THE action continues to be not much short of fast and furious down at the East End.

Large yellowfin seem willing to please any day of the week and some of these fish are pretty respectable. It is a shame that no one has pursued them with some lighter tackle. The use of 20-lb or even 30-lb test would make for a lot of points in any club competition and, need you be reminded, no one has ever caught a 100-pounder on 12-lb test here in Bermuda. This could well be the opportunity of a lifetime because it can be done as attested to by the number of fish weighing in the high eighties and middle nineties actually caught on 12-lb test.

The method is quite simple just drift and chum. Finding the fish is easy too - just find where the commercial boats are concentrated and start chumming. It will probably pay to use good quality bait and pay out a bit of line, as many of the strikes are blind with the fish actually staying some distance from the boat.

No less inviting is the wahoo action. Traditional trolling and live-baiting are both paying off. Although the numbers are not spectacular, they are a lot better than would have been expected a few weeks ago when things looked kind of bleak. The quality is reasonably good with the average fish being pretty respectable and there has been a smattering of really nice fish in the over 50-pound category.

The ever-worked West End has seen some improvement recently although it does not yet rival the activity at the other end. This turnaround is reminiscent of the old days when the bulk of the effort was at the East End and, naturally, it was that end that produced the best and biggest fish. It is to be expected that this imbalance will not be prolonged and, indeed, the southwest edge and the Banks are viable options.

There are some frigate mackerel on Challenger Bank and these can be traded up. It is, however, harder to catch the tiny little mackerel than you might think. Be prepared to seriously downsize your daisy chains and accept the fact that a successful run through a school of bait might only result in one fish.

The wahoo are, again, of a reasonable size and fish to about 50 pounds can be expected. A commercial troller earlier this week reported catching four hoos and this would appear to be pretty much par for the course. Thus far, the double figures that usually characterise the autumnal wahoo run have not materialised but, as mentioned earlier, things are a lot rosier than they were a month ago when neither baits nor wahoo were on the horizon.

The tides on the Banks are really too strong for chumming and, as a result, there is little to report on that front.There was some encouraging news from Sally Tuckers though. Although the currents are considerably less than ideal, conditions are fishable and there are some yellowfin tuna to be had. A couple of commercial boats are putting in some effort and enjoying a modicum of success. If the tuna currently at the East End go on the move, they might well run up along the South Shore and move in the general direction of the Banks, possibly turning Sally Tuckers into a hot spot enroute.

For anything to come out of such developments it is necessary to be closely attuned to the on-going situation and to be able to move at short notice.

This inevitably poses problems for the weekenders as, with usually just one day to work with, the weather poses additional difficulties. Still some amateurs have the luxury of being able to go off at the drop of a hat and, just maybe, there will be plenty of good reason to dash offshore.

Aside from the fisherys mainstays - wahoo and yellowfin tuna - other species are also willing to please. Dolphin are not uncommon and although real giants are rare in local waters fish in the 10 to 20-pound range are more than acceptable. Billfish are still on the grounds and one must suspect that they will not stray too far from the congregations of tuna. Larger frigate mackerel are probably also a draw and a good reason for a big blue to ignore her depth sounder and to slide onto the Edge. So, variety is the spice of life and, for the moment at least, the blue water scene is getting on for piquant. Although considerably less thrilling than fishing for the blue water gamesters that made Bermuda famous as an angling destination, bottom fishing continues to provide an attraction all its own.

Quite apart from the fact that this method of fishing does lend itself to the capture of amberjack and Almaco jack (bonita), both of which are recognised game fish, the benefits of bottom fishing can include a supply of some of the best that Nature has to offer.

The Banks are the preferred spot for this sort of fishing but Bermuda's Edge can also prove rewarding. The real trick is in getting such a lie that allows the boat to drift along rather than across the drop-off. This means factoring in the tide, the wind and can even vary from boat to boat.

Although this may sound silly at first, the fact is that some boats offer more wind resistance than others and are therefore more subject to the prevailing breeze.

Some assistance can also be sought from a sea anchor. This device, which may be as simple as a bucket tied off to a cleat, serves to slow the rate of drift and subtly influence direction as well.

Bottom bouncing will produce the usual collection of red hind, coney and, on the Edge, barber. The so-called floating fish ambers, bonitas, gwelly and other jack species will put in an appearance from time to time.

Because these fishes spend a good deal of time cruising over the reef, it is a good idea to set a hook a good way above the lead. This gets the bait some six feet or so off the bottom where it is likely to attract predatory attention. Do yourself a favour and equip your bottom rigs with circle hooks. It is really much easier to let the fish hook themselves and there is no question but that these hooks are effective. Finally, don't skimp on the bait. Fresh fish, squid or well-stored anchovies are primo and will almost certainly assure Tight lines!!!