Wow, were there some beautiful days this past week or what? The Bermuda version of winter is quite unlike any other.One day we can be chilled to the bone with cold rain and winds that really give meaning to the term “wind chill”, and the next the skies are clear and blue, the sun is warm, the seas calm and the mercury hovering around the 70°F mark.Where else do you huddle inside avoiding the howling wind and then, inside of 24 hours, wander around a golf course in bright sunshine clothed in the sort of polo shirt that normally comes out in the summer?This same state of affairs stretches out on to the briny as well. In truth, the fishing here is an all-year round pastime but what gives it marked seasonality is the fact that the anglers are unable to take advantage of the better days during the late December through March period.For most amateurs the ability to take off at the drop of a hat or during a sudden break in the weather is a luxury that does not exist. Weekend warriors, like most local golfers, are restricted to Saturdays and, even more likely, Sundays in their ability to venture offshore.The chances of that particular day coinciding with the fine weather are not good, although it can and does happen. The truth is that most of us are caught unawares by the glorious weather and many a fine weekend is squandered.So, assuming that one is organised and the weather cooperates and one does make it offshore on a fine day, what is there to expect? Well, this can be broadly broken down into three categories.The first is the unlikely. Most anglers prefer to limit their chances to those most likely to offer success, so this is usually ignored. If you dare to be different, try fishing somewhere that you normally would not go.One of these unlikely places would be Bermuda’s south-western reef area, inside of Bermuda’s Edge.Normally a restricted area during the summer months, this has, in the past, been one of the preferred fishing grounds but the limits on access mean that it slips most people’s minds. Here is some really good reef fishing with both bottom species and “floating” fish offering opportunities to make a contribution to the fish box.This is an ideal area to try out the relatively new to Bermuda technique of deep jigging. Long ago and far away, this was hailed as the be all and end all to sport fishing with many of the more famous sportswriters and practitioners of the piscatorial art espousing its merits. Then it faded into obscurity just to be re-discovered by locals within the last year or so.Deep jigging does indeed work here and although the most desired fish in the form of rockfish and Nassau grouper (hamlet) are nothing short of scarce, hinds, coneys and even barbers will latch on to a bouncing lure.So, too, will amberjack and bonita. Of course, the tried and true baited hook virtually guarantees success with circle hooks (recently decried in the local press) greatly improving the catch rate.Now for the more unlikely candidates: during the winter months, the reefs often offer up oddities that are seldom seen during the rest of the year.Large African pompano, cubera snapper (these closely resemble giant grey snappers), and even cobia have been caught by winter fishermen working this general area. One suspects that some of these deep reefs harbour members of the local tarpon population during the cooler months.Latching on to one of these could prove interesting. Although of less interest to local anglers, several species of shark also seem to do their thing in the winter with blue sharks and tiger sharks appearing in all sorts of unlikely places.More traditional fishermen will take the second option and work the Banks, usually Challenger for bottom fish and to take advantage of what seems to be a resident yellowfin population.The recent calm conditions that allowed boats to drift without moving saw fair quantities of yellowfin caught. None of the fish caught were giants but there were fish up to about 50 pounds that were capable of giving any sporting tackle a good workout.A few really nice wahoo (better than fifty pounds!) have been seen cruising through chum lines even though most of the bait has been headed downward. Getting them to bite is a challenge as they make a mockery of a monofilament leader and ignore just about anything else.A live bait might get results but that is a whole other story. Working a bit in from the drop-off with such drifting conditions may entice some of the trophy yellowtail snapper that call the bank home up into the zone where the chummers’ hook baits might get their attention.Good, old-fashioned, hook-and-line bottom fishing will produce its fair share of smaller groupers and the occasional jack, amber or bonita. Rarely, a monkey rockfish will snatch a hook fished six or eight fish above the bottom. Such a capture rates as an event.The third category is the most risky at this time of the year and that is trolling. While wahoo will cooperate at any time of the year, tuna are more finicky as to what they will and will not take. There will be the odd, very odd, white marlin and the continued influx of seaweed might hold some dolphin.Weighted against possible trolling success is the cost of the fuel and the likelihood of boredom setting in. Before embarking on such an operation, it is more than just helpful to know that some of the commercial operators are meeting with fair to good results.Wintry trolling is a sometime affair although there have been years when boats would make the long run to Argus against significant head wind and seas just to manage a couple of hours dragging for wahoo during an unprecedented bite.Stay closely in touch with the few boats that concentrate on this type of fishing and be in a position to take full advantage of something that will be short-lived.Reckoning that the vast majority of locals will stay ashore the next few weekends, this moves us through the shortest month of the year into March when conditions can markedly improve at short notice. With Easter coming fairly early this year, April may well see anglers starting to take to the water in numbers.The fish will follow the pattern that nature has set for them for centuries regardless of whether we are ready or not.It is the ability to recognise this that determines just how and when you will get any Tight lines!!!