Not exactly fishing weather, by any stretch of the imagination, at least not for the weekender who seeks pleasurable days afloat with the promise of reward.

Professionals usually concentrate on other fishing methods during the months of January through about March, although a very few will continue to troll and take their chances with the mixed results that seem to be par for the course at present.

There are a few wahoo about and, presumably because of the amount of seaweed that is still to be found in large mats offshore, there are some dolphin around. Numbers of either species are not great but it is possible to settle for one or two without burning outrageous amounts of fuel. Greed is an enemy when the fish are few and far between.

Far better to run up on the Edge, spend an hour or so and then head home with a single 35-pounder in the boat. Discretion can indeed be the better part of valour for someone who is doing this primarily for pleasure.

On the other hand, the commercial operator is faced with trying to turn a profit and most of them have accepted the fact that the lobster traps offer the best chance of a return. Even so, those can be fraught with difficulty as things like octopus or scuttles usually show an increase in numbers during the winter months.

Octopus are the ultimate in diners: they gorge themselves on fresh lobster and can demolish even a huge one in a matter of seconds. In fact, it approaches the unbelievable, so if you ever happen to be able to observe this sort of predation in action, expect to be mystified.

Another quirk that causes commercial fishermen further anguish is that if there are several lobsters in a trap and an octopus gets in, pretty much invariably, it will be the largest one that is eaten by the mollusk. All too often, there will be a nice selection of undersized lobsters left in the trap with or without the octopus (they are pretty slick at getting out again) with the remains of what was once a nice market size spiny lobster.

Although this seems like doom and gloom, there are a couple of positives. One, the lobsterman generally catches enough lobsters each season to tide him over the winter and sometimes, things can be very profitable indeed.

The other thing, and this bit of information might be of use to the weekender, is that the octopus is often caught. While they are of little commercial value even though some people see them as a delicacy (and they ought to be, considering that they feast on lobster!), they make an excellent bait for bottom fishing. Some fishermen will keep the octopus for use as bait later on but others will either give them away or sell them cheaply to anglers who might want some good bottom bait.

Octopus is incredibly tough and will stay on just about any hook despite repeatedly being nibbled at by hinds, coneys, barbers, bonita and all those other bottom species that really fancy fresh octopus. Squid is the popular bottom bait because it can be readily purchased but octopus is by far a better bait. It also keeps well when frozen.

Rainy, blowy weekends are not going to see anyone making a beeline for their boats, unless it is to make sure that it is still afloat. With wintry weekends looming as boring for the entire family, now might just be the ideal time to turn to the younger set.

An alternative to the television is to try a spot of fishing from bridges or docks. This is eminently well suited to children who are just learning to cast a rod or who are enjoying those first thrills that come from handlining.

Although most think that the more desirable species have all departed for deeper waters this is not the case. It is just that they have, to some extents, at least been replaced by other lesser-sought after species.

First and foremost among these is the silver porgy, aka the bream. A legitimate member of the porgy family along with the blue-boned and jolt head porgies, this species has often been the victim of crass judgment and belittlement. Frequently being referred to as “****bibblers” and other less than endearing titles, the bream is no more a detritus and carrion feeder than the more highly esteemed spiny lobster that will feed on just about anything it happens on.

Nature’s processes work their wonder and turn whatever food stuffs the creature may happen upon into firm white fillet that has graced many a bag over the years.

Seemingly contrary to most thinking, bream are winter spawners and do this inshore, so their numbers tend to be greater than usual around jetties and docks that lend themselves to shoreline fishing. They will take most baits readily and offer a lively pull on light tackle, certainly enough to give a child a real thrill.

Another fish that resembles a grunt although it is greyish in colour with sort of golden streaks on the scales is the sailor’s choice. A name that has been misused in many locations, the sailor’s choice is a member of the grunt family and reaches about a foot in length. Its fillets are firm and white and overall, it is a reasonable food fish and cooks up quite well.

Neither the bream or sailor’s choice are recognized as game fish but they will put up enough of a battle to give a junior some excitement and may give a child some insight into that obsession that has so many adults craving Tight Lines!!!