It took only a long-range forecast involving Melissa to put paid to this year’s sportfishing season. A large number of boats were hauled off their moorings and placed in yards, where they will spend the winter months until a mad dash to have them in the water for May 24 ensues. A wise precaution for most, but it does severely restrict the number of anglers’ craft that yet might venture out on to the water.

Years ago, the Bermuda sportfishing season was recognised through the month of November, but this has gradually retracted to mean the end of October for most anglers. Whether this is a result of what has become a prolonged hurricane season for the island or some other weather change is unclear, but the fact remains there is precious little angling after October. Even though the official hurricane season runs through November, in the past Bermuda had little to fear once the calendar had advanced as far as October. That is not the case any more and the local lifestyle has changed along with it.

Commercial operators and the charter boats will continue to ply their trades for a few more weeks until the winter gales become as regular as clockwork and the offshore seems a million miles away. Until then, there will continue to be some good wahoo fishing to be had. In fact, there is some of the highest quality to be had, if the truth be told. The men’s 12lb test world record was taken off North Rock during the month of December quite some years ago and it has held up to the present day.

Right now, there are still juvenile mackerel and blackfin about, and the use of a daisy chain would see these bite quite readily — and they make good live baits when slow trolling. Usually meant for wahoo, the barracuda will destroy some of them, but these can be often avoided by sticking to slightly deeper water; just that little bit farther off the edge.

There may be still a few tuna around. The yellowfin often persist through the winter, especially if bait remains plentiful around the Banks and Bermuda’s Edge. The blackfin ease off considerably because they are a species that really prefers the warmer water. Having said that, there is a lot of evidence that the local blackfin population is resident and it may be as simple as them keeping a lower profile during the cooler months.

This is also a good time of the year for amberjack and Almaco jack, aka bonita. Generally deeper dwellers than most other game fish, the pursuit of these brings us to the subject of bottom fishing.

This form of fishing usually gets the cold shoulder from anglers intent on the pelagic game fish, but, as winter comes on, the thought of a stockpile of fillet in the freezer must be appealing.

Drifting over the banks with several lines skirting over the bottom can be hugely productive and even a slow day can justify the effort. For one, it conserves fuel and, for another, pretty much ensures some catch for the pan. The most likely catches will be coneys and hinds, but there are other species that can add variety to the haul. Drifting along the edge is more difficult because of its undulating shape, but this same tactic can be plied nearer to the land as well. There the dominant bottom fish is generally the barber and, that too, makes for a good white-meat fillet.

As with everything else, there are a few tricks to maximising bottom fishing. Everyone has their own version of what a bottom rig should look like, but here are a few tried and true pointers. First off, the weight should be at the bottom. Really savvy anglers use a lighter line to join the weight to a swivel attached to the rest of the rig. This makes it easy to sacrifice if it gets hitched in the rocks. Not really a big deal.

The use of circle hooks can be a big positive. Now for the bit of finesse. Most use the monofilament to attach the hooks to the main line. The trick is to use wire or some other stiffener. The point is to keep the hooks away from the main line. On the way down and back up, the rig will spin, and the hooks usually end up tangled around the main line. The use of wire and any number of three-way swivels needed to achieve keeping the hooks clear of the main line would be more than justified by the number of bites. Any worries about the fish seeing the connections can be dispelled. The bottom fish do not care.

One other thing worth trying is to have one hook six to ten feet above the weight. Although this may seem to take that particular bait a good way off the bottom, this is the idea. Ambers, bonitas and the elusive but still very much present monkey rockfish cruise above the reefs, and are most likely to take a bait fished in that plane.

Rigged up that way, it should take only one or two trips offshore to ensure a decent stash of fish for the long winter that is now upon us.

For the next six months or so, most local anglers will be “confined to barracks” and can spend their time wisely by cleaning and otherwise working on their rods and reels. For, as sure as the sun rises, there will come a day when the weather will moderate, the sea warm up and the game fish arrive again around this island — and it will be time to head out for a new season of Tight Lines!!