IT was surely a sign from on high that things were about to pick up. A bit of a change in the weather and the signs of summer all came together and the statement was made when Craigin Curtis’ Reel Addiction had a bumper haul from Argus Bank. Just how bumper? Try 42 or 43 wahoo — accounts vary somewhat — a whale of a lot of fish by any standard and one coming at a time when things had gone so quiet that it was scary.Most of this remarkable haul came from the site of Argus tower and there must have been quite a few fish in residence. After a couple of multiple strikes, they went to using artificials and that is when the fishing started to turn into work. In the final analysis, there was over 900 pounds of fish ready for market, making the average fish considerably bigger than the summertime norm.

Reflection on great catches leaves the mind a mite hazy. For many years, a catch of 42 wahoo on Capt. Russell Young̵s Sea Wolfe (the old one) was the record for most wahoo in a day. Some years ago, it seems that this was bettered by the Dawsons on Gringo (the 35 Bruno) with something like 48. When the numbers get that high, everything gets a bit blurry and time doesn’t help things. In any case, Reel Addiction’s is a great catch and one which will be remembered for a good long while.

The return of a bit of breeze to ruffle the water seems to have done the trick and put the fish into a much more co-operative mood. There have been plenty of reports of wahoo catches around the double figure mark and even some amateurs have managed between six and eight on a single trip. There have also been some respectable yellowfin tuna taken on the troll and there is plenty of tuna action down around the Banks. Mixed in with the Allisons are some blackfin, some of which are tiny. Dragging a daisy chain might well pay off with small blackfin or mackerel suitable for sue as live baits. Although most people associate live-baiting with the arrival of the so-called frigate mackerel in August, in years gone by, it was standard practice in the early season to use smallish mackerel as live baits. Needless to say this paid off and when it comes to fishing what used to work usually still does.

The level of tuna activity strongly suggests that chumming will now pay off, particularly if you can get a clement tide; one which allows the establishment of a long consistent slick reaching out into the deep. Not only will the tuna turn up but wahoo will as well. Although sometimes tricky to catch, a bit of effort almost always pays off and catching wahoo this way is a lot easier on the fuel bill, especially if you are feeding an outboard or other gas engine.

Adding variety to the proceedings have been a fair few dolphin, the fish not the mammal, a species more associated with summer than any other time of the year. Some of these have been nice fish, close to 30 pounds which is big by Bermuda standards and ever so welcome in most galleys. This is not exactly a species that you can plan on catching but one that pleases just often enough to keep us all hoping.

Billfish are making their mark as well. There have been quite a few hook-ups with at least one more successful release of a blue estimated at about 450 pounds. White marlin are also on the offshore grounds and there will probably be a few of these taken over the next couple of weeks. Part of that stems from the fact that it will be a while yet before most boats start carrying the sort of gear that is meant to stop the heftier blue marlin. Whites are well suited to the tackle used for wahoo and tuna, and even more capable of a spirited performance on light tackle (20-lb or less).

There is plenty of bait offshore at present, ranging from squid and robins right up to school-sized blackfin and yellowfin. These tunas are bite-size for marlin and there can be little doubt that their presence will pretty much ensure that any passing billfish stop by for a bit. Once the visiting fleet starts putting a hit on the marlin, then things may change but for the moment the pursuit of the ultimate Atlantic blue water game fish looks excellent and likely to get even better over the next few weeks. Having said that it is later than you think. This coming week sees the official start of summer and even though you may be restricted to Paradise Lake or other picnicking areas, you had better have the boat ready. Once the holiday is over with, you can start concentrating on the fishing with the 27th being the scheduled date for this year’s Bacardi tournament. Actually, it is funny how the fishing season sort of explodes onto the scene and then after becoming the norm just disappears along with the rest of the year.

This Sunday should see the fishing of the Bermuda Fishing Clubs Annual Tournament (BFCAT) and the Sandys Boat Club tournament. The weather may have something to say about whether or not they go ahead so participants will want to check before setting out. The former is restricted to recognised angling clubs while the latter is open to the public.

Another fundamental difference is that the BFCAT is based not so much on individual performance but on the aggregate number of points scored by each participating club on each of the recognised line test classes. Thus one club might win, say, the 12-lb test class while another club wins the 20-lb test class, and so on. There are awards for overall high point teams and boat as well as for certain notable single fish catches.

In order to facilitate some anglers participating in both events, a reciprocal weigh-in service will be made available. A boat need only to weigh in at either Spanish Point Boat club or Sandys Boat Club in order to have its catch certified for entry in either or both events.

There you have it. Ready or not, summer is here and the fishing season starting to progress. The usual mad scramble to tackle shops to stock up on line and the like or to repair dodgy reels is undoubtedly taking place and more than a few of us will be paying the price for procrastination. Let’s just hope that it doesn’t cost us too many Tight lines!!!