THERE'S no denying it but the weather has improved markedly over the last couple of weeks and even the laziest would-be angler should be making motions toward reactivating the boat and getting the tackle ready for battle.

Although the likes of Trevor Gillis were unable to find anything more than one fish that seems to be shrinking with time, current reports suggest that the spring wahoo run is well underway. Many of the wahoo are fairly respectable fish in the better than 50-pound class. There have been a few reports of substantially larger fish and anyone considering an offshore run should be looking to put in some good effort on the troll.

The Banks have been the focus of most attention although there are probably some wahoo all around the Island. All the usual rigs seem to be working although very few have attempted to use any form of live bait. Many years ago, small mackerel (not as small as "frigates") were regularly fished for the spring run wahoo and caught many a large fish. If the regular trolling isn't showing much signs of productivity try dragging a couple of tiny lures or a daisy chain for mackerel. Then use the same basic techniques as you would for "frigates" and it might well pay off.

Although present, yellowfin tuna continue to keep a low profile, occasionally snatching at a trolled offering but, for the most part, lying low. They do add a bit of variety to trolling hauls but are often cursed when the angler thinks that he has hooked into a real trophy 'hoo. However the yellowfina tuna are responding well to chumming on the northern sides of Challenger and Argus Banks. Boats are getting up to a dozen a day with some nice middleweight fish.

Billfish activity should show some improvements as we move towards another bright moon. There are generally some white marlin mixed in with the wahoo schools and the deep water should be dragged with some bright lures just in case there are some cruising around out there.

It is by no means too early for an attack by a big blue, so it would probably do well to be prepared for any eventuality. It is kind of silly, but no one really seems to get serious about marlin until there have been numerous run-ins and at least one blue has been weighed. This is understandable from the commercial and chartermen's viewpoints ? after all, they need to catch marketable fish but, for some inexplicable reason, even the sportsmen are drawn into the same strategy. It will all happen soon enough.

Also present on the offshore grounds are dolphin. The influx of seaweed, Portuguese Men o'War and various other bits of flotsam brought in by the easterly breezes should keep them around for a while even though they are not the most reliable species to go in search of.

While not of real interest to the angler, there are quite a few humpback whales offshore and this might well be your last chance for a good look at these magnificent creatures. They migrate past here in the spring en route to their summer feeding grounds off New England and the Canadian Maritimes.

As such, they are on the move and unlikely to tarry. The waters off South Shore and around the Banks are your best bet for a look-see.

Recognition must also be made of the four Bermuda teams that went south to participate in the Key West International Light Tackle Tournament. There they fished against a host of teams that graced the Bermuda ILTT over the years and, by all accounts, a good time was had by all. As has been the case in the past, the first couple of days of the tournament saw stiff breezes and these kept the boats from getting out into the Gulf of Mexico. It was not until the third day that access to the Gulf was gained and then the targets were blackfin tuna, barracuda, little tunny (mackerel) and permit.

The bulk of the catches were made up of barracuda, blackfin tuna, little tunny, yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, permit, cobia and king mackerel (kingfish). Although the format was catch and release, there was one notable catch in the form of a potential world record mutton snapper.

For the first time in some years, none of the Bermuda teams really made a showing. The overall winning team was the Stiff Rods (Pete Rose and Wayne Booth) with 39,168 points. The best a Bermuda team could do was 30,815 points garnered by the Bermuda Onions (Cyril "Hooks" Cooper and Keith Winter). The other three Bermuda teams all figured as also rans with one of them proving to be the strongest holding up all the other participants.

Some of the stranger occurrences noted this year included a total dearth of tarpon. This was attributed to a change in the weather and doubtless reduced the potential for competition. Similarly, the sailfish also kept a low profile with just one being caught in the week; this by frequent Bermuda visitor, Gene DuVal, who was fishing with her husband Bill DuVal under the pseudonym, Virginia Conchs.

Best wishes go out to Cindy Mitchell who has qualified as one of only 45 of the top fly and light tackle anglers, and she will be competing in the world class Fourth Annual Rolex/IGFA Inshore Championship Tournament (ICT) next week (May 2-5). The three-day event will be fished in the Florida Keys and features anglers from 13 US states and Bermuda.

The format is unlike any tournament fished in Bermuda as the point value of each fish is determined by the species of the fish and whether it was caught on artificial lure, fly or by bait casting. The only eligible species are bonefish, tarpon, snook, redfish and permit in a catch-and-release format.

According to sources, the plans for the Bermuda Triangle Tournament (July 16-18) continue apace. At present the organisers are looking for local and international sponsors and are looking to finalise organisational details. One suspects that, if it comes off at all, it will be at very short notice. Suffice it to say that if you are even considering fishing the Bermuda leg, you had better have something in the neighbourhood of $3000 handy for the entrance fee.

It should not be lost on anyone that starting tomorrow, Saturday May 1, the seasonally protected areas once again come into effect. This means that there is no fishing in the north-eastern, south-western or eastern protected areas. These extend from shoreward to the 100-fathom mark with trolling on the Edge and shore fishing both being permitted. Anyone in any doubt should check first because the gendarmerie have been known to exercise a rather different form of Tight lines!!!