BRRRR, that little cold snap certainly set back spring by a week or so. The offshore water temperature was easing its way upward but there is no doubt but that the passage of that front reversed that trend. It also put most boatowners back into the mid-December frame of mind, when the mere thought of boating was relegated to the darkest recesses of the mind.

It would do well to forget last week and to look ahead. It is barely two weeks to the start of the month of May, which date has always been considered to be the official start of the sport fishing season. Others will recall that it is only some three weeks after that, that Bermudians hail the onset of summer. Rest assured, you only have five weeks to get that boat spruced up, seen to and ready for the mandatory picnic on the 24th.

In the meantime, the fish will start biting. In fact, any day now should see improvement in catches. Part of this will be the result of increased effort as more and more of the charter and commercial fleets get back into action. Offshore, things have been showing some signs of activity although that cold blow probably set things back a mite. There are now fairly consistent reports of yellowfin tuna on the Banks, right up on the northern sides, just where you might expect them.

For the most part, the fish are schoolies and that makes light tackle a more than viable option. Unfortunately, after a long winter, most boats are more inclined to want to fill the fish box so it is 50-lb gear and better than usually gets the nod.

Wahoo continue to be sporadic although some boats have boasted some degree of success. It is quite likely that there will be a sudden flurry of activity somewhere on Bermuda's Edge over the next few weeks and that should be the commencement of the spring run. Never long-lived, expect the fish to move daily around the platform making it necessary to move farther ahead each day until the schools spread out and form the loosely bound aggregations that seem to be characteristic of this species. That's when the action on the Banks will pick up with the southern and southeastern sides being the venues of choice.

The modern practice of dragging lures and baits through the Churn has resulted in a bit of billfish activity. A couple of white marlin have provided some action and there have been at least two reasonably reliable reports of blue marlin, including a fish estimated at about 400 pounds that gave Joey Dawson's Gringo a bit of a surprise. So, despite the vagaries of the weather there are some encouraging signs and you would be well advised to make preparations for the season now and not procrastinate.

The inshore is also showing promise. There are some jacks and mackerel in the inshore waters and trolling small jigs and feathers is often a formula for success. The old trick of running a feather a foot or so behind a spoon is very effective and can be relied on to produce strikes from jacks, small bonitas and occasionally larger fish.

On bright sunny days, there are bonefish to be had on the usual flats. These will tend to be spooky but they can be caught. Bait works well but don't tell the purists who will cringe in horror at the mere suggestion of such a travesty.

The summer beckons and with it, all too few opportunities for catching the big one! It must also be that time of the year again when local light tackle enthusiasts head south to Florida for the Key West Light Tackle Tournament. This weekend saw Bobby Rego, Danny Fox, Crayton Greene, Francis Patterson, Cindy Mitchell and Peter Mitchell jet out to meet up with Andy Down and Mark Mitchell in an attempt to make a name for themselves.

This year's event has drawn a total of 16 teams of two anglers apiece who will fish the four days on a different boat each day, thereby making as level a playing field as possible.

This tournament which is almost wholly a release event, sees the teams competing for honours on a variety of species. Tarpon, sailfish, permit, blackfin tuna, dolphin, barracuda, dolphin and grouper all score points subject to the type of tackle used and test line. There are also special awards in the fly fishing category.

The Sandpipers, better known as Bobby Rego and Danny Fox, are the defending champions with Danny having also been last year's high point angler. It is to be hoped that the Bermuda contingent once again acquits itself with the aplomb usually expected from such light tackle specialists.

Still on the subject of playing away from home, most avid readers of the fishing literature, especially magazines, will have learned that each month a new hotspot is discovered. There are tales of myriad fish that are all hell-bent on committing suicide much to every angler's delight. Then there are shots of exotic camps set in the wilderness where the champagne flows and the sunsets are breathtaking. If it all sounds a bit too good to be true than it probably is. For the most part, all fishing destinations have their slow days and, knowing one's own luck, it is almost inevitable that your day there will just happen to be one of those. There is an alternative though.

What they say about Costa Rica is pretty much bang on. The boats may not be as grand as some places and the accommodations vary widely according to location and your budget but there is little chance that you will ever see so much sea life in one place at one time as off their Pacific coast. Turtles, dolphins of several species, sea snakes and other wonders of the deep abound and are just plain amazing to see in such quantity. As for the fishing, you have to try it to believe it. Wahoo are literally caught off the rocks and there are more school-sized dolphinfish (dorado, down there) than enough. As for all those photographs of Pacific sailfish doing all sorts of aerobatics, it is, quite simply true. Roosterfish also live up to their billing and are well worth a shot. The local skippers, etc. are quite competent and there is actually a tendency to favour light tackle. In short, if you are ever thinking about an angling vacation, it is one great place to pretty much ensure some really Tight lines!!!