The weather has finally slipped into the doldrums of August, where the wind barely ripples the long ground swells that sweep through this portion of the Atlantic, at least until tropical activity brings all sorts of unforeseen complications.

For now, the heat becomes the main factor affecting fishing, negatively impacting both the fish which head deeper into cooler water and the anglers who favour shade or the air conditioning on some of the larger boats.

One might have thought that the departure of the foreign fleet would have brought billfishing here to an end but that would be in error. To be sure, the big money tournaments are history for Bermuda this year but there are plenty elsewhere, some of them insanely rich and that is where most of those boats have headed. Not only is the call of riches a salient one but most insurers forbid their underwritten risks spending hurricane season on a rock in the middle of the Atlantic.

The local charter boats continue to ply their trade which includes blue marlin, the occasional white and any other billfish that might happen their way. Happily, the catch and release ethic is now the norm, so it is possible to give a client the ultimate thrill without having to boat the provider of that thrill.

And it isn’t just the visitors who go in search of marlin; there is an ongoing local release tournament which has participants selecting three days during the month and using those opportunities to rack up points for releases. This could be really interesting as, in most years, the smaller blue marlin become more numerous. These fish in the 150-to-250lb range are well suited to the medium classes of tackle usually used by local anglers.

This year the yellowfin are another chapter to be read alongside the billfish theme. There are some really large yellowfin that have been prowling offshore and some of these have been caught by boats working the deep water for billfish. Recognition of their presence has led some boats to rig for both marlin and large tuna.

These large tuna are finicky, feeding on baitfish the identity of which remains an open question although research in the past has shown similar bait aggregations to be juvenile barbers, an unlikely component of a pelagic species’ diet. On occasion, though, these large tuna will take a trolled offering, guaranteeing the angler a good workout.

Fortunately, numbers of school-sized yellowfin tuna continue to be drawn to chum lines even though the midday heat can cause them to shy away. These fish can range up to 50lbs or more and then there are the blackfin tuna which, favouring slightly shallower water, don’t seem as temperature sensitive. Together they can provide competitive sport on light tackle.

Meanwhile the small game is nothing short of plentiful. Rainbow runners, jacks, mackerel and, increasingly, barracuda are all more than willing to please anglers. On the right tackle this can make for plenty of fast action and some welcome fillets. Robins will also please and while some find them making for decent table fare, they make great live baits for virtually anything else.

This augurs well as the Blue Waters Open Tournament sponsored by Bacardi should finally come to pass this weekend. With the eligible species excluding billfish and sharks and limited to wahoo, tuna and the other locally recognised game species, the angling will return to the norms that characterise Bermuda fishing throughout the rest of the year.

Most of the wahoo taken trolling at this time of the year tend to be on the small side with weights ranging into the mid-20s. Often, larger ‘hoos will take to hanging around chum lines where they can prove a challenge to get to bite. A great leveller here is the use of live baits, notably robins, as these often get the attention of a somnolent wahoo. And if that particular fish remains uninterested, rest assured any roving yellowfin tuna will happily inhale it. Should the robin decide to head for the depths, it will become a prime target for any amberjack or Almaco jacks that happen to be cruising over the bottom.

Looking ahead, there is another great opportunity for junior anglers coming up. This Junior Tournament run in memory of Niel Jones is slated for next Sunday, August 16. Open to those under 17 years of age, entry is via internet by scanning a QR code or by e-mailing colin@cnc.bm.

Slipping away from sportfishing and sticking closer to land, this is the best time of year to go for whitewater snappers. It isn’t too often that the channel waters prove attractive to fisherman but right now, an hour or two in the evening just a few hundred yards offshore can fill the legal quota for this often overlooked species. Also known as lane snapper this is a true snapper, yielding desirable fillets, and on very light tackle, Tight Lines!!!