Very Good

Flesh: Light pink, mild flavour compared to other tunas

Best cooked: Seared, grilled, canned

The Fight

★★★★☆ 4/5

Strong, sustained fighters with impressive stamina. Their long pectoral fins give them great manoeuvrability.

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