When will this weather settle down? Right now it is conspiring to keep fishing effort at a minimum, all the while the ocean is struggling to move into summer mode as more tropical species arrive on the offshore grounds. Especially for the weekender, it has been difficult to schedule a sally forth.

On those days when the boats have been able to get out and troll, there have been some nice mixed bags. Proof that the warmer species are already here come from the dolphinfish or mahi mahi that have been caught just lately. No giants but, then again, they seldom are in this part of the world. Numbers are provided by wahoo, which are proving to be the most consistent species available offshore at the moment.

While many of the wahoo being caught at the present time are in the 20 to 30lb range there are still a few bigger fish around. Angler George Powell, while fishing on a commercial fishing boat earlier this week, boated a fine 89lb wahoo. This was part of a haul of five wahoo another one of which looked to be close to 50lb.

Although it is expected that the smaller fish will dominate the trolling scene, the influx of tuna, particularly yellowfins, will soon see a shift in effort from trolling to chumming. Not only is that a productive form of fishing for most of the local game fish but it also conserves fuel and, in these times, that is a major consideration for all fishermen, both amateur and professional.

There is a new initiative from the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) that will be welcomed by some and criticised by others. On the face of it, it looks to reward those anglers who have excelled in the various categories maintained by IGFA. These include world records, slams and trophy fish clubs. There are a total of seven categories and there will be three progressive tiers: bronze, silver and gold.

To achieve gold status an angler must succeed in at least five of the seven available categories, no mean feat and a standard so demanding that IGFA believes that only a handful of anglers would ever earn it in any given generation.

For anyone deciding to pursue this lofty pinnacle, more information can be obtained online at https://igfa.org/igfa-master-angler-program/

Many years ago, the Miami Rod and Reel Club, an organisation that set the standard for much of the world’s saltwater sportfishing, had a badge programme which saw multiple different levels of recognition for various accomplishments starting at novice and leading up to master angler. This included catching a number of species on various tackle. There were minimum eligible weights for each species. According to historical records, as the Miami Rod and Reel Club has ceased to exist, a total of 68 anglers reached the master angler level.

Modern anglers owe a great deal to that Miami club; indeed most of the current IGFA rules and even the factor scoring system are part of their legacy. Many members were cutting edge anglers developing new forms of sportfishing including the use of plugs and jigs and championing the use of light tackle.

On the local front, some years ago, Sea Horse Anglers Club looked into creating expert and master angler badges. This was modelled on the Miami Rod and Reel programme but met with some opposition and was eventually dropped.

The naysayers then made a few valid points. One took issue with the requirements to attain the level needed to achieve a badge. This was largely based on catching fish of a certain size. The point was made that a highly competent angler might never even have a shot at a fish that exceeded the somewhat high minimum required weight.

Another argument was put forth that surely consideration should be given to an angler’s capability at tying knots, rigging baits and so forth rather than being simply fortunate enough to encounter large fish. It also suggested that the more well-heeled anglers would have the luxury of being able to pursue certain species at various other locales which were more likely to afford the chance to catch a fish of suitable weight. At the time, club members were in favour of a more egalitarian approach and generally felt that a master angler should be multitalented and actually capable of all the actual tasks that went into catching a trophy fish. They felt that a good charter mate would embody all the talents needed; from being able to strip down a reel and rebuild it; to rig a myriad of baits and lures and be able to properly fish those baits and lures; tie the knots necessary and then, ultimately, to be able to catch whatever happened to take the hook. That would be the master craftsman.

Speaking of which, given the encouraging forecast, tomorrow will see the Bermuda fishing clubs stage their annual competition, vying for bragging rights. What this comes down to is a battle of light lines for Tight Lines!!!