MARLIN mania reigns! Although there are plenty of anglers who shy away from billfishing, there can be no denying that the blue marlin have grabbed the limelight over the last few weeks and seem destined to continue to dominate the scene for the next couple of weeks at least.

There certainly doesn't seem to be any shortage of billfish. Just about any boat trolling the deep water has had encounters with some trophy fish and there are still a surprising number of white marlin around. A lot of these smaller billfish end up merely putting in an appearance in the wake before being frightened off by the very large baits and lures being trolled by those seeking the ultimate challenge.

Boats have reported multiple catches during the course of a day with many of the fish being respectable specimens in the 350 to 500-pound bracket. There have also been several reports of marlin in the "sea monster" category that have not been subdued or, in some cases, even conned into taking a hooked offering. The fact that their existence offshore has been substantiated means that lots of specialised effort will go into hunting these exceptional targets. There are even those who believe that the world record will one day be a Bermuda-caught fish. That is looking for a real leviathan ? something better than 1,400 pounds! This weekend sees the Bermuda Big Game Classic which is the high point and showpiece of the local angling season. This particular event draws an incredible level of participation by overseas-based sport fishing boats that make the ocean crossing to be here for this well-publicised event. The visiting fleet then meets up with a very competitive role played by Bermuda boats and crews that have long since proven that they are no slouches when it comes to this high class tournament.

The emphasis is on releases of blue marlin and white marlin with photographic evidence required for each entry. The picture must include a date/time stamp and show a code number displayed on the mate's hand. Failure to completely address these requirements will lead to disqualification. Given the large amount of monies at stake, there is every need to ensure that all aspects of the rules are complied with.

The fishing days are Thursday through Saturday with the weigh-ins, if required, being held at Barr's Bay Park where the public are welcome to observe any fish that are brought to the scale. Apart from blue marlin over 500 pounds, yellowfin tuna and wahoo are also eligible for entry and will have to be weighed in.

Moving into next week, the third leg of the Bermuda Triple Crown is slated for the July 19-23 with three days fishing. This tournament has the distinction of being the 33rd annual Bermuda Billfish Tournament organised by Sea Horse Anglers Club. Previously coinciding with the Cup Match holiday this has been re-scheduled to try and get more participation from both foreign boats and local aficionados. A fair percentage of the latter found family obligations were in conflict with the desire to fish the tournament. The new format avoids such conflict and should attract the maximum number of competitors.

In this event blue marlin remain the desired target species with each release scoring 500 points. Boated fish that make the minimum qualifying weight of 500 pounds will score one point per pound. Fishing days are Thursday through Saturday with the weigh-in station (if required) taking place at Barr's Bay Park.

One curious observation that can be made is the virtual absence of yellowfin tuna on the offshore grounds. Normally the high summer chumming will see schools of larger Allisons putting in an appearance, usually early in the morning or during the late afternoon. At the moment, most chumming effort is reporting that the yellowfin are nowhere near as abundant as they would normally be expected.

Most have associated the influx of marlin the last few summers with the presence of numerous yellowfin tuna in and around the Banks. So, the absence of schools of yellowfin doesn't seem to have any effect on the presence of billfish. Unless, of course, the marlin are the result of large numbers of billfish travelling through the area in search of schools of bait. This might suggest that there will be a rapid turnover with the fish remaining on the move and, therefore, more likely to take an interest in trolled rigs. Alternatively, the fish may be here to spawn and the presence or absence of bait may be totally unrelated.

A few large yellowfin have crashed trolled offerings and a few chummers have tried to deploy live robins out into the deeper water off of the Banks in the hope of getting the attention of any tuna passing through. This has met with limited success and, occasionally, has attracted billfish to the proceedings.

The slack in the action is being taken up by other smaller game species including blackfin tuna, bonita and rainbow runner. These all offer some potentially useful fillet and give a good account of themselves on suitable tackle.

Spinning gear can get good results and the use of a top-water popper can make for some fun fishing. Just about every species that you are likely to encounter offshore will take such lures and the strike often comes as a complete surprise, frequently being quite spectacular as the fish whacks it with great zest, often repeatedly as you retrieve it. Read the directions on the package and pay attention to the knot that they recommend and the mode of cast and retrieval.

The wahoo are keeping a relatively low profile with little to justify expending much in their pursuit. Trolling smaller rigs will work, particularly on the deep trolls but most of the bites come from small 'hoos. Small can mean as little as ten pounds. Of course, there are some more respectable fish around but these really are few and far between. Factor in today's fuel prices and it all becomes a dicey proposition.

Wahoo will put in an appearance in a chum slick and will often take live baits. While they will take cut bait and other offerings, they tend to be a bit shy of wire rigs and play havoc with monofilament leaders. With a little dedication and some clever planning, it is usually be possible to catch the slick invader.

Inshore, there are plenty of small game species: jacks, bonitas, grey snappers and a few yellowtail snappers. Fishing off bridges and docks can pay off and places like the long arm at Dockyard frequently turn up surprises.

Off the beaches and over the white sandy areas are bonefish, barracuda and pompano. Slow trolling can pay off if you have a boat available to you but good action can also be had from wading the beaches with a spinning rod. Not exactly the best of big game but plenty of potential for some fresh air, fun and Tight lines!!!