Well, no one could want for better weather than the island is enjoying at the moment. Calm seas with a gentle ground swell that will allow even the worst landlubber to venture onto the high seas with little fear of mal-de-mare. Rest assured, it won’t stay like this long.

The negative at this point is that the fishing often tends to be on the slow side. Some think that it is the heat that deters the fish from feeding heavily, but while this is a distinct possibility there are other factors as well. Some species are probably spawning and that is likely to have the fish focusing on passing on their genes rather than merely getting fat. While that might be the case, the positive take is that the fish are there and will, at some stage, turn back on. And that is what anglers are waiting for.

To be fair, there is some reasonably good fishing to be had. Marlin are still pleasing pretty consistently for those who go looking for them. There are always a few wahoo about and while catching numbers is unlikely, they do make an attractive addition to the fish box. Dolphinfish (mahi mahi) are as numerous as they ever get here and there may the occasional larger specimen to liven things up. Of course, finding some flotsam can be a huge bonus but that is mostly a matter of luck.

Chumming continues to get results. Blackfin tuna are more than willing to please and there seems to be no shortage of barracudas that delight in terrorising any fish that might be attracted to a slick. These, too, are susceptible to live baits and certain artificial lures that can be cast and retrieved. Down deeper, ambers, bonitas and yellowtails can provide some great light tackle action.

For anyone just wanting a good pull, and there are quite a few visitors who revel in this sort of thing, the tiger sharks that prowl around the Banks are plenty capable of giving anyone a good workout. Most of these critters weigh upwards of a couple of hundred pounds and will pull and pull and pull. Many tourists associate tropical seas with man-eating sharks and these tigers certainly fit the bill. Protected by law from being boated and of little interest to locals anyway, a slow fishing day can be turned into an exciting sea monster trip merely by hooking into one of these fish. Usually willing to please, they make for loads of conversation and have sent many a smiling client home.

The Bermuda Junior Tournament went off as planned last Sunday with an amazing 140 participants signed up. These ranged from the very youngest up to the age of 17. The tournament is in memory of Niel Jones, an avid light tackle angler, and is intended to foster a love of fishing in youth in the hope that they carry on with the sport and learn respect for nature and the sea and how both have helped shaped Bermuda and her history.

It was therefore very gratifying to have 79 of the total entrants actually bring fish to the weigh-in station. As usual, there was an incredible variety of species, many of which are all but forgotten, but once were important components of either the local sport or commercial fisheries.

Starting off with those limited to fishing from the shoreline, in the youngest category Iyah Steede came good with a 2lb 9oz chub in the boys’ category with the girls’ honours going to Grace Plianthos’s 2oz white grunt.

In the middle age group, Kezxi Minors boasted a 2.9lb white jack for the boys’ group and the girls’ group saw Mackenzie Barnes’ 2lb 1oz turbot claim top spot.

Of the older children fishing from the shore, winners Khwai Mendoza had a red hind that weighed 1lb 4oz and Erica Singleton had a 4oz grunt.

In the youngest category fishing from a boat inshore, the winners were Leo Nelmes with a 7.3lb barracuda that was as long as he was tall, and Sofia Boys with a 1.2lb blue striped grunt. In the next age group, it was Lucas Nelmes with a 8.6lb barracuda and Deliah Lima’s 2.2lb mackerel. Rounding out those fishing in this category, in the oldest group was Connor Sousa with a nice 3lb 5oz yellowtail snapper.

Moving on to the offshore boat category, which took some doing given the weather, there were some nice fish weighed in by the junior anglers. In the youngest group, Beau Renaud came up with a winning 2lb bream. Sterling Smith and Ariah Correia in the next age group caught blackfin tunas which weighed 19.8lb and 15.6lb, respectively. In the senior category, Jack Walsh claimed the honours with a 16.9lb barracuda.

Full credit should be given to Colin Jones and his crew who take the time to make this event a success each year. Their efforts concentrate on ensuring that the participants all have a good time which they hope will help to develop among youth an appreciation of the benefits of Tight Lines!!!