It looks like the 2014 season has come to a very sudden end indeed. So sudden that it has come as a surprise to many operators, with the commercial men very glad that they have the lobster fishery to fall back on. Not that that is all that great at the moment, but it should improve as the water temperature drops.

There have been a few wahoo around but hardly enough to justify a day’s fuel expense. The yellowfin tuna are all but absent and, although there are some blackfin that will provide a bit of tuna action, the only real option is to head for the bottom and hope to catch enough coneys, barbers and bonito to provide the desired amount of fillet. In a word, things are slow!

The offshore temperature is still high enough to suggest that some of the summertime visitors should still be on the grounds, but, if they are, they have certainly adopted some cryptic ways. Things may change but it is probable that most weekenders will look to other sources for their seasonal avocations.

The television programme that seems to get many would-be anglers through the winter months is on the National Geographic Channel and is called Wicked Tuna. While a catchy name (sorry for the pun), the wickedness applies more to the shenanigans of the crew rather than to any of the tuna.

The show basically follows the lives of several boat crews, all of whom fish on boats based in the fishing seaport of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Apart from contributing significantly to National Geographic’s share of the television audience, tourism in this town, about 50 miles from Boston, has enjoyed a boom based on the series.

The catching of bluefin tuna is almost secondary to the storyline, which involves the lives of the crew members and the competition between the various boats. As each fish is caught, the story concentrates on the weighing of the fish and then the analysis of the quality of the flesh to determine the price per pound and, ultimately, the total value of the fish. This is then linked back to the fishermen, who are either desperately broke or enjoying a good season. And this is where the whole thing has to raise some questions in the minds of the viewers, particularly those here in Bermuda who have a fair working knowledge of the local fishing industry.

A part of the programme is a scoresheet that lists the relative positions of the boats as determined by the money that they have made. What seems weak is that a good fish in the show may fetch $18 or $20 a pound. With the average size of the fish in the 325-425lb range, the numbers can add up quickly with the present leader on $126,403 (as shown on www.channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/wicked-tuna/interactives/wicked-tuna-leaderboard/). A nice chunk of cash for sure but . . .

What is the cost of operating such a boat? Accepting that the cost of fuel here is about double what they pay in the States, you have only to ask any commercial fishermen to get a pretty firm idea that the sums of money featured in the show will not go too far to meeting the overheads and, when the proceeds are split between the captain (presumably the boat owner) and crew, even a good season doesn’t make for survival wages. Still, it is a television reality show, as far as they go.

Another thing that must be recognised is that many of the International Game Fish Association rules are ignored or just plain broken. Fair enough, there are commercial craft where no holds are barred, but every so often the boats claim to be under charter (a plausible source of additional income) and a sportsman comes aboard. One would think that, in such cases, accepted tournament rules would apply, but they certainly do not.

This also raises an issue locally where some of the more seasoned anglers harbour suspicions that not everyone entering fish in tournaments or club competitions really plays by the rules.

The heart of the problem is that most anglers do not actually know all the rules and regulations that govern game fishing as sanctioned by the IGFA. There are a few rules that most know but plenty that do not even occur to some. Handling of the rod by a single individual is generally accepted to be required if a fish is to be recognised for competitive purposes. That almost automatically disqualifies fish caught by tourists on charter boats where the mate usually grabs the rod, hooks the fish and passes it to the angler. The mere touching of the rod, line or reel by anyone else, even if by accident — such as not being able to get out of the way in time — is sufficient to disqualify a fish.

The other more obvious rules apply to using a rod holder that allows the fish to be hooked before the rod is removed from the holder. These are commonly attached to chairs and their use will disqualify a catch. Resting a rod on a gunwale while fighting a fish is also a “no, no”, although a momentary touch when the fish pulls harder is allowed.

Where things really get hairy is when there is only one person doing the fishing. Putting the rod into any sort of holder after taking it out is against the rules, unless the fish has been gaffed or netted, or someone else has hold of the leader before gaffing or netting the fish; pretty tough if you are alone. And that is only the beginning of some of the regulations that apply to Tight Lines!!!