If it wasn’t Mother Nature and obviously well beyond human control, some would say that it is a conspiracy. Others just shake their heads and put it down to bad luck, so, what exactly is this comprised of?

Well, for a start the migratory species, which includes almost all of the more sought-after game fish, are on the move. In general, they prefer warmer water and move northward in the spring and early summer and then reverse this process as autumn approaches. Winters are spent in the tropical zone where the conditions are pretty much stable all year long.

This trend is not exclusive to Bermuda; some excellent fishing can be had on the other side of the Gulf Stream along the US eastern seaboard in the Carolinas and Virginia. These spots feature prominently in any talk of marlin and tuna fishing with wahoo and dolphin providing variety. Basically, it is rather similar to that which is had on this side of the Gulf Stream with the true ocean wanderers favouring Bermuda waters. These would include the blue marlin, wahoo and skipjack tunas while white marlin, sailfish and bluefin tuna prefer waters nearer the continental shelf.

With autumn now upon all of us, the equinox is on Sunday, the fish are on the move and there is some excellent fishing to be had, both here and there, but what happens? The weather turns sour.

The Carolinas have recently been pounded by a tropical system that put paid to their offshore angling and here, at home, the rains set in with the passage of cold fronts adding to the generally dismal conditions affecting the fishing. Thus, some excellent fishing is not had due to a lack of fishing effort. It should also come as no surprise that the circumstances which make for good fishing do not last forever either and there are, at best, only a few weeks when they persist.

Those who have had the good fortune to make it offshore over the past week report continued catches of wahoo and tuna with both being caught on traditional troll rigs and on live baits. It seems that the main influx of wahoo is yet to come, and the continued presence of juvenile mackerel offshore is certainly going to be a major attraction.

Some settled weather and an uptick in fishing effort would probably see catches improve because it is always difficult when heading offshore after a few days hiatus to locate the concentrations of bait and game fish and to effectively work the grounds. If a pattern can be established and the fishing fleet uses the most effective methods, then catches improve. Knowing when and where the fish are is a huge advantage and it takes some concerted effort to learn this.

Also worth watching out for at this time of year are the blackfin tuna. This species seems to fly under the radar of most anglers, having lost much of its appeal with the increase in the use of heavier tackle.

Sadly, blackfin do not get too big and they top out at about 50lb, but they are a powerful fish for their size. Often overshadowed during the summer months by their yellowfin cousins, blackfin are present here all year and many local records have been set in the late summer and autumn months. Once upon a time, Bermuda was the hotspot for this species but that has dwindled away with only a couple of world marks still being held here.

Part of the reason for this is the discovery that blackfin are notorious gluttons and will feed even to the point of regurgitating food simply to eat it again. Many blackfin make a life out of following shrimp boats and other craft around the Gulf of Mexico, gorging themselves on the by-catch that such boats dump overboard. Fishing in the vicinity of such craft gives anglers a shot at some very fat fish indeed with the blackfin being one of the most frequently encountered, hence the number of world records that have relocated from Bermuda to that part of the world.

There are still some hefty blackfin here and they are often willing to please during the shoulder months. While they will take various troll rigs and baits pretty much all around the Island, chumming on the Banks rather than on the edge of the drop-off is most likely to lure some into a chum slick. The crowns of both Argus and Challenger Banks are home to large and numerous blackfin, all of which are worthy opponents on any suitable tackle. They also have a following amongst culinary enthusiasts even though most locals dismiss the meat as being a bit too dark. An internet search will turn up lots of recipes for fresh blackfin tuna.

On a final note, the blackfin tuna seem to be a resident population here and their young are often abundant at this time of the year. Very similar in size and habits to the “frigate” mackerel, these little fish can be caught on daisy chains and make excellent live baits, outlasting the juvenile mackerel considerably. That and the fact that blackfin tuna regularly fit into the diets of larger predators, makes these fish a near surefire way of hooking into some Tight Lines!!!