By Tight Lines

The summer is moving on relentlessly: it is getting hotter and calmer as the Bermuda-Azores high pressure system starts to dominate.

As a result, the weather has settled down and with it, the sea conditions have moderated to the point that the currents around the Edge and Banks are somewhat more reliable and chumming is a worthwhile option.

There is absolutely no question that there are schools of yellowfin tuna around that can be lured into a chum slick where they can provide some first class light tackle action.

The chum line also attracts other small game such as mackerel, rainbow runner, the occasional skipjack tuna and; farther down, out of sight, the bonitas and big amberjack that roam the deeper reefs.

Live smaller fish, such as robins or mackerel caught right behind a boat make excellent live baits for the big bruisers that lurk out of sight.

Although less numerous and less likely to be in schools than they have been, there are still plenty of wahoo around and while trolling may not be the most productive way of catching this species, they will come to chum lines and are definite candidates when it comes to taking a live offering.

Even though, much of the emphasis has gone off using lines in the 12-30?lb classes, the average yellowfin can give a good account of itself on just about any gear and a larger specimen can be positively back-breaking.

That is one of the attractions of Bermuda fishing that helped build the Island’s reputation once upon a time.

Nowadays, to a large extent, it is a fruit of the prevalence of the tuna that provides the basis for yet another type of angling that keeps the Island in the forefront. The Island is about to swing into billfish mode with the main focus becoming the pursuit of big blue marlin.

Although both the blue marlin and the white marlin are the targets of a large fleet numbering up to 50 boats or more and comprised of both local craft and a bunch of visiting boats that have crossed the Atlantic to have a shot at some of the big blues that these waters have produced in recent years.

If a competitor can’t catch a really big one, then the ability to catch numbers of these highly sought after game fish still allows them to have a shot at winning the various events, most of which involve a fairly hefty chunk of cash as prizes.

The first in the Bermuda Triple Crown series of events is the Bermuda Billfish Blast which gets underway on Thursday, July 3 and runs through to the July 7.

Designed to coincide with the 30th annual Blue Marlin World Cup which will be fished worldwide on Friday, July 4, this modified release event allows only the taking of a single fish by each boat on any given day which allows entrants to also compete in the World Cup.

The latter event is a one day only competition for the biggest blue marlin that is caught and weighed in anywhere in the world.

The Bermuda Blast is largely based on the points scored which are most quickly increased by releases as each blue marlin release scores 500 points regardless of the size of the fish.

White marlin, spearfish and sailfish releases score 200 points and can provide winning margins, especially when the fishing is fast.

Things look to be shaping up well for these events. Captain Alan Card’s Challenger had a good day working the deep water for marlin when they went two for two (two catches/releases from two strikes) on blue marlin and one for three on whites.

It is characteristic of local boats to carry the larger lures and baits that often attract but seldom draw attacks from the white marlin which are considerably smaller than the blues.

Three other local boats, captain Craigin Curtis’s Reel Addiction, captain Brooks Rans’s Matanza and captain James Robinson’s Wound Up also released blue marlin this past week.

Captain Allen DeSilva’s Mako reportedly pulled the hook on a fish thought to be in the 700?lb bracket but, if looking at quality and the potential for a biggie to win the World Cup, then an real positive indicator came from the visiting boat Angry Scott this week with a release estimated at 800?lb plus.

That is just the sort of fish that it takes to win the World Cup which has a minimum qualifying weight of 500?lb. Last year saw 130 teams competing from all over the world.

And Bermuda boasts an impressive record. First providing the winner in 1993 with a grander, this tournament has been won here a total of eight times, most recently in 2012 and 2013! Of the eight times, twice the Bermuda-caught winner has bettered the 1,000?lb mark, providing some indication of the quality to be had here and one of the reasons so many foreign boats come to ply these waters at this time of the year.

Despite all the hype and excitement that billfish bring, there are still plenty of local anglers who prefer to set their sights on fish that have some value on the table.

Noteworthy among these is the white-water or lane snapper. Easy to catch and readily available and willing, these inhabit the muddy channel waters just off the land with some areas like the oil docks off the East End prime locations. Now is the time to slip during the early evening for some tasty and Tight lines!!!