WELL, it could have been worse. "Moderate" is one thing but a hurricane would have been another and given the season a delay of a week or move could well have coincided with something of the named variety. As it was, The Mid-Ocean News Wahoo Tournament was a "go" last Sunday and, as always, it came down to individual skippers to decide whether or not they and their respective crafts could safely make a foray offshore.

Actually, that is the one thing that no one is ever sure about. It is easy to know the number of boats that enter but almost impossible to know how many actually take part. This is because the number of boats that weigh in may or may not be a representative sample of those that actually fished.

Some boats don't catch anything; others don't catch any eligible fish due to size or species requirements; some call it a day early, and others never actually go out.

For the record, though, this year's tournament saw a total of 19 boats weigh in at the two weigh stations. This was an almost two-fold increase over last year when the tournament was postponed three times and was still eventually fished in mediocre conditions.

The most rewarding aspect of this year's tournament was the total number of fish weighed in. Despite a rather anaemic autumnal wahoo run thus far, the 19 boats brought 53 fish to the scales.

In keeping with the light tackle aspect of the event, there were entries on each of the four recognised line test classes.

There were five fish caught on 12 lb. test line; nine caught on 16 lb. test line; 11 on 20 lb. test and 28 taken on 30 lb. test line.

A special congratulations should go to Derek Fisher who managed to secure an elusive "Big Four Award" by catching at least one fish on each of the recognised line classes - no mean feat, even under ideal conditions. This performance took place on Andrew Card's Reel Action, which had an overall haul of five wahoo.

Really, the only "down" side to the tournament was something that could only be blamed on Mother Nature: the average fish was a mere 19.4 pounds. This is far more in keeping with the mid-summer average than is normal for this time of the year, when 50-60 pounders are expected. Still there was nothing that anyone could do about what was on offer other than to try to find something just that little bit larger. That aside, there was still a total of almost 1,027 pounds of wahoo weighed in.

The largest wahoo overall was caught by Kevin Winter aboard Playmate. The fish, caught on 20 lb. test weighed in at 32.8 pounds, just a fraction over a pound larger than the 31.7 pounder caught by Ross Burchall on J.P.'s Desire. The latter fish did not go unrewarded, however. It secured the award for the high point fish on 20 lb. test. Recall that the tournament rules prelude a single fish winning both a line class and overall award. Martin Estis, fishing aboard Lone Star, had a nice 31.1 pound wahoo on 12 lb. test that earned him the line class honours for that Test.

On 16 lb. test, the winner was Rod Stewart who caught a 23.2 pound wahoo aboard Capt. Sloan Wakefield's Atlantic Spray.

A study in consistency, Capt. Allen DeSilva's De Mako made it into the winner's circle with Wayne Correia's 23.7 pound wahoo caught on 30 lb. test for top honours in that line category.

In the Juniors, it was Hamish Burns who claimed the prize with an 18 pounder caught on 30 lb. test on Alan "Heads" DeSilva's Treasure Isle.

High Point Boat honours went east this year as Capt. Sloan Wakefield's Atlantic Spray amassed a total of 1,088.4 points from seven fish weighed in, with the majority being caught on 16 lb. test, thus scoring handsomely.

Winners are reminded that the prize presentation will beheld at Spanish Point Boat Club on Monday, September 23 at 6.30 p.m. For everyone else, there is always next year and, hopefully, most of the half-ton of wahoo caught will please a palate or two!

Although the expectation of a late flurry of wahoo activity will be foremost in most anglers minds, this should not be to the exclusion of everything else.

There is still plenty of potential for some great mixed bag-type action.

The continued presence of numbers of skipjack tuna (oceani bonito) means that the mighty marlin will be sticking around. Although most boats have put away the 130's and are sticking to the 30 to 50 fathom curve, there are no such restrictions for the billfish which have no qualms about running up on the Bank and snatching a wahoo rig.

Yellowfin tuna should also please although trying to chum for them could be a bit of a dubious proposition. Most of the fish will be schoolies but don't be surprised if something larger shows up.

Blackfin tuna, Barracuda, jacks, rainbow runners, amberjack and bonitas will be available to chummers while trollers might get a bit of variety from dolphin.

Small boaters and those wishing not to stray too far from home will find the deep reefs productive. Yellowtail snappers, ambers and bonitas will make up the gamefish component while triggerfish and occasional whitewaters will ensure white meat fillets.

Inshore, bonefish and pompano will still please even though it won't last much longer. Once the cold fronts start to markedly drop the inshore water temperature, these species will think twice before coming within the range of shore-based casters.

Time to face facts - the 2002 angling season is rapidly drawing to a close - it's now or never - Tight lines!!!