IT'S that time again. After a rather mild winter with a distinct lack of gales and really high seas, the calendar says that it is fishing season. Break out the gear, run the boat, summer beckons. In fact, the 24th is sooner than you want to think and you know that you have to have the boat ready for that! Wahoo are the dominant game species available offshore. The size class is pretty good and numbers have been good enough to justify putting in the effort. It is only now that more boats, both commercial and recreational, are trolling that the quality of the fishing can be monitored. A fair amount of the catches reported have been made along Bermuda's Edge and there has to be a strong suspicion that the Banks will suddenly pay off big time.

Historically, May is the best month for wahoo fishing although there are plenty of commercial people who will disagree, asserting that the best run comes earlier; in April or even late March. This is debatable because, as always, the number of fish out there has to be balanced against the number of boats doing the fishing. When only a few boats are working an area, it only takes a relatively small number of fish in that area, to provide each boat with a good haul. Increase the number of boats and the catch per boat drops off.

The burning question is: what about the yellowfin? Overall, catches last year were less than in the previous year and, so far, there have been one or two minor flurries of activity that saw a few larger fish caught. What hasn't happened yet is the location of any schools of yellowfin. Usually some rather extensive schools take up residence around the Banks and provide weeks-long supplies of tuna to chummers and trollers alike. So far, there is nothing to indicate that this has happened and there are no guarantees that the fish will put in an appearance. We shall see.

Blackfin tuna, jacks, rainbow runners and the ubiquitous barracuda will also start to hang in the vicinity of moorings or often-chummed areas. These species provide plenty of small game and eventually the robins will move in, providing a ready source of live baits.

There should be plenty of mackerel (little tunny) around and, if trolling, try to run a daisy chain. There are often some small, not frigate-sized, but small enough mackerel to use as live baits. With some hefty wahoo around these could be the key to big success.

The other game species recognised here tend to be less consisitent. Dolphin seem to happen when and where they do with the east wind often bringing seaweed and flotsam into the areae. Skipjack tuna (oceanic bonita) tend to be present during high summer, often in large schools. Having said that, they are not all that common, either.

From experience we have all learned that billfish can be caught at just about any time. The trick is to be putting in the effort in the deep water that is favoured by marlin. Whites often run with wahoo schools and already a few have been caught. Expect a few more to be caught as trollers start working the drop-offs for wahoo and then more once the specialists put out the heavy gear and start putting in some effort in the deep water. Early season trolling often turns up the odd sailfish, another species that has no hesitation taking a bait intended for a wahoo.

Those interested in bigger things should know that there are already some blue marlin on the offshore grounds and any day now someone will succeed in bringing one to boat side. It is often the fate of early season marlin to wind up as tuna chum but, happily, most sportsmen practice catch and release. Tagging is an additional task, not undertaken by some anglers, but one which can enhance the overall value to scientific knowledge.

It is interesting to note that some skippers, even some well-known ones, refuse to tag fish. Their rationale is that tagging data isn't just used by scientists but also by longliners and other commercial interests. It is felt that this information is used to identify locales where the fish congregate and therefore expose the stocks to more exploitation by commercial fishermen. While there is probably some truth to this, there aren't too many commercial operations concentrating on billfish, preferring the more valuable species of tuna and swordfish. Enough marlin are caught as by-catch to satisfy the market that requires these species.

The recognised season has commenced and the first of the year's tournaments get underway this weekend. Details can be had from tackle shops and respective organising bodies. This weekend they are the Sandys Boat Club tournament which is open to the public and the Bermuda Fishing Clubs Annual Tournament (BFCAT) that is restricted to recognised clubs only. Note that, in the event of inclement weather, the alternative dates are two weeks away rather than the following week.

Bearing in mind that the seasonally protected areas are now closed to anglers and fishermen alike, it will be necessary to venture to less frequented areas of Bermuda's Edge or over to the Banks. At this time of the year, anything can happen and one should be prepared for every and any sort of Tight lines!!!

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Those contemplating entering the 4th July Blue Marlin World Cup are being offered another incentive this year. The winning team is treated to a fishing trip aboard the mother ship The Madam with her sportfishing boat Wild Hooker. This team is noted for fishing out of the way places where marlin are found in the very large size class. Capt. Hensley has been working the productive Eastern Atlantic grounds off Ghana and is slated to fish Ascension Island in the Southern Atlantic this year. That's where this prize is of dubious value to some of the more average competitors in this event. The prize package does not include transportation to the venue which boasts being one of the most isolated in the world. Located just south of the Equator, it is accessed by an occasional mail ship or via the Royal Air Force which operates a limited air service from near London. All visitors have to have their entry pre-approved in order to enter Ascension Island. "Isolated" says it all with a total population of about 1500. Most of us will probably just be happy to pocket the cash prize that comes with catching the biggest blue over 500 pounds on the 4th!