Reputed to be one of the fastest fish in the sea, attaining speeds of 50 mph and more, the wahoo is highly prized by sports anglers for its flamboyance and by chefs for its sapidity.

Found worldwide in deeper subtropical and tropical waters, the migratory gamester somewhat resembles a kingfish or Spanish mackerel. Its back is a brilliant deep blue which has been described as metallic or electric blue. Bright blue vertical bands (or "tiger stripes") flow down its sides onto a white or silver-colored body.

Because wahoo often travel alone or in small pods numbering from four to six, offshore anglers frequently tend to overlook this gamester while searching out more popular and abundant sailfish, marlin, and dolphin.

Feeding on squid and smaller fishes, wahoo sometimes can be found around wrecks and reefs where meal targets are more numerous. Offshore trollers for marlin, cuda, sails, and dolphin commonly connect with wahoo more by accident than by design.

When hooked, wahoo can literally burn up a reel. Scorching runs usually peel several hundred yards of line from even larger 4/0 and 5/0 Penn Internationals, and more than one reel has melted from drag generated heat.

Live bait and kite fishing techniques sometimes prove productive. However, most wahoo are taken by those trolling whole baits, artificial lures, or Cotee's rigged strip baits.

Despite its relative scarcity, there's a small group of dedicated Waltonians who place the wahoo on their list of special favorites. Since there are few fish in the sea more exciting to battle, we keep our reels oiled in preparation for a wahoo bonanza every fall in Bimini where Capt. Manny Rolle hosts his Annual International Wahoo Tournament.

Usually, from November through January or February, wahoo move into Bimini waters in abundance and anyone with a hankering to meet up with these tackle destroyers might give some thought to putting this tourney on his agenda.

During these months, wahoo will also be concentrated off Walker's Cay, Green Turtle Cay, throughout the Abacos, Grand Cayman, and Bermuda, not to mention Florida's east coast waters from Jacksonville to Key West.

Most wahoo will range in weight from 20 to 30 pounds each. However, fish between 50 and 100 pounds are not unheard of. Matter of fact, the all-tackle record wahoo weighing 149 pounds came from Bimini waters.

While fishing for wahoo, anglers are also likely to encounter a blue or white marlin, a giant barracuda, a smoker king, a bull dolphin, or a hard-fighting tuna that would test the muscles of a Hulk Hogan.

Capt. Manny's annual fall tournament always headquarters at the Bimini Big Game Fishing Club which features world-class accommodations. In addition to the recently remodeled Big Game Club, anglers can opt to stay at the Admiral Hotel, the Blue Water Ltd, Brown's Hotel, and the Complete Angler Hotel where Ernest Hemingway hung out back in the 1940s.

Excellent dining is found at the Anchorage Restaurant & Bar, Fisherman's Paradise, Opal's Seafood Restaurant, and the popular Red Lion Pub. For those wanting to cook aboard their boat, all manner of groceries may be purchased from Manny's Super Market across the street from the Big Game Club.

Those of stout heart, strong body, and adventurous spirit who'd like to tangle with some of those prodigious wahoo in November can get the details by calling Manny or Carol Rolle in Bimini by dialing (809) 347-3479 (days) or (809) 347-2579 after 9 p.m.

See you there?