FISHING days will be few and far between for most of us. The weather has just about settled into its winter pattern with brief periods of calm, followed by deteriorating conditions, then a real blow and back to the calm. The entire cycle takes three or four days and is reasonably predictable. The trouble is being able to get the calm days to coincide with when you can make a run offshore. This is so problematical that many anglers simply give up and wait for the spring.

With this the present situation, it takes a bit of effort to put a positive spin on circumstances and the fact of the matter is that the fishing pretty much takes a back seat to the distractions of the season. Even people's taste buds seem intent on ham and turkey with the odd morsel of lobster or caviar slipped into the equation. Basically, fresh fish is not on the agenda.

Now, things do not have to be that way. While thinking of trophy wahoo or tuna or a marlin tearing up the surface is purely delusional, there are ways of securing a decent supply of fish without breaking the bankbook ¿ another consideration at this time of the year.

Drifting over the Banks is the key. At this time of the year, you are probably better off staying on Challenger but there may be better pickings on Argus. In the olden days, the rapidity with which the weather could change kept most boats on the closer bank until after December but that is less a consideration now given the speed at which boats move. The economy comes from running out to the Banks, getting positioned and then switching off the engine to fish in the sound of silence. Actually, it can be surprisingly noisy out there. Birds squawk, waves lap and the wind, even a light one, will whistle through the rigging. All part of the mood.

Ideal conditions are a calm sea and a light breeze. It is possible to work in more arduous conditions but there are funny circumstances such as when the tide is running directly into the wind. This keeps the boat in one place even though there may be the illusion of movement. This would be fine if you happened on a serious vein of fish but drifting is intended to move over the bottom, trying different spots.

It is also important to pay attention to the drift and the best way is to leave a recording depth sounder on. A GPS can be helpful although unless you have it showing where you have been it is back to a bit of a guessing game. The tactic behind this is to be able to position the boat such that it travels back over a productive area. When things are good, this can be repeated three or four times, often with fantastic results.

Forget about monofilament leaders with three or more hooks. These inevitably tangle themselves and cause missed bites. Use wire or other arrangements that keep the hooks clear of the mainline. Don't worry, the fish don't care if they can see the rig or not, they are interested in feeding and a bit of structure is not going to deter them.

Give yourself a real advantage and use circle hooks. Even if you don't feel the bite, chances are that the fish will hook itself. Then it is merely a matter of winding it up to the surface.

Bait is usually squid and while that works, scuttle or octopus is even better. See one of the lobster fishermen and ask him to save you one. Sooner or later octopus end up in lobster traps and while they are despised as lobster killers, they make sensational bait for bottom fish. Tough is not the word, they will last seemingly forever and a little bit goes a long way. The fish sure like it too.

The results that you can expect are the usual coneys and hinds. These are pretty much serious bottom dwellers and they generally take the lowest hooks on your rigs. There are a few fish that opt for the top or, occasionally, middle hook. Hanging around just above the bottom are the monkey rockfish; by no means plentiful but a really welcome catch. More likely is a selection of "floating fish": amberjack, bonita and gwelly. Believe it or not, even blackfin tuna have been known to take bottom rigs. They make for a real surprise. Another more likely and usually unwanted candidate comes in the form of a shark, but even these have their uses.

If you start to work deeper there are the lesser or "bastard" amberfish and things like the John Paw rockfish. To be honest, you want to avoid fishing in the over 50-fathom curve. It is hard to feel the bites and while you might be fortunate enough to catch something spectacular, the object of this exercise is to catch a selection of choice fish in short order.

A variation on this theme would be to work the 60-70 fathom area specifically for red snappers. The actual fish that is being referred to is not a red snapper at all but what's in a name anyway? They are prime table fish and while a bit more work, the quality justifies the effort.

It is possible to come up with a decent haul in just a couple of hours. Remember this is not commercial fishing and the average householder really only needs a few pounds of fish for a meal. Add on a bit of back up and you should be alright. Ten pounds of fillet is more than most people can use and even if you stick with a few whole fish for baking, it should not take too much in order to set you up for the next few weeks. This sort of fishing is well suited to the winter months and it is possible to do the same in January and February.

Where you fish will depend on the wind and tide conditions so it is usually possible to get in a bit of trolling while motoring to the spot from which you start your drift. Don't expect spectacular results but even a short troll along the edge of the Bank might get you a wahoo or two. Taking the sides off that provides more than enough pure white fillets for most families. Anything more than one is a real bonus. Best of all, the sportsman will have been rewarded with some Tight lines!!!