eye over the latest tackle and accessories.

Well, it's that time of the year again. No, it's not quite the summer season but the Christmas bills are paid and Dad can relax. Until I made the mistake of looking in my tackle box. It looked identical to last year's - a heap of rust and tangulations and, believe you me, I have learnt that the correct solution is to put the whole thing into the trash - non-recyclable, of course - and to take the chequebook and go in search of replacement gear.

As always, nothing is ever quiet so simple. I am now going to take the unprecedented step of sharing with you novices secrets that have taken literally years to learn. Fishing tackle is never, ever replaced. Whilst the winter has kept you from the briny, there have been myriad little minds whirring away, producing all sorts of new and better gear that you simply must have it you are to catch any fish at all this season. And, deep down, you know that you must have them all! With this in mind, I slipped out of the house bright and early one recent Saturday morning on the pretext of taking the boys to soccer practice.

Destination: tackle shops.

Mission: Ensuring that I would a) catch fish, and b) not be embarrassed by not having the right stuff! The two major local tackle shops - Flybridge Tackle on Church Street just opposite City Hall and Four Winds Tackle on Par-la-Ville North opposite Saltus - offer a selection of the finest gear available.

They are both staffed by the friendliest of people, all of whom have come to know that the angler needs to talk about his piscatorial deeds prior to putting his hands in his pocket. They know, they understand, and they are very good at helping you get the cramp out of your wrists.

First off, they bedazzle (or numb) you with the big stuff. For instance the Four Winds manager tried to entice me into a set of really marvellous new outriggers. These are one-time release models that drop out straight and into place. "They are really great!'' commented experienced angler Cyril (Hooks) Cooper who just happened to be standing there. Fine, but being in the neighbourhood of $1,300 plus the cost of the poles plus a few other extras was a little off putting, but they are in stock.

Having shut such grand delusions out of my mind, I was next transfixed by a Yo Yo. Not exactly the trick sort, but a good idea for handline fishermen, especially those who fish off the rocks and jetties. The Yo Yo is a large plastic spool that comes in two bright colours, orange or green and in the hands of the skilled caster becomes a hand-held giant spinning reel with optional thumb drag. Not exactly sophisticated but at just over four bucks a shot something I could afford and might actually have cause to use.

After all, isn't fishing just mucking around with a few hooks, lines and sinkers with, since the advent of plastic, lures? Lines are always a good place to begin. Both shops have several ranges of monofilament lines. There is the up market tournament quality stuff, which is sold by the reelful off large commercial spools. That is, of course, an old trick since you have to bring your reel in and well, it will just have to be fixed before it can be filled up. For those of us who have figured this scam out, there are a couple of reputable lines that may be purchased for filling reels at home or for making leaders. You will need quite a bit of time on your hands and, well, that's not all, but I wouldn't want to totally deprive you of a learning experience.

The salespersons at both shops agree that Damyl is good leader material and made for an excellent handline. Hilton Smith at Flybridge has good things to say about Triplefish, a relatively inexpensive good quality line. And if economy were a consideration, both shops also have a selection of lower priced monofilaments that looked as if they would do anyjob admirably.

It is hard to get past lines without reels coming into the discussion. It was pretty much universally agreed the Penn reels were the standard. Both shops had a wide selection of prices, sizes and types; and most important, plenty of parts in stock. Actually, the only departure from this sound advice was the mention of a new line of Fin-Nor Light reels that were not yet in stock but which were coming shortly.

If you even stop to look at the reels they'll start to show you rods. Again the general agreement that the Penn Stand Up System utilising a Tuna Stick (much choice) was the way to go. Of course, if you were really getting serious, you could arrange for a custom-built job but realistically, most customers make the right move and settle for one of the combo spinning reel and rod set-ups that are just the right price and just what 90 percent of anglers need.

Now for lures. These items are so-named not because they lure fish anywhere; they merely beckon to anglers like some ancient siren, fixing them in the eye and forcing them to spend countless dollars on pieces of plastic and fibreglass that look pretty in the tackle box. And they do look pretty! In fact, the rainbow of colours and combinations is something to behold and guaranteed to entice even those who should know better.

For general trolling for wahoo, tuna or whatever else happens along, the industry standard, Seawitch, is available at both tackle shops in a wide selection of colours, even though it is acknowledged that the real pros favour black, hot pink, mauve lack, pink lack and red lue combinations. Four Winds also had a supply of "hair'' that enables anglers to formulate their own designer combos.

New to the scene but apparently receiving rave reviews from those who depend on success for their bread and butter, are the Flashdancers. These seem to be a cross between the Japanese feather jigs of 30 years ago and modern lure-making technology, complete with a flash of Mylar. Although a lure designed out in California for the Pacific, the Flashdancers looks to have the making of one of the season's biggest sellers and will no doubt account for its fair share of wahoo.

In the "no-holds-barred'' category both tackle shops have a wide selection of trolling plugs that will appeal to marlin fishermen and maybe the marlin.

There is an almost endless variety of head shapes, sizes, holes and no holes made up of virtually every material known to man, all complemented with a bewildering selection of skirts. Moldcraft, R&S, C&H, and Bob Schneider, among others, are all reputable names and all have good track records. There are also lots of custom ones that will further confuse you since it's up to the customer to work out the subtleties of which lure works best behind the boat, at what speed and how far back. To cover the bases on this, obviously a side variety is required much to the delight of the shopkeepers.

Plastic skirts (also called octopus) by the Japanese manufacturer Yo-Zuri are also "must haves'' as evidence by the fact that both shops had a large stock.

Good reason for this variety, too! To start with they come in several sizes ranging from 3 inches up to 7 20 inches. These can be used on their own as artificial - they are great fished from an outrigger since they seldom pick up much seaweed - or they can be used to dress up a natural bait and, of course, they are de riguer for replacement skirts on trolling lures. Again, the choice of colours (with or without silver flecks) is incredible with hot pink, silver, blue ilver, and black (with fleck) getting the nod from those who know.

Also from Yo-Zuri are two new products. One from Flybridge Tackle is the shower head lure. This metal head lure, not unlike the whistlers that were popular years ago, comes in an A type (straight runner) and a C type driver lunger). Apart from different colours, the heads also come in the reversed mode and this means that you'd better have at least one of each so that you can establish which one works better for you.

The other, from Four Winds is a line of Yo-Zuir plastic crabs that, it is said, have been known to fool hogfish inshore. Again there is a choice of sizes and colours. Better buy one of each. And while you're atit either shop will be able to supply you with Yo-Zuri soft plastic squids, again lots of choice - fill the bag up.

Flybridge have some good "angler-grabbers'' in the shape of spinning lures.

Kuda-Killers - bright green tube lures all but guaranteed to do just what its name claimed and Wiggle-Jigs, perfect for inshore bonefishing. Those along with a fine selection of improved Rapalas and similar casting lures will round out just about any tackle box.

The trouble with lures (and even bait, for that matter) is that you need hooks to put in them and this is where life really can become complicated.

But, look on the bright side: Mustad, the Norwegian company that is the world's largest hook manufacturer claims to make something like 10,000 different types and sizes but the local shops only carry a paltry gross or so and this should simplify things considerably.

The choices can be (and are) hotly debated by fishermen the world over but the basics run something like this: stainless steel for artificial lures, regular tinned for baits; needle eyes for trolling, long shank and short shank, ring eyes for bottom, live bait or double hook rigs, and circle hooks for serious down bottom fishing. Also never underhook (too small a hook for the lure or bait) or overhook (too big). Got that figured out yet? Buy plenty of each kind, fill up the tackle box and the day will come out on the briny when you'll still need something you missed. given the variety and the fact that the fish hook is basically unchanged since the days of cavemen, there isn't too much new although there were some super strong hooks that looked to be just the right stuff for dragging a rockfish off the bottom or for latching onto a big blue with. If you are in any doubt at all, hooks are a good thing to ask for advice on. There will be plenty forthcoming, especially if it is a blowy day and the shop is half full of bored fishermen and wanna-be's. And don't forget a file - no one has ever bought a sharp hook yet! A sight only recently visible in any Bermuda tackle shop is a preponderance of fly-fishing paraphernalia. Both shops have a choice of flies including the locally-tied Nauti-Onion line and one has available the tools needed to tie flies along with an assortment of strange feathers and animal hairs that can apparently be made alluring to fish. One thing worth noting as I prepared to make my exit (by now it was almost dark) was the actual existence of a left-handed scarper. This, I was convinced was one thing I could well do without, seeing that I've been right-handed for quite some time now.

Having firmly made the decision to escape from Four Winds my eyes happened to alight on something that would be just perfect for the wife -a choice of hickory or mesquite wood chips to add flavour to the catch of the day on the barbeque or in the smoker. And while I'm at it, perhaps I should invite the bank manager around for a quality fish supper prior to taking out the second mortgage needed to cover the day's purchases.

John Barnes is Government's Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Parks. He also masquerades as fishing columnist Pickled Onion in the Mid-Ocean News every Friday.

RG MAGAZINE MAY 1993