At 5 a.m. on a recent morning, Noah Mayrand started up his boat and set-out from West Chop looking for false albacore. He hugged the Vineyard Haven shoreline, eyes on the water, looking for splashes and fins popping into sight. He also watched the skies, checking for birds circling for bait fish.

When he saw a school of albies (what most fishermen refer to the fierce fighting fish), the race was on. Albies can swim up to 40 miles per hour and rarely stay in one spot for long. And once a school is spotted, nearby fishermen will race to the spot, increasing the chance that the boat motors churning the water will scare the fish away.

“They’re a little cranky,” Mr. Mayrand said while casting his lure for the third time. “They’re here though.”

After two minutes, the splashing stopped and the fish swam off. Mr. Mayrand set down his rod and let out a sigh. He caught the eye of another fisherman nearby, also setting down his rod. The two shrugged their shoulders in mutual disappointment.

Riley Gardner has a keeper.

Ray Ewing

Riley Gardner has a keeper.

Ray Ewing

Four more hours achieved the same result. Nothing but some strands of seaweed and a bass too small to keep.

Mr. Mayrand is not alone this year in coming up empty when seeking the elusive albie. Albies joined the derby roster in the 1980s, and this is the first year the fish is eligible for daily awards. But they have been scarce.

Doug Asselin, who has worked at Dick’s Bait & Tackle in Oak Bluffs for 17 years, said most customers have expressed frustration over the lack of albies, especially from shore.

“They’re crying,” Mr. Asselin said. “There’s guys I know that fish almost sunup to sundown that still haven’t caught their shore albacore yet. Gosh, and we’re not even talking about one [big enough] to weigh in.”

As of Oct. 9, just over 300 false albacore have been weighed-in, and only 82 have come from shore. Current derby leaders are Jacob Carodoza with a 14.84-pound shore-caught albie and Paige Smith with a 17.12-pound boat-caught albie.

Solomon Watson with an albie and Ed Amaral with a bluefish at the weigh-in.

Ray Ewing

Solomon Watson with an albie and Ed Amaral with a bluefish at the weigh-in.

Ray Ewing

Mr. Mayrand said he has caught 10 since the season began, some too small to weigh-in. But hope springs eternal, especially with albies, who hit hard and make explosive runs, their fins moving so fast that their bodies heat-up and begin to cook from the inside. This happens to other fish too, but it is especially common for albies, which put up a long fight, often lasting 20 minutes or more.

“Even the most serious adults, after an albie are like ‘wooohoo,’” said Chris Reed, a derby committee member.

Taste, however, is not one of their usual attributes.

Mr. Reed said false albacore are edible but often not eaten due to their oily taste. He said he and his wife will occasionally smoke them and if prepared well, can be a delicious dinner.

“It’s a very oily fish and you need to really trim out some of the extreme and get some of the right pieces of filet,” Mr. Reed said.

Albies at the filet table.

Ray Ewing

Albies at the filet table.

Ray Ewing

Mr. Reed added that false albacore are the most well-distributed tuna in the world and that in some places, such as near the Aegean Sea and throughout Malaysia, the fish are eaten regularly. He said he hopes people on the Vineyard will open their minds.

“I know [the false albacore] reputation, but I just think we can change it up a bit,” Mr. Reed said. “...If we eat other fishy fish then we can eat this too.”

This is the second year that Island Grown Initiative is accepting false albacore donations from the derby as part of their food distribution initiative. Last year, the organization received about 30 pounds of false albacore according to co-executive director Noli Taylor. The fish, along with bluefish and bonito, are given to people in need of food support through the Island Food Pantry and other partners in the Island Food Equity Network.

“False albacore is a newer fish for us to distribute to our clients, and we are still determining how it will be received…” Ms. Taylor wrote in an email. “We are very thankful for this source of locally harvested protein, especially at this time when community food needs are so high.”

The 79th Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby continues through Saturday, Oct. 19. Daily weigh-ins take place 8 to 10 a.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at derby headquarters on Dock street in Edgartown. The awards ceremony takes place Sunday, Oct. 20, beginning at 11 a.m. at Farm Neck Golf Club.