WOW, but after a glorious Good Friday holiday, winter returned with a vengeance. That was certainly against the run of play and something not really expected at this time of the year. Yeah, we all know that it happens but it doesn't happen nearly as often as you seem to remember. You are more likely to recall the nasty sunburns you got on the 24th May holidays, which this year, by the way, is just over four weeks' away.

Nature moves in mysterious ways but is generally pretty reliable over the long term. Despite the seeming return of winter, it is certainly springtime and the fishing should start reflecting this any day now.

Well, look at it this way. May, the officially recognised start of the Bermuda fishing season is just over a week away. What has stood us in good stead for nigh on 50 years must surely hold true.

And just what is expected at this time of the year? For one, calm seas and good trolling conditions. Large quantities of seaweed are not expected and it should be possible to troll all around Bermuda's Edge and both banks with some reasonable expectation of action. After all, this is the time of the year when the fish are supposed to be on the move as they migrate northward and moving fish should be hungry fish.

Things will start happening all of a sudden and by the time the commercial angler has had his share of the pickings most of the weekend warriors will have learnt that they have missed the boat. Being prepared is half the battle and, after a long winter, getting into "fish" mode can take some doing.

The basic premise for this time of the year is that of the generalist. Go out with a variety of tackle and use a selection of rigs that will attract everything from the smallest bait species to something that will get a big blue's attention.

Although it is unlikely that you will encounter a blue marlin, it is not impossible and a big lure often serves to stir up a fuss that gets the attention of smaller species and may put them into feeding mode.

You should expect to see some good wahoo action and the odd yellowfin should provide variety in the fish box. The 'hoo's should be averaging somewhere between 20 and 30-pounds with the tuna probably some five to eight pounds larger. Interspersed will be some really nice wahoo in the 50-plus bracket and there may be a hefty tuna or two willing to inhale an outrigger bait.

Smaller trolls should produce mackerel and maybe the odd oceanic bonito, although these latter are more a high summer fish. Pulling a daisy chain can provide some "young-of-the-year" mackerel and while these are larger than frigate mackerel they do quite nicely as live baits. Look to these to score you the larger wahoo. Happily, the barracuda are not generally as numerous as they will be in a couple of months' time so if a live rig gets attacked it is probably by something desirable.

The name of the game is to stick to the drop-off and let the fish find you. Small schools of wahoo will often mix with other species and so it is entirely possible to have a multiple strike that is comprised of three different species. This can provide a lot of fun and usually adds to the excitement especially if a bunch of amateur anglers are involved.

White marlin, in particular, are noted for running with the wahoo at this time of the year and keeping a hot pink rig somewhere in the spread could well be the trick to getting a white's attention. Just remember that they are notorious window shoppers that are likely to careen over every rig in the spread and, even after lighting up well pleased with itself, just fade off into the depths. It is unfortunate that the pervasive use of heavier tackle locally has meant that the white marlin are unable to give a decent account of themselves and often go ignored as a game fish. On 20-lb test or even 30-lb test, they can be nothing short of spectacular.

Nearer shore jacks, snappers and mackerel should all be pleasing with numbers and size likely to increase over the next few weeks. Bridge and dock anglers can often get a good pick as the fish move from the offshore grounds back into the harbours and sounds. You'd be surprises how many respectable ambers, bonitas and other fish run under places like Watford Bridge. So even the land-locked anglers can expect an upturn in events.

Looking ahead to the summer, the fact that this year's Newport to Bermuda race looks to be a bumper one means that berthing space will be at a premium. With most of the sailboats probably departing after the middle of June it will likely be late June or early July before the influx of sport fishing boats. How that will impact the Bermuda Blast tournament will remain to be seen as it is slated for very early July. The Triangle, Big Game Classic and Sea Horse tournaments are all later enough into the month so as to be unaffected by a tardy start.

But now rumour has it, and this is exactly that, rumour; many of the usually expected sport fishing fleet is not planning on coming to Bermuda this season. That information actually comes from some fairly reliable sources but is very surprising considering the high percentage of repeat visitors over the last few years.

If this is indeed true, then it is hard to see any explanation why. It is not as if the fishing has given any indication of easing off or the quality of the fish has diminished. Last year, which is the best thing to go by in assessing such things, was a good year for numbers of fish and there certainly can be nothing bad said about the quality. Bermuda still has to be a hot spot for the 4th July Blue Marlin World Cup and that alone should attract a following.

Nothing has changed politically that would affect the foreign boats. There have been no new rules put into place or anything of that nature that might serve to discourage them.

To recap, the season kicks off, for real, next week. The first tournament, the Bermuda Fishing Clubs Annual Tournament (BFCAT), is to be fished on the 14th May along with the Sandys Boat Club event. Organisers will doubtless be pulling things together and so should the would-be anglers. Truth to tell, it is later than you think and high time for some Tight lines!!!