SUMMER doldrums. Is it really too hot to go fishing? Are that many people away? There are fish out there but effort is not what you would expect to see during high summer.

There is still plenty of billfish activity. It seems the main thing is to have the inclination to go dragging out in the deep. Some of the fish seen or hooked have been full size and there will be a few more shots at fish in the humungous class; probably for people doing their best to avoid marlin. They do have that knack.

The wahoo have slowed as is expected during the summer, best trolling chances are at first light or very late in the day. Tuna activity is sporadic with chumming producing plenty of small game with the blackfins pretty much willing to please. The yellowfins remain elusive with some nice fish taking trolls but it proving difficult to get them to feed in the chum on a consistent basis. Throw in a few dolphin (fish) and it is possible to come up with a bit of variety to show for a day's efforts.

The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) has seen fit to expand the number of species that will be recognised for line class records. This international body is the organization that maintains all the world line class and all-tackle records for game fish as well as making the rules that govern sportfishing worldwide. From time to time, they modify rules or, as in this case, expand the number of species that are recognized as game fish.

The latter point will probably come into some criticism from various members of the sport fishing fraternity. Bermuda has always been quite conservative in the number (17) of species that are considered game fish with the absolute exclusion of all shark species.

Of the eight species recently announced, two are germane to Bermuda. These are the grey snapper and the black grouper.

For the avoidance of doubt and to give local anglers some really great opportunities at making the record book, here is the Bermudian version of the newly accepted species.

First off, Bermuda has long regarded the grey snapper as a game fish even though most other places did not. Funny, it was the same story with the yellowtail snapper as it was only accepted by I.G.F.A. a few years ago. This species is the ordinary snapper or "lawyer" that hangs around docks and bridges and does its best to drive fishermen nuts.

There are times (now past this season) that the fish are a bit more vulnerable than they usually are. Right now, the best chance for a trophy grey might well be the site of Argus Tower. Mixed in with the myriad jacks and other "junk" species that are so plentiful on the site are some hefty grey dogs. This has to be a good spot to launch your assault on the record books.

Think outside the box: snappers will take live baits with alacrity and there are a few artificials that can be cast and worked that will get their interest. Over the reefs and inshore bait is best with fresh fry having a bit of an edge over other potential offerings. A bit of rare roast beef is a bit of a delicacy but the use of such is contrary to IGFA rules, so if a record attempt is intended, it will be back to the usual selection of goodies.

Now for a word of caution. There have been plenty of reports of snappers in the 20-pound range. Giants have been spotted and there is no shortage of fish tales. But therein lies a potential pitfall.

A good overview of this species can be found on the Internet at

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/GraySnapper/Graysnapper.html which states that the top size is about ten pounds. The Florida state record comes in at 17 pounds, nixing some of the value of that information. Local records are similarly impressive although the concentration on light tackle means that the biggest specimens have not been caught in a sporting manner.

Where the problem comes in is with another species entirely. The cubera snapper very closely resembles the grey snapper and even scientists can have

a tough time separating the two. The cubera attains sizes in excess of 100 pounds and has been recorded from Bermuda. So, if you happen to catch a real giant of a grey, get it checked out before celebrating a new record, it just might not be what you think it is.

The fishy name game comes into its own once again. The black grouper is what we call a rockfish. Or a runner rockfish even though just plain "rockfish" is what comes to mind for most of us. Fact number one: rockfish get big.

Fact number two: they get really big here. Fact number three and this is the problematic one: although we have all sorts of novel ways of catching rockfish, sporting tackle seldom enters into the equation. We think of this as an eating fish not a sporting fish.

The Florida record is 113 pounds, a size easily bested by some of the big critters that lurk around our reefs. The trick here will be to devise a way of catching the real hefty rockfish using sporting means. Hand lining is out and while trolling 130 lb. test might well get the all-tackle record, trolling lighter line classes will just end up in breakaways and lost fish.

Even the masters at catching rockfish off the rocks are going to be up against it if they are forced into using regulation tackle.

Again some good general information can be found on the web at http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/gallery/descript/blackgrouper/blackgrouper.html where the top weight is estimated at over 80 kilograms (179+ pounds).

So, two new species for local anglers to try to get their names into the record book. Both offer excellent chances locally because the fish do attain large sizes here and are readily available. It will just take a bit of a mindset change to get away from the hook and hold mentality and concentrate on playing by the rules.

Not much longer now to the Mid-Ocean Wahoo Tournament ¿ high time to get your entry in. Offshore is not exactly "wahoo friendly" at the moment but all that can change in the blink of an eye. A nice influx of frigate mackerel would undoubtedly do the job and see some red hot activity. Even without them, the autumnal run should commence any time now and the action should heat up. If the spring run was any indication of what is to come then, for sure, there will be no shortage of Tight lines!!!