TIME marches on and there is little doubt that the worst of the winter is over and that it will soon be the halcyon days of summer once again. So, it is time to start weaning yourself off the couch and to start thinking about the first boat trip of the season.No, so far, there hasn’t been a sudden influx of giant wahoo or tunas bent on self-sacrifice but it is getting to be the time of year when things start happening and it will only be those who are ready who will be able to take advantage of the situation when it pops up. One thing that most commercial men and long-standing amateurs agree on is that the early runs of fish are generally short-lived and the fish move around the Island very quickly indeed.

In the interim, there are a few wahoo being caught here and there with the usual spots providing the best results. Now that the days are longer, boats will go farther afield and be able to put in more time looking for the fish, so it shouldn’t be too long before something happens.

Most of the commercial fishermen are concentrating on the last few weeks of the lobster season before turning their attention to the offshore scene. In between, there have been some catches of bonita and amberjack with a fairly steady supply of coneys, hinds and barbers providing the bulk of the finfish that are in the marketplace. Give it just a few more weeks and something will happen.

Now is the time to keep a close eye on the inshore waters. While the winds may be sufficient to keep the offshore angler home or; hopefully, the boat is on the slip (it isn’t because you are in procrastination mode), neither precludes the steady pace set by Mother Nature.

As the early morning dippers know, the inshore waters are warming up and there is a very fine line between the water being too cold or just warm enough for the spring influx of snappers and other species.

Naturally, once the snappers start to show up, there will be an increase in effort from the dock and bridge anglers who will once again try to outsmart what has to be one of the smartest fish in the ocean.

Likely to show up around the same time are schools of jacks. These are enough to convince most anglers to get the rod and reel or hand line out and then the fishing just starts to become a way of life again. Even without going out in a boat, there should be some desirable specimens on the move. Moving fish are usually hungry fish and that makes them easier to catch, or so the theory goes.

Perhaps more important to the sports fisherman is a species that has received little attention in Bermuda in recent years. Once upon a time, Bermuda actually made a name for itself for its inshore fishing and the species in question remains a speciality in a lot of areas, particularly around the Bahamas, the Florida Keys and the Caribbean. Quite obviously, this is the bonefish.

Many of the records were once set in Bermuda waters and there is no doubt that there are some hefty bones to be had here. Although they are far more numerous on the extensive flats that are to be found to our south, like certain other species, they seem to attain a larger than usual size here. For instance, in most areas a bonefish in the four to six pound bracket is considered a nice fish; here it is not uncommon to get fish better than ten pounds. One that size offers a real challenge to the light tackle spin fisherman or to the ultimate purist, the fly fisherman.

Although the bonefish is a warm water species, there are enough of them around Bermuda to make fishing for them more than just worthwhile. It seems that no one has put in any great deal of study into the life history of local bonefish but museum collections have turned up bonefish larvae and juvenile bonefish (tiddlers, but nonetheless battlers on suitable gear that weigh about 6-8 ounces) which strongly suggest that they do breed here.

The best spots for wading and sight fishing for bones are off the West End of the Island. The coves along the Somerset shoreline, Somerset Long Bay and Whale Bay are all pretty reliable and the fishing is often easier before the bathers start to venture overboard. Just pick a nice calm, sunny day (yes, there are some) and, even without getting your feet wet, try studying the grass flats. It will be very surprising, if you don’t get to see a respectably-sized bonefish cruising along. The bright sun warms the really shallow water and the bonefish come in on the rising tide to rummage around for worms and crustaceans that inhabit the sandy bottoms.

Trying to catch them on artificial lures or flies can be more than just challenging but bait works just fine if they are anything like in the biting mood. Best of all, you can have plenty of fun catching this hard-batting fish and then revive and release it out to fight another day. For the most part, a tired bonefish isn’t likely to be savaged by sharks, so its survival chances are really good. Talk about recycle and re-use; plenty of potential with this species.

The IGFA is calling for certified observers on a more frequent basis and there are loads of opportunities to visit some of the world’s hottest fishing spots without spending a whole lot of cash. All it takes is to be a recognised observer and there are already quite a few on the Island. The other possibility is that, in the not so distant future, some more of the local money tournaments will start to insist on something more than a digital photograph. Whether there will be enough locally-based observers to go around then will be another matter. In the meantime consider getting qualified as an observer. More details can be had from the IGFA web site (www.igfa.org) or from local IGFA representatives. Certification courses are held on a pretty regular basis at different locations and, if enough people are interested, it should be possible to have a second course run here. The entire programme takes less than a day and is geared to those who have fishing as their first interest. Once qualified, there should be plenty of chances to see, if not to actually get, some might Tight lines!!!