WITH plenty of fishing action of all sorts and the weather actually behaving better than forecast, there have been a plethora of angling opportunities over the last week or so and, looking ahead, most people should be able to find some time to indulge their piscatorial fancies. The Bermuda leg of the Triangle Series suffered from a number of setbacks that saw the number of entries drop from six to just two on the eve of the event. This left the local charter boat Challenger and visiting boat Rum Bum as the only competitors. Unfortunately, the fish eased off rather unexpectedly with Rum Bum releasing a fish on the first day and then Capt. Card's boat pulling off a release on the third and final day. This left Rum Bum in first place based on time with Challenger taking second. Not exactly the fast action of the week before but having fished both of the first two legs of the Triangle, Rum Bum should be on course to take the inaugural honours.

With the Cup Match holiday ahead, it is time for the oldest of the island's billfish tournaments. This is the 31st annual Bermuda Billfish Tournament put on by Sea Horse Anglers Club. For those who think that the tournaments down south are way older, just remember that this year's Virgin Islands' Boy Scout Tournament is the 32nd. So maybe, Bermuda is not so far behind the pack after all. Also recall that this was the first tournament in the world to go to a 500-pound minimum weight.

In any event, the Captain's meeting will be held at the Mariners' Club, Richmond Road at 8.00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27. This will be the absolute deadline for entries for this modified released tournament. Entry forms and copies of the rules may be obtained from Sea Horse committee members, tackle shops or on the internet at:

http://www.panchdara.com/Panchdara/BermudaBillfishTournament.htm. (N.B. the website is case-sensitive).

Getting away from the marlin action for a bit, there is unlimited potential for light tackle anglers on the southern and eastern sides of both banks.

The yellowfin tuna are as thick as they have ever been and they are more than willing to cooperate. Many of the fish are middleweights, weighing between 55 and 70 pounds. These fish provided the bulk of the entries in last Sunday's Bacardi fishing tournament. Capt. Keith Winter's Playmate had 17 tunas, virtually all of which were over 50 pounds. The commercial boat, Nothing's Easy, skippered by Alan Bean, actually belied that name having had an easy time with 20 tuna, all of which were large including a really nice 80 pound fish. These tuna offer plenty of challenge on tackle as heavy as 20-lb test although serious light tackle anglers will be looking to use 8 or 12-lb test. These fish used to be the stuff that angling club members dreamt of.

With most clubs awarding trophies for points amassed during a season, these fish were ideal for really clocking up the scores. For instance, with the factor system, a 60-pounder caught on 12-lb test scores 2,500 points; a 70-pound fish would score a whopping 3,402 points! With many annual awards being won with 15,000 points or thereabouts, it is easy to see why these larger Allisons were so sought after.

Good action can also be had from the smaller game species such as blackfin tuna. The best bet for this type of action is to anchor up on the bank proper. The chum will attract all sorts of fish, most of which are desirable but one, namely the barracuda, which is not. Although a recognised game fish throughout its range, this species is really frowned upon locally despite the fact that it makes for some decent white meat fillet. In some places, it is the number one carrier of ciguatera (fish poisoning), but this ailment seems to be rare in Bermuda and certainly a lot of 'cuda has found its way into bags of fillet.

The best action from barracuda is to use light tackle spinning gear.

Although most locals use spinning rods simply as a mechanism for getting a piece of bait back into the chumline, it is really designed for presenting artificial lures. The surgical tubing lures, in a bewildering array of bright colours, actually works wonders on barracuda, whether offshore or when they are found lying in the shallows. Most of the best bonefish beaches harbour a few barriers and, come August, their inshore numbers swell.

Again, contrary to most of its ill-found reputation, barracuda seldom attack swimmers. These fish have good eyesight and know what constitutes part of their diet and what doesn't. Possibly the only exception to this rule is the fact that they often react to things that flash (think about a wounded anchovy or fry flashing away) and bite first, ask questions later.

Sensible swimmers make sure they don't wear shiny metallic objects and, in fact, barracuda can frequently be seen cruising around swimmers keeping an almost unbelievably controlled distance from the individual in question.

Those who just cannot get enough of billfishing but have to do it on a beer budget might want to consider the 22nd annual International Blue Marlin Fishing Tournament put on by the Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba. The event runs from the September 2-25. The entry fee for a team of three anglers is $350. Charters run from $300 to $600 a day and are all-inclusive. There is accommodation at the marina ranging from $25 to $40 per night (includes breakfast). This is a tag and release tournament with a few quirks. The least of these is that there is a maximum of 80-lb test that may be used. Where it gets strange is that a straightforward release requires only one photograph to verify the release.

A tagged release requires three photographs, presumably before, during and after tagging. Go figure!

Inshore fishing and fishing in the channels and reefs is at its best now.

Lying in the shadows of docks and bridges, grey snappers will torment land-bound anglers although lots of patience and some fresh fry should pay off over the next week or so. Night time is the best time but it is possible to catch a grey dog by day. If you can find some rare roast beef (even if it has gone off), they really seem to like this although such a bait is not in keeping with game fishing rules. With the moon waxing, silk snappers (white waters) will become the order of the evening for many. Just about anywhere in the channel will do but certain areas like off the oil docks are preferred. Just remember that there is a legal limit on how many can be taken in a day by non-commercial fishermen because when these snappers are in a mood to please, they will supply no end of Tight lines!!!