IT is later than you think. Mid-October has come and gone and were it not for the new switch on daylight saving time, you could expect the short days anytime now. For some reason, and in their infinite wisdom, the powers that be have pushed the end of daylight saving time back from the last Sunday in October to the first Sunday in November. Effectively this means another week or so of dark mornings and then light until almost seven o'clock. Once the change takes place, it will be noticeable.

The effect will be to give us earlier daylight but the day will seem to come to a rather abrupt end around 5.30. The days will continue to shorten until the winter solstice (December 22) when it will be dark just after 5.00 pm. After that the days will start to lengthen.

It is this change in day length, regardless of the time on the clock, that contributes to the seasonality of fishing in Bermuda. Shorter days mean less solar input. Couple that with the passage of cold fronts and it is easy to see why the sea temperature drops so markedly. Not surprisingly, it is the inshore waters that show the greatest extremes, sometimes getting down into the low 60°'s. For the record, the temperature has now slipped below 80° and will continue to drop for the next four or five months. This sends a clear message to the fish to head south to warmer climes.

Less fish, inclement weather and short days usually signal the end of the sport fishing season. Although the officially recognised season used to extend until the end of November, the truth is that there is precious little sport fishing after October.

Be wary, though. Such a grim outlook does not mean that fishing becomes a futile exercise. Wahoo remain on tap all around the Island and trolling effort will please. The use of live baits, mackerel, blackfin or robins also produce fish. The trick is to be able to balance the effort and fuel consumption with the expected returns. Trolling early and late usually offer the best results.

Something else which hasn't really had much on offer so far this year, is the finding of flotsam. This is often incredibly productive, so much so that some skippers actually dedicate a bit of time to wandering around the deep in the hope of encountering a piece of cargo net or rope or other junk that might prove to be home to large numbers of wahoo and dolphin. The lack of hurricanes and other heavy weather to our south probably has some influence on the amount of flotsam that finds its way into the sea. But, having said that, there are plenty of other ways that stuff can wind up overboard and suddenly be converted into a fish attractor. So, late though it is, it is worth keeping an eye out while traversing the open sea, just in case something turns up.

Turning to tuna, the blackfin tuna are resident and although they are more associated with high summer, they can be caught year round. The yellowfin have simply not done a lot this year but that could change as well. Over the last few years there have been runs of yellowfin during the winter months and although weather aids the fish in getting a free ride, there have been times when quantities of nice-sized fish have been caught.

Billfish will be around for a while but numbers will be significantly diminished. The blue marlin is a seriously tropical fish and will be migrating to areas with consistently warm water; the Caribbean and even farther south see quantities of blues during our winter. White marlin tend to prefer their environment a bit cooler than blues but, again, the tropics beckon to them as well. Places like Venezuela host numbers of whites as the northern hemisphere moves into winter mode.

So with game fish on the decline, what are the casual weekender's options? The obvious solution is to concentrate on fish that can be eaten with bottom-bouncing figuring prominently in the overall proceedings. Just because red hinds and coneys are the primary targets, doesn't mean that some chum should not be slopped overboard or that a mid-depth line should not be fished. This is a good time of year for species like amberjack and bonita (Almaco jack). Of course, if the robins put in an appearance, they offer a chance to trade up.

A bit of a trick is to carry a small hook on a bottom rig. Often robins are feeding just above the bottom and are unwilling, for whatever reason, to come up to the surface. A robin hauled up from the bottom is just as good a live bait as one caught right off the stern of the boat.

Another non-game species but one which gives a good account of itself is the triggerfish or turbot. Often occurring in large numbers, these fish will take most any bait and, about the only downside, is the difficulty in cleaning them. They yield up a firm, really white fillet which can be fired, boiled, or broiled and freezes well for longer term storage.

One can hope that this year's weather pattern continues. With everything else having been up to a month late, maybe the onset of wintry conditions is still a few weeks away. This will at least allow anglers to make a few more trips offshore before things deteriorate to the point that it isn't much use even planning anything. Add in the holiday season and most of us find our free time taken up for us. There's always next season to look forward to.

On a more sombre note, it was with shock that word was recently received of the passing of Gene DuVal. Gene was a frequent visitor to Bermuda and was an exceedingly dedicated angler. She was a regular participant in the Bermuda Anglers Club International Light Tackle Tournament and was well known to the local fishing community where she proved a popular addition to the angling scene. She was an accomplished light tackle angler and set a number of Bermuda and world records during her fishing trips here.

She had been active in the International Women's Fishing Association (IWFA) and was a representative of IGFA for the state of Virginia. Gene had received an Outstanding Achievement Award for her fishing expertise and held more world records than any other female angler. Heartfelt condolences are directed toward her husband Bill (another frequent visitor) and the rest of her family. Tight lines!!!