COMING up to the end of the month now and April beckons. The weather has been markedly spring-like, the Longtails are back and the flowers are starting to bloom. There might be a couple surprises in store for us but it is probably time to start thinking about the offshore fishing season that cannot be too far off. The water temperature inshore is climbing steadily and this means that the offshore temperature must be well into the range of the wahoo and tuna species that wander the world’s oceans.Most people, including some experts, think that it is the seasonal changes in water temperature that trigger the movement of migratory species. There is little evidence to dispute this bar the fact that we have wahoo and yellowfin tuna here on a year-round basis. Granted their abundance shows seasonal peaks and this may well be linked to the temperature. Simply put, there isn’t much else to go by and a look at the records kept by some of the more meticulous fishermen pretty consistently show the spring wahoo run commencing any time from the end of March to early May. That means that things are just about due to cut loose and for the action to start.

At present there are a few wahoo being taken by fishermen; the average size seems to be about 30 pounds which is not at all bad. The numbers don’t appear to be great but that could change overnight. What has to be known is that the spring run is notoriously short-lived with the fish moving miles each day before eventually scattering to take up residence around the Edge, on the Banks or just disappearing into the high seas.

What we think happens is that schools of wahoo arrive at the Island or form up as numbers of individuals encounter each other. They then follow something — it’s hard to think that it is bait because at the time of year in question there aren’t obvious schools of flying fish or squid — that gets them all moving in one direction, usually northward then eastward around the Island. After a week or ten days, fishermen just don’t get into the schools anymore so they have either gone off their feeding frenzy or separated.

When they are on the move they will hit just about any trolled offering, be it a rigged bait (garfish or flyer) or an artificial. The fact that they are not too fussy also suggests that the migration isn’t due to bait.

In any case, if you can be ready willing and able to take advantage of the spring run, there is no reason why you shouldn’t manage to catch a few. For a real thrill, scale down the tackle to 20-lb test or so. Even a modest size ‘hoo will give a good account of itself. Just remember that when going to lighter tackle you should use smaller, sharper hooks that do not have to be driven so far. It takes more impact to drive a big hook through to the barb than a smaller one. There are also some old wives’ tales about how at certain times of the year the fish avoid the baits with larger hooks hanging down. At today’s trolling speeds and the lightning attack mode that wahoo employ, it is hard to think that the fish even bothers to look for a hook. Mostly they probably don’t see too many anyway, often it just takes one to put paid to the fish’s time on earth. In any case, make up some rigs because it could all happen any day now.

As an aside, the findings of the recent long line operation in the Bermuda Exclusive Economic Zone pretty much confirm what many anglers and commercial fishermen have long suspected. Albacore, for instance, were the mainstay of the Taiwanese long line fleet and they seemed to catch plenty in some proximity to the Island.

The big news was the quality of the swordfish caught. As has been well established locally, there are swordfish in Bermuda waters. Sportsmen have caught them despite a relatively small amount of effort. The real success just about everywhere has been had by longliners, so with the lack of that effort near the Island, the swords have been enjoying a bit of a free ride in the Bermuda zone. Maybe there will be a bit more focus on this species although it is hard to conceive of any new records or anything given the intense fishing pressure which has been exerted on this species for a good number of years now.

Not surprisingly, yellowfin tuna appeared to be relatively common in long line catches but this makes sense as the fish make their way through the western Atlantic.

The curious thing about the yellowfin is that the documented spawning ground is the Gulf of Guinea in the eastern Atlantic. Some mention is made of areas in the Gulf of Mexico.

What is intriguing is that only one of the tuna ever tagged here has been recaptured anywhere else. In the case in point this was off Puerto Rico. Lots of Allisons have been tagged here and lots recaptured but the location of most recaptures was pretty much the same area where they were tagged. One would think that once the fish reach reproductive size they would go somewhere to spawn. We get tunas with roe in them but this certainly doesn’t seem to be a spawning area and, form the tagging evidence, the fish don’t seem to go anywhere. All a bit of a conundrum for a species that is great importance to both the world’s commercial and sport fisheries.

Should anyone want to know a lot more about yellowfin tuna and if they have access to the Internet there is a good website at http://mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recreationalfishing/yellowfin.htm that will prove most enlightening. There is another good informational website at http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/gallery/descript/yellowfintuna/yellowfintuna.html with some interesting pictures that illustrate points made in the text. Both sites are easy to understand and although not really geared to the sportsfisherman, provide some interesting stuff.

So, while it is a bit early for most of the local fishing fraternity to start getting their gear and the boat ready, it is at least time to start thinking about it. If you are fortunate enough to have the boat ready, try taking advantage of a calm sunny day and venture out over some of the deeper reefs. The seasonally protected areas are still open and there is no denying that the bottom inside of the Southwest Edge is productive. Bouncing on the bottom should result in some good fillets in the form of coneys and barbers. A bit of chum might lure up something a bit more exciting like yellowtail snappers or amberfish. And who knows, if you are lucky enough to get some robins, a live bait might pay off with some Tight lines!!!