CaptDom

Hi guys, new to site but ready to chime in.

I am in the opposite camp for swordfish and bait presentation. I feel that less is definitely more, and use as simple a rig as I can. I use a 4 foot leader(90-130 pound flouro) and a 4x circle hook. It is essentially the same rig I use in tandem for tunas, I just use lighter leader(50-80#). It also allows for targeting both species without sacrificing any tuna bites from the extra hardware and heavy leader on your deep bait intended for swords. That's it. It is to time consuming for me number 1, but also I feel handling any bait you want to fish with too much is never a good idea. I use a very small squid in comparison to alot of other swordies, and have never used any kind of lumen near the baits like lightsticks or disco balls. I think if the bait is too large for the sword to swallow up easily, he's just gonna shred it with his bill and leave a tiny portion on the hook. By using the circle hook, I prevent the chances of gut hooking a fish, and the hook usually finds purchase in the corner of the swords mouth. Swords have notoriously soft mouths, and I find less pulled hooks from the small circle hooks, as they leave a smaller entrance hole to start. You can engage the reel to your strike setting, and don't have to worry about popping any off or breaking the leader on the strike. The move up the lever to full strike after the fish has taken his initial run for a bit.

We landed and kept 13 swords this year to 300 pounds, and released another 18 or so, including 5 tiny guys under 30 pounds. This was our best year on swords, and I got to see alot of different things that these fish do. They are definitely coming back to the Northeast canyons big time, and I think it will only get better as they seem to be a prolific breeder and grower when left alone.

Some of my observations: Only 3 of our fish came on the deep bait, none keepers. The rest were landed on the short(20-30feet) or mid(70-100) baits set out. All were taken on either fresh dead or live squid, in the 4-6 inch variety. They often come charging through the chum line right at the surface, and seem to get in a trance when the squid are heavy around the light. They will light up and just swim in crazy patterns eating whatever they encounter. They are very easy to hook when in this state. We had 2 different blitzes this year, a 4 sword and a 6 sword night. Both were drifting trips 1 in Atlantis in 900-1000 feet, another in 700-900 feet off the east side of the tails. Swords will go airborne sometimes, especially the bigger ones. The party boats had a great year on the swords as well, I think they are especially adept at drawing them in due to their lights and heavy amounts of baits in the water; they truely are garbage dumps and will eat alot of cut baits readily. The pressure you put on a fish will directly relate to the way the fish pulls back. By not horsing them and more guiding them up with smooth and easy pressure you will get a shot at darting or gaffing them much quicker than if you put the screws to them.(sometimes they just start hot and stay that way, but try using lighter pressure next time your hooked into a sure sword.) Go for the gills when darting or gaffing, not the head.

I am not saying that the rigging procedures don't work for alot of guys, and many will swear by bigger squid. I just have found that in order to save time as well as fish for both tuna and swords at same time without dedicating a line to swords with all the gizmos and rigging the only way to go is small baits and circle hooks.

__________________
CAPT. DOM PETRARCA
COASTAL CHARTERS SPORTFISHING
NEWPORT, RI (401)-862-0358
www.coastalcharterssportfishing.com

BluewaterTops

NICE REPORT CAPT DOM.......

ChuckA From "Land of the Lost"

Welcome aboard first off ,What a great post & pics . Lots of good info there for sure

74Formula233

Wow Dom......awesome info! This is great reading this time of year!

__________________

Get Reel

I do a couple things different when I am drifting and set out sword baits. Try putting a red or hot pink glo stick in the body instead of the float. The whole squid glows and the glo stick provides just enough flotation so the squid does not just hang there. I like to use 12-14 inch tube size squid for this. It is easy to get 4 or 6 inch glo sticks in them. I secure the glo stick with rubber bands to the leader. After you get the hook in place, slide one more crimp down the leader to the tip of the squid. Crimp some rigging floss in it and use this to secure "sew" the squid so it does not bunch up. I have had good success with this on the drift with two sword baits out, one above and one below the thermocline. Of course after you do this, the bite will come on one of the tuna baits set short.

BluewaterTops

good info

__________________

Custom Built T-Tops/Towers/Hardtops, Etc...
Bluewater Tops, LLC CLINTON, CT

esquired

I am making a few of those for fluke and stripers this summer - nice photos and good intructions - - Thanks to you

__________________
http://www.uchelpcenter.com/index.html

JamesDean

Hey Guys-

Thanks for the tutorial and tactics on the swordies. I plan to target them more this season.

Does anyone fish for swords on the overnight outside of the standard chunking months of late August, Sept, Oct, Nov? Are they normally around in June or July?

Thanks in advance!

__________________
JD
Maggie B
Ocean 44 SS

CaptDom

They are definitely there in May, June, and July. There are giants in them there canyons at times as well........

__________________
CAPT. DOM PETRARCA
COASTAL CHARTERS SPORTFISHING
NEWPORT, RI (401)-862-0358
www.coastalcharterssportfishing.com

JamesDean

Capt Dom-

Thanks for the info! Are there any particular "locations" better than others?....or is it standard to look for a descent temp break in relatively deep water and go for it?

BTW, Nice 31' Blackwatch you have there Capitano....I'll be going for Pacific sails on a 34' Blackwatch down in Costa Rica for 3 days in EXACTLY 29 days from now!

Looks like the Maggie B will be doing some "early" overnighters this year.

__________________
JD
Maggie B
Ocean 44 SS