IT won't be long now. Despite strange weather patterns in the United States and Canada, there is no doubt that winter is flexing its muscle and the cold fronts will soon start passing through, bringing rain and blustery conditions. Mid-October now, a time when many put their fishing gear away and start think about hauling the boat out or at least putting it onto some secure moorings where it can spend the next six months.

For those who dare, there are still enough opportunities to go offshore in search of action. Those limited to weekends will find this increasingly more difficult as the autumn progresses into winter. Those who have the luxury of taking advantage of a good day at short notice can still look forward to the seasonal migration of game fish past the Island. This is probably past its peak but is still good enough for most amateurs.

After a rather lengthy period of hectic activity with plenty of wahoo pleasing just about everyone, that species is starting to show signs of calling off the cooperation. Catches have dropped off and although they never completely disappear, they are nowhere near as numerous as they have been.

Coupled with that is a reduction in effort due to the market being flooded with wahoo and that posing a problem for some commercial operators.

Bearing out the suspicion that the entire season has run about a month out of synch is the arrival of a much-awaited species. For those who follow such things, there are now frigate mackerel offshore. Quantities vary from location to location but there are enough around to make pulling a daisy chain a worthwhile exercise. Worthwhile, at least, in that you should be able to catch some frigates, whether or not you can trade them in for a wahoo is a bit of another question.

Their presence opens up all sorts of potential for live-baiting, even though the wahoo are not as thick as they were. Of course, many people are no longer interested in fishing for wahoo. Yellowfin tuna will take a frigate handily enough but they continue to be thin on the ground and the idea of dragging a live mackerel for an hour or more in the hope of attracting a tuna's attention seems a bit forlorn. There is also an outside chance of having a billfish take the live offering. Their season is over but with the rest of marine nature running late, anything could happen.

The real frigate mackerel is also known as bullet mackerel and sports the scientific name Auxis rochei. To help confuse things it is also called frigate tuna or bullet tuna. As with so many fish names, there are localised differences that only add to the confusion. This particular species occurs in the Pacific and in parts of the Atlantic.

It averages around two pounds and probably tops out at about ten pounds. It looks remarkably similar to the mackerel that we normally get here but lacks the spots on the belly. Truth to tell, it does not normally occur here.

What we do get is the fish that we call "mackerel". That is another misnomer. The real name is false albacore (not that it looks anything like an albacore) or little tunny. Actually, in very modern proper parlance the now accepted name is Atlantic black skipjack. This not to be confused with the skipjack tuna or oceanic bonita. Talk about confusion, all these name changes are supposed to clear things up! Now to the conundrum. Why "frigate" mackerel? The name has been in use for decades and does not seem to have a definite origin. Even old-timers recall the use of the name but don't know why. It can't be a matter of confusing one species with the other, not only because the real frigate doesn't come here but the local term is only applied to the very small juvenile mackerel.

These fish weighing a pound or even less are well suited to use as a live bait. They last pretty well and flash brightly on sunny days. They are a bait species and are often fed on by oceanic predators. About the only future a mackerel has is surviving long enough to attain a size that dissuades some predators. Travelling in a school also helps ¿ the strategy there is that when the predator shows up he will eat one of the other fish in the school. Kind of funny, thinking that every fish in a school is hoping that someone else gets eaten.

Another species that makes an even better live bait is the blackfin. Turning up usually as the frigates move on, these tiny tuna last incredibly long as baits. Like the little mackerel, wahoo, tuna and even dolphin will attack them. Given that they usually show up in October or November, there are less game fish on the grounds, so, their lasting quality allows the angler to cover more bottom in search of a willing wahoo or tuna. Their arrival usually coincides with the onset of foul weather, so most of them get ignored. Like the mackerel they are best caught on a trolled daisy chain.

Another good bet is to concentrate on the bottom. Coneys and barbers will ensure a supply of white fillet that can be frozen for use later. It won't be fresh, of course, but it will be the next best thing come January or February. There should be some hinds around and small bonitas often please, both off the bottom or near the surface if you keep a bit of a chum slick going. Other species are likely to please as well but the recognised game fish tend to take a back seat to the more prevalent reef species that make for good eating.

For most of us there aren't too many fishing days left in the year, so be prepared to take advantage of what little good weather is left.

On the world scene there is another potential world record pending before the IGFA for a Bermuda-caught fish. This is an uncommon catch in that it was a wahoo, abundant enough, but caught on fly-tackle. That is something that we don't see too much of here and especially not for the species in question. Visiting angler Jodie L. Johnson caught a wahoo on Challenger Bank on fly gear back in July and has submitted it for recognition by IGFA. Ms. Johnson, who hails from New Hampshire, US, is no stranger to world records as she has set 53 marks. Now, that is someone who knows a thing or two about Tight lines!!!