ALTHOUGH the weather conditions of late belie the point, spring has definitely sprung and it should not be too long before the fishing action starts to pick up in a big way. The real key seems to be whenever it is that the fishing effort picks up. Even when things are slow, if there is more effort then more fish get caught.

Other signs of spring abound. On shore the loquat trees are heavy with fruit, the longtails are returning and, in between the cold fronts, there are some gorgeous days when the air temperature actually gets above 70 degrees. This is most noticeable right after a cold front goes through, it only takes a day or so before things warm up appreciably.

There are some wahoo around and one suspects that it might be possible to actually rack up a few fish if you can get favourable sea conditions. In previous years, there have often been minor concentrations of wahoo around Bermuda's Edge. Don't go expecting anything like a dozen but four or five are often do-able.

Favourite spots for such activity are Sally Tucker's, the Short Course and Western Blue Cut. Usually a good sign that you have found a concentration of fish is a double or treble strike. It is then a good idea to stay in the general area for a couple of hours as it may take that long before the fish go back into feeding mode.

Old-fashioned bait fishing usually works best but, then again, not too many people indulge in speed trolling at this time of the year.

Something else that can work and really hasn't been practised for some years is the trolling of a daisy chain early in the season. Every so often there are some smallish mackerel around. Although by no means frigate size, these fish are small enough to be used as live baits and, boy, can they produce.

The best technique usually involves fishing such live baits up close to the boat, right in the wake. Double hook rigs are standard procedure but if catching an eligible fish for competition purposes is not the object of the exercise then a third hook can act as a bit of an insurance policy.

Wahoo are the mainstay of the off-season fishery but there should be some yellowfin tuna around as well. This fishery is coming into its own now off the Carolina coast where the boats run quite far offshore to find the blue water of the Gulf Stream. This is usually home to the tuna that have commenced their northward migration and some good catches are often had. The fish tend to be school-sized but even these are capable of producing some good sport and the modern trend for fresh sushi makes this a popular pastime.

Anytime now, the inshore harbours and bays will play host to the annual influx of jacks. These fish will terrorise schools of bait and cause great excitement in the hearts of the few fishermen left who have the know how to use nets to catch schools of jacks. About the earliest that they have been seen in the past has been mid-March, so now is probably just about the right time.

Those of us who don't use nets can often have a bit of light tackle sport by trolling small spoons or other artificial lures around the harbours or sounds. Jacks will please and put up a decent fight for their size. Occasionally a mackerel will latch on and this too is a recognised, if disparaged, game fish. If you are especially lucky, amberjack and bonita also inhabit these inshore waters and are not adverse to hitting a trolled lure. The point is that so few people do this sort of fishing that it really does open up opportunities. Even trolling with a light spinning rod can result in some fun fishing that is particularly well suited to younger children who might want to savour big time action on a scale they can manage.

If quality is not a consideration, then slow trolling treble-hooked lures will almost inevitably draw a strike from a snakefish. There are plenty of these in the Great Sound and they will attack a slow trolled lure impulsively. This sort of fishing is almost guaranteed to bring about strikes but the problem is that they usually end up with the treble hooks impossibly stuck into them. Contrast this with using similar gear offshore where fish like wahoo routinely miss all the hooks or only just get snagged.

While meandering through the islands and bays something worth keeping an eye out for at this time of the year are anchovies. There are frequently schools of this wonderful bait fish that come into the inshore shallows. To be sure, the commercial operators will be keeping an eye out for them, but this is the time. Whether you catch some yourself with a bait or cast net or purchase them from a fisherman, the trick is to properly brine them down before freezing them. Done right the bait will last for months, if not more and when defrosted will emerge in perfect condition. They will even hang onto a hook without going soft and pulling through. Bottom line there is probably no better bait for bottom species, floating fish like amberjack and for the pelagic species like yellowfin tuna. A bag of anchovy hook-bait can be like a secret weapon in the piscatorial arsenal. So, a little effort looking can ensure a bright future two or three months down the road when the chumming swings into its own. For those interested in instant gratification, sending a 'chobie down deep should result in a hind or maybe even a monkey rockfish.

So, no matter how you want to look at things, Mother Nature's inexorable cycle continues and it won't be too long before people will have shed their coats and sweaters for t-shirts and sunscreen. In fact, any time now, the tourists will be taking advantage of sunny days and lying on the beach. While this doesn't do too much for local anglers it does remind us that there is some fun light tackle fishing to be had with the South Shore pompano. This time of year is actually a good time for this species as they travel over the clear white sand oblivious to the tourists that venture into water that is 'way too cold' for locals but which is actually the temperature of the New Jersey shore in summer. Although a mite on the small side they are good eating, eager to please and, on the right tackle, plenty capable of giving you some Tight lines!!!