The Chum Line July 2009
Welcome to the July edition of the Chum Line. There was no June edition due to the ILTT being held that month.
In this edition we give an update on:
- offshore fishing action;
- the ILTT and Bermuda Fly Fishing Invitational.
Offshore Fishing Action
If the ILTT and Bermuda Fly Fishing Invitational are anything to go by, the Yellowfin Tuna have taken up residence on both Challenger and Argus Banks. The fish all appear to be of a good size - somewhere in the 40lb to 60lb bracket.
The real question is whether the wet and windy weather that persisted through June will abate so anglers can get more time on the water in July.
The Wahoo have been a bit tough to find lately, but some very hefty 'hoo have been seen in the chum slick from time to time. They can be tough to get to bite once they get the "summertime blues". A non club boat recently picked up six Wahoo on the troll on Challenger, so the fish are still available if you happen to be in the right place at the right time.
The month of July is well known on the island because of the number of billfish tournaments held this month, including the 4th of July World Cup, the Billfish Blast, the Bermuda Big Game Classic and the Seahorse Anglers Club Billfish Tournament. Local boat 'Wound Up' cleaned up both the World Cup and the Billfish Blast. Club member Brian Lines competed in the Billfish Blast in his boat 'Off Piste' and finished that leg of the tournament season in second place. Brian's boat also finished second in overall team points in the Bermuda Big Game Classic, which means 'Off Piste' is currently in second place in the Bermuda Triple Crown.
ILTT and Bermuda Fly Fishing Invitational
The Club's flagship event, the International Light Tackle Tournament was fished in the week of 15 June. As mentioned earlier, some very nice sized Yellowfin Tuna dominated the weigh station at the Spanish Point Boat Club. The weather also tested both tournament organizers and anglers alike, with the final day's fishing having to be cancelled due to poor weather. The weather was so inclement that the tent which usually dominates the Spanish Point dock could not be erected till half way through the event!
Even though the contest was reduced to a three day affair, competition for tournament honors remained fierce. In the end the following results were declared:
- Championship team, Foxy and the Stiff Rods (featuring club member Danny Fox).
- Second place team, Double Down Byes (Club members David and Brian Lines and Dean Rea).
- Third place team, Sea Horse Anglers Club.
- Overall high point fish, a white marlin caught and released by club member, John Ringold.
- Overall high point rod, Brian Lines.
- Overall high point boat, Reel Addiction captained by Craigin Curtis.
Some fabulous fish came to the scales each day, including a 59.7lb Yellowfin Tuna landed by Brian Lines on the first day's fishing and a 58.9lb Wahoo landed by visiting angler Pete Rose on the third and final day's fishing.
Our thanks go to the ILTT sponsors who help make this event possible. Some of you may have seen the media coverage of this year's event. The Bermuda Sun ran two stories on the ILTT and VSB had television coverage of the ILTT on Friday 19 June.
Two club members, Dean Rea and Cindy Mitchell, also competed in the Bermuda Fly Fishing Invitational held later in June. That event was also dogged by poor weather and was finally reduced to a two day affair. Some very nice Yellowfin Tuna were hooked during the two days of fishing but many of those battles ended in the fish's favour. It was great to see tunas in the chum again.....and a Blue Marlin even decided to grace the chum line of one of the charter boats participating in the invitational. Regrettably the marlin was just passing through rather than being seriously interested in one of the 'Bad Hair Day' flies on offer. That would have been one heck of a fly rod capture.
Dean Rea landed the largest fish in the invitational - a 63.5lb Yellowfin Tuna on a 20lb tippet brought to the gaff after a 3 hour and 40 minute fight....either a tough fish or a rookie saltwater flyfisher...probably the latter!
Sad News
As you will all know in June we lost a great friend and long time club member when James "Jamie" Pearman passed away. Jamie will be very much missed by all of us. It is particularly poignant Jamie passed away during the ILTT, an event he had been so involved in over the years and which Cindi has been the powerhouse behind as the ILTT Tournament Secretary.
We send our love and support to Cindi and family at this difficult time. At the request of Cindi the Club has made a donation to the SPCA in memory of James.
Club Catch Records
Remember to email Francis Patterson with your catches as they come to hand over the summer months. Francis needs to know the species, the line class, and the weight of the fish, the date and the boat on which the fish was caught, along with any method of catch (fly, spincast or spinchum) other than conventional. Francis' email is fhpp@northrock.bm.
Contacting the Club
If you need to contact the Club just email us at bermudaanglersclub@bermuda.com.