PROCRASTINATORS beware, it is almost time to take the boat out of water and to stow the rods and reels away for the winter. You must have noticed that there is a definite autumnal feel to the air these days, indicative that the season is rapidly on the wane. But until the cold fronts bring gales and heavy weather with them, there is an Indian summer of angling that has to be experienced to be believed.

Trolling is still producing good hauls of wahoo, yellowfin tuna, the occasional dolphin and plenty of potential live baits in the form of juvenile mackerel and blackfin tuna. Purists will insist that blackfin make a better bait because they last longer but, if you think about it, the object of the exercise is to trade them in as quickly as possible.

It may be that the numbers of wahoo are not as large as they were a couple of weeks ago but the average size is absolutely nothing to argue about. It has to be near the 40-pound average that the old fishing articles claimed was the norm for Bermuda. Throw in the odd larger fish and this has to be one of the world's best places for hunting trophy 'hoo.

There are still enough yellowfin tuna on the offshore grounds to justify putting in some chumming time. The problem is with the cooler weather starting to set in. The tides usually go into funky mode and it is hard to establish a good chum line. On the occasions that you can manage it, the tuna will please. There is, of course, the alternative of anchoring up a bit shallower and having some fun with the smaller game inclusive of the blackfin tuna that will test anyone's light tackle.

Barracuda, mackerel, rainbow runner and other species will flock to a decent chum line and any one of these will provide some fair sport.

Although many would not credit it, now is an excellent time of the year to concentrate on two often ignored game species, both of which attain record breaking sizes in local waters. These are the Almaco jack (locally bonita) and the greater amberjack (locally amberfish).

Although not obviously so, both species are members of the jack family. The reason that this is not obvious is that one main characteristic of the jacks is not found in either species. This is the row of scutes or altered scales that make for bony projections along the lateral line, often most prominent near the tail. Even on another common member of the jack family, the ocean robin, these can be easily discerned. Think about all the other jacks (and their myriad names which vary widely even to the point of having different monikers in Somerset and St. George's) and the consistency of this feature becomes readily apparent.

While on this subject there are two other game fish that belong in the jack family that do not exhibit these structures. One is the locally common rainbow runner and the other is the California yellowtail. The latter is closely related to both the amber and bonita, providing some level of consistency. If you really want to take these relationships seriously, you will find other species such as the lesser amberjack (locally bastard amberfish) that fit the mould perfectly. To return to the piscatorial aspects of these game fish, they are commonly caught over the deeper reefs and along Bermuda's Edge and on the Banks.

Best of all, now that the seasonally protected areas are again open to fishing, some prime spots for encountering them are again accessible.

Chumming is the standard method of fishing for ambers and bonitas even though it is not all that common to have them actually come up into the chumline, as they tend to hover over the bottom. While live robins are the preferred bait, live frigate mackerel also work well. The trick with the latter is to get them to go down rather than out. This can often be accomplished by the use of a lead sinker. Think of a silvery fish flashing down in the depths and it is easy to see how this can serve as a major attractant for a predatory species.

Fresh cut bait and whole anchovy also catch their fair share of these deep dwellers and there are those who swear by the use of squid. Generally speaking, bottom bouncing for hinds and coneys can also get the attention of the larger jacks. The trick is to have a hook that is some distance (a few feet) above the bottom, basically just over the reef structure.

Although the actual size of the fish vary widely, the Almaco jack exceeds 100 pounds in local waters (30 to 50 pounders are reasonably common) and the amberjack probably reaches 200 pounds. This information should suggest that Bermuda fish can dominate the world record book. Locally caught amberjack have often featured in the world limelight although in recent years, complacency has seen many of these superseded by fish caught elsewhere.

Because the bonita has only recently been recognised as an IGFA line class species, there is plenty of potential for local fish to garner the lion's share of the records. Evidence for this stems from the fact that virtually all the Bermuda line class records exceed anything that has so far graced the world record book. All this should take is a bit of effort and the determination to complete the necessary paperwork that world record applications require.

Inshore, it is getting late for bonefish although they will continue to please until the first gales drive them out into deeper water. The pompano are at their best now, with large (two pounds plus!) fish not being uncommon. There are still some snappers around docks and pilings but they too are thinking about moving on out.

Anglers fishing from Watford Bridge seem to get their fair share of good catches; probably because this spans one of the main arteries in and out of the Great Sound. Along with the canny snappers that hang around the supports there are plenty of other species, usually on the move. These include yellowtail snapper, gwelly and some hefty bonitas and rockfish have been taken in this vicinity, so don't totally discount shore fishing just yet.

Despite the benign weather at present, the chill and wind are not too far away and now is probably the final opportunity for the average weekender to make a go of it. Forget the gridiron on Sunday, get the boat off the moorings and try for some late season Tight lines!!!