Not exactly the sort of weather that one would expect for August. Certainly not what we are experiencing at the moment with the bit of bluster, overcast and wet that seems to hanging around making for less than summery conditions.Normally, it would be hot and windless out on the water with the seas themselves approaching the doldrums that have been immortalised in stories and poems like ”The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” (and, no, that was not penned by this writer whatever you may think!).The charter fleet usually has a set formula for this time of the year. A quick drag across the deep with a better than fair chance of encountering a blue marlin, followed by chumming on the Banks with the ready supply of yellowfin tuna putting kinks into the backs of tourists, leaving visitors marvelling at the fact that a fish can pull so hard. The run back to the Island gives them another shot at a marlin. Best of all, the normally glassy, calm conditions generally preclude the evils of mal-de-mare, making it an enjoyable day afloat for all concerned.Hence the problem: the yellowfin seem to have decided not only to avoid the heat of the day but also seem to have deserted the local area and gone elsewhere. There is no apparent reason for this unexplained departure from the norm but Mother Nature has her own agenda.Naturally, there are options: spend the day looking for marlin nice, but highly consumptive of fuel and exceptionally boring for the uninitiated.Trolling for wahoo is not really an option either; it might well be the tactic of choice in a few weeks, but, right now, it is also likely to be unproductive and border on the boring.Depending on the nature of the clients, some might be satisfied with having a field day with the smaller game species. Rainbow runners, jacks and other species are generally willing to provide some excitement and any robins that can be enticed to become live baits should be able to round up a barracuda or two. Those, at least, appear to be ferocious big-game fish even though the average Bermudian’s assessment of them is considerably more disparaging.Chumming over the Banks not only attracts the small game but now is a good time to put some serious effort into looking for trophy blackfin tuna. They are present in good numbers and, despite their relatively small size, tough little battlers that can give a good account of themselves on most tackle bar the seriously heavy stuff. On suitable light gear, they are a most impressive adversary and well worth of inclusion in the ranks of the “game fish”.Something else that certainly has a following with visitors is the lure of “monster fishing”. This means sharks and, right now, both Argus and Challenger Banks are vying for the title of Shark Bank. Usually coincident with the schools of large yellowfin, large numbers of tiger sharks, ranging from small specimens up to full-sized denizens of the deep, take up residence on the offshore grounds and pretty much help themselves to whatever is on offer.Now these beasts have little in the way of couth. Carnivores to the core, they draw the line at nothing. All sorts of stuff has been found in large tigers: bits of humans, tin cans, rope, general junk and whatever else you can imagine.This makes them relatively easy to bait although they defiantly show an interest in anything that is already hooked. Cut bait, bits of fish or squid, just about any bait will do. Live baits work, even if the fish in question was really destined for the fillet knife. Basically, they aren’t too fussy, nor are they beyond cannibalism. A rather marked case of the latter was observed on Capt. Alan Card’s Challenger recently.The charterers were quite happy to be catching a shark in the 150-pound range. Although classified as a game fish by the IGFA, locals have always turned up their noses at the sporting value of such species; although there is no doubt that they can and do pull with a degree of authority, making them a fine source of entertainment, especially when they have a bit of weight behind that authority.Things were going along just fine until something else took an interest n the proceedings. Another tiger, this one having said good-bye to the thousand pound mark a good while ago, decided that the hooked shark was just right for a snack and proceeded to eat the hooked shark.Anyone able and wishing to see the remarkable footage recording this event can go onto Facebook® and see the video on Challenger Charter Fishing Bermuda. It is pretty awesome!There is no question but that tigers are considered man-eaters. They are found all over the world and are generally associated with tropical seas. There was a time that they were mostly encountered over reef areas but it is now known that they go pretty much wherever they want. They have strayed into cooler waters such as off Iceland and elsewhere but probably don’t achieve much in the way of numbers outside of the warmer locales. The research work being conducted here is proving to be quite revealing and if you want to know more about this research go to the Internet at www.thebermudasharkproject.com.They are also capable of attaining some pretty hefty sizes. The current IGFA records are 1780 pounds off South Carolina and 1785 lbs 11 oz off Australia (ties). Just remember that the biggest fish caught in accordance with the IGFA rules might not be anything like the biggest specimen of the species. In any case, there are some real nice sharks out on the Banks at present and while the wanton killing of them is discouraged, their sheer bulk makes them challenging.They are something to provide an interest and to give one a reason to venture out on the briny, keeping an eye open for a floating object that might harbour some wahoo or dolphin or, perhaps more importantly, to catch sight of some juvenile mackerel that may well be the first indication of a bumper autumnal wahoo run.Right now, the fish may not know it and by their absence this would seem to be the case but the Royal Gazette Wahoo Tournament is a scant few weeks away. Now is the time to clip the entry form (on this page) and to submit it, in advance of the deadline which would make a nice change for most of us. The season’s finale, it has come all too soon, heralding the end of the summer season but offering one and all a final shot at some competitive Tight lines!!!