The Chum Line April/May 2010
Welcome to the April/May 2010 edition of the Chum Line... actually a very late April and very early May edition!!
In this edition we give an update on:
- Offshore fishing action; and
- Club news and events.
Offshore Fishing Report
In contrast to the weather woes discussed in the last newsletter, anglers have enjoyed much better weather and fishing opportunities over recent weeks. While we are not yet at the point where glass calm conditions and light winds can be expected... it is a lot better than it has been.
Even by mid-March there were some great days to get offshore. New club member Adrian Lynch enjoyed some good success on 'Island Time' in March, landing a personal best Almaco Jack on jigging tackle. At 35lbs the Almaco put up a credible fight and Adrian's smile tells how much he enjoyed it!
As some of you may know our former Club President, Niel Jones was briefly back on the Island after enjoying a break in Panama chasing Black Marlin. Here's a shot of Niel in action in Central America. Apparently the fishing, while enjoyable, was not up to its usual standards.
By now we would expect the Wahoo runs to be well and truly underway but, while there are Wahoo to be caught, the runs do not seem to have materialized. It's only a matter of time! The official start of summer is now only a few weeks away, so make sure the boat is all ready for some serious fishing action over the coming months.
One early season technique that has worked well in past years is to drop jigs down amongst the bait schools showing on the sounder. To really make the most of this technique you need to have a specialist jigging outfit loaded with braided line. Even the most enthusiastic angler will be turned into a sweaty tired mess from jigging with conventional tackle...the rods and reels are too heavy and the mono has too much stretch to make it a viable technique in deeper water. Check out 360tuna.com for some tips on how to improve your success at jigging.
Club New and Events
The month of March started on a very sad note with the loss of our President, Peter Mitchell. Peter's untimely passing leaves a big void in the lives of those who knew him. The Club will certainly miss Peter's guidance and energy as well as his enthusiasm for the local angling scene. Our thoughts are with Cindy and family.
As is to be expected we've had a changing of the guard amongst the Executive. At the recent AGM held on April 9 the following appointments were made:
- President
- Dean Rea
- Vice President
- Mark Henneberger
- Treasurer
- John Ringold
- Secretary
- Fiona Beck
- Executive Committee
- Ken Henneberger
- Executive Committee
- Steven Antonition
- Executive Committee
- Crayton Greene
- Executive Committee
- Richard Lee
- Executive Committee
- Cindi Pearman
The AGM coincided with our annual prize giving held at the RHADC. Mark Henneberger, Fiona Beck and John Ringold officiated at a very successful event, with 35 members and guests attending for the evening.
For those of you unable to attend on the night, a list of prize winners will be published on the Club website.
Speaking of the Club website we are on the cusp of launching a revamped Club website. Adrian Lynch's efforts have been fundamental to this development. Thanks for putting in the effort, Adrian.
The ILTT, our flagship tournament, draws ever closer. It looks like we will have 6 teams competing in 2010 and, as long as the weather and fish cooperate, we expect to have another great tournament. The dates for the 2010 tournament are June 6th to June 12th. We are on the lookout for a Tournament Director for the ILTT so if you are keen to expand your involvement in the Club's activities, please let our Tournament Secretary Cindi Pearman know (cindipops@ibl.bm).
The month of May brings the BFCAT tournament scheduled for 2 May and our first fun tournament for the year, scheduled for 16 May. Tight lines to those Club members participating in both events.
Finally the monthly Club meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 19th May at the RHADC at 7.30pm.
Club Catch Records
Over the spring and summer months, remember to email Francis Patterson with your catches as they come to hand. 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 email is fhpp@northrock.bm.
Contacting the Club
Contact the Club by email at bermudaanglersclub@bermuda.com.
In the meantime... get out wide and catch 'em up!
