Hot it has been and while that is to be expected in mid-July, some of the weather earlier this week was seen to be unseasonable in what has already been a strange year weather-wise.

One positive about the less than encouraging weather earlier was that it kept some of the visiting blue water fleet ashore, thus affording the offshore billfish population a bit of a breather after the heavy pressure from the first of this month’s tournaments.

Ongoing, at the moment, is the central feature of the Bermuda Triple Crown, the Bermuda Big Game Classic, the event that really pulled Bermuda into the international spotlight.

This is usually the largest event of the Triple Crown and the deep waters around this Island will be well and truly probed by the fleet, each hunting for true trophy marlin.

They all know that big fish do occur here; with the local record standing at 1,352 pounds just some 50 pounds shy of the world record of 1,402 pounds, there is every reason to believe that a new record blue could be caught here.

And here is where some cutting-edge modern technology comes into play. Some boats, though not all just yet carry what is effectively side-scanning sonar. This can be a real game changer, especially if used to its utmost.

Simply described: many will remember that in freshwater fishing what was a depth sounder to most others was often referred to in the trade as a “fish finder”.

This was because the soundwaves which would bounce back from the bottom and provide a contour of the structure could also show images of any fish that might be swimming directly below the boat.

As applied to ocean-going craft, this was less effective simply because of the depths involved. The application inshore, where the bottom might be a few feet or so, took on a new meaning when the offshore counterpart was easily hundreds of feet.

Where things took a radical turn was when this same principle was applied to the horizontal plane rather than the vertical. This enables the operator to see if there are any objects, including fish, in the area immediately surrounding the boat.

While, until recently, most trolling had been conducted blindly, especially out in the seemingly endless deep ocean where marlin are most often found, suddenly being able to positively know that there are fish in the area is a huge advantage.

Although it would not help to get the fish to bite or in the actual catching of a fish, the mere fact that the boat was fishing in an area with fish was a lot better than trolling the open sea, wondering if there were any fish nearby.

Working an area known to be home to fish often pays off because everyone recognises that the fish are not always ready to bite; but if enough bait is paraded in front of them, often enough, well, then something is more likely to happen. What happens after that is all subject to the usual chances.

Just remember that many an angler has had the feeling, on more than one occasion, that there simply aren’t any fish in the sea.

There have been days when even chummers have had that feeling after an hour or so of doling bait overboard and never having anything appear in the slick.

The sometimes endless hours of trolling for marlin without so much as the sight of one can be equally disheartening. And, for some, it is going to remain that way.

Although most of the month of July is about billfish that does not mean that all other angling ceases. Simply put, there are other fish out there and, for many, it is a matter of who is fishing for what.

Although well into the summer there are still wahoo to be had and the time-honoured method of chumming for tuna is still producing results for those trying their luck.

Smaller game and the bottom-dwelling species all continue to be available although the rising temperatures are starting to slow up proceedings in general.

Perhaps surprisingly, there are some very large yellowfin cruising around the offshore grounds. In addition to billfish, these bruisers certainly fit into the category of big game as ably demonstrated by captain Chris Weeks’ Plane Simple which notably scored a brace of large yellowfin, each over 100 pounds, earlier this week.

For any landlubber who has not had the pleasure of seeing these beautiful fish they are classic tuna-shaped and features bright yellow streamers that curl away from the body and trail along. These are most pronounced on larger specimens. Magnificent comes to mind.

The Marlin Release Challenge originally scheduled for Sunday, July 9 was, most fortuitously given the ensuing weather, postponed until July 30.

The event is open to visiting boats provided that they do not use their sonar. This is designed to level the playing field for what is mostly a local boat competition. The sign-up meeting will now be on July 28.

For many whose budgets or craft do not run to the big-time, this is a great opportunity to sample some ultimate Tight Lines!!!