The Chum Line September/October 2009
Welcome to the September/October edition of the Chum Line.
In this edition we give an update on:
- Offshore fishing action; and
- Club news and events.
Offshore Fishing Report
The fishing theme of the moment seems to be a mix of Wahoo and Yellowfin Tuna with a smattering of Dolphin for good measure!
The Mid Ocean News Wahoo Tournament will go down as one of the more successful Wahoo tournaments of recent years with calm seas and hungry Wahoo helping to make the event a winner. Club members made a very good showing in the event... look at the haul Bobby Rego and fellow Club members amassed for the day!
The Yellowfin Tuna have made a welcome return but seem to be a bit of a mixed bag size wise. Some boats are reporting plenty of fish in the 20-30lb range, whereas other boats only manage a couple of fish for the day, but in a much larger size bracket (70-100lbs). With that size variation you'll need to choose your tackle carefully!! We hear through the grapevine that Danny Fox has accounted for a few of these big Yellowfins over recent weeks.
Dolphin, one of the nicest eating fish in Bermuda waters, are available to those anglers putting in some time offshore. A lot of these fish are in the 10-15lb range, but occasionally a big bull Dolphin will show up. These larger specimens warrant a little care when tracing and gaffing - they can be quite a handful both on the trace and on the gaff. A good tip is to not lift the Dolphin's head out of the water during tracing. Once a Dolphin's head comes out of the water while boat side all hell breaks loose! And, if possible, try to gaff the fish and swing it into the fish box in one smooth movement - and then close the lid quickly...unhooking the fish can wait till the Dolphin has settled down a little. Of course, that's the theory - the practice when fishing shorthanded or when dealing with multiple hook ups is often quite different! :)
While the prime time for billfish has passed don't rule out the possibility of hooking a White or Blue Marlin if you happen to be trolling some lures across the deep between Bermuda and the Banks. As we move into fall and winter the number of Marlin encounters rapidly tapers off, but Marlin have been landed in every month of the year in Bermuda... one never knows what is lurking out there when you go fishing!
With the Edge now open again for bottom fishing many Club members will be out filling their coolers with some tasty bottom dwelling species. These bottom dwelling fish are typically slow growing so remember to only keep what you and your family and friends can reasonably eat. In fact that is not a bad principle to apply to the harvest of fast growing pelagic species too. But it is sometimes hard to keep that in mind during a red hot bite, especially if you have had a few lean fishing trips under your belt!
Sad News
As you will all know long time Club member Keith Winter recently passed away. Keith's passing is a tremendous loss to not only the Club but also the wider fishing community on the Island. Keith will be remembered for his quiet good humor and for the encouragement he gave new anglers who were coming to the sport for the first time. We send our love and support to Helene, Kevin and family at this most difficult time.
Club Events
On 19 August Richard Lee hosted the monthly Club meeting at the RHADC and presented a very interesting segment on Lion fish in Bermuda waters.
Cindi Pearman has kindly offered to host the annual Club BBQ at her home on Wednesday 30 September. Here are all the details you need to make that entry in your diary, or Blackberry or iPhone!
Location:
Shaw Wood House
4 Green Bay Lane
Spanish Point
Ph 292-2190
Time:6.30pm
Time:
6.30pm
If you have any fish you would like to donate for the BBQ please let Cindi know (email cindipops@ibl.bm or phone 292-2190).
And if you plan on attending please RSVP to our Club Secretary Fiona Beck (fiona.beck@sccn.bm) cc Cindi so we have an idea of numbers.
Some long time Club members might recall teams from the Miami Beach Rod and Reel Club participating in the ILTT. We recently learned that after 80 years that Club has finally closed its doors due to a decline in membership.
Make a note in your diary for the two upcoming Club fun tournaments scheduled for 20 September and 4 October. See you on the water!
Club Catch Records
Finally remember to email Francis Patterson with your catches as they come to hand over the fall 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
Contact the Club by email at bermudaanglersclub@bermuda.com.