Catching Swords

[DEFIANCE]

Strawberry, if all it takes is baits set no deeper than 200', would you mind explaining why the hundreds of nightime recreational shark fishermen don't connect more often? Not trying to be argumentative, just questioning the reality of the numbers. Why has the ENTIRE recreational private and sport fleet only managed a small handful caught per year? I'm talking about a very small handful, and most of those are just snagging a really pissed off swordie on the surface that does not want to eat becasue he is on the throne taking a dump and catching some rays. Why do the drift gillnetters clean house and the harpoon boats do ok in season? Why can't the recreational sport guys catch them on rod and reel? Most of the guys fishing shark use no more than a 50 with mono and a cable leader, if that. If you've ever taken a sword on rod and reel, you know what a 250+ lb sword can do to a 50 class reel with mono. Why don't we here reports of guys getting spooled at night? Swordfish spend less than 5% of thier time in 50 meters or less, and out here that generally means coming up to digest and get warm. We know on the West coast that they enter that zone to digest and warm thier brains, not to eat. 50 meters = 150 feet or so. God gave swordies eyes as big as your fist for a reason, and the ability to keep thier brain warm at depths over 2000 feet. They are not down deep just hanging out. They are there to eat. If baits are set at 200 feet or less, you'll get sharked, and often. The drift gillnetters get TONS of sharks in thier nets, TONS, along with some swordfish. If you use cable, then you'll just end up landing sharks. A guy might think he is fishing for Swords, but if you fish the top 50 meters, you know what hangs out in that zone in volume that IS in the eating mode, and it ain't swordies. Ya, we got plenty of swords that hang off our coast during the season, no doubt about that. And fishing them with bait in the top 200 feet of the water column has not worked here. In FL, they catch them both up top and down deep at night, but that is a totally different fishery as most of those fish are much smaller than the average sword off of our coast, and smaller swords seem to prefer tropical waters, not temperate waters. They do get some pigs there, but it's not a regular occurence, and it's usually in late fall or the winter. My experience has found that 300-600 feet is a great depth to set baits at during the night on the East Coast. They do get them on the bottom in 2000+ feet during the day, although I have not tried that. I've had the pleasure of talking and reviewing data for a few hours with marine biologist David Kerstetter Phd, who ran the sword satellite tagging program for NOAA. Swords dive to over 2000+ feet in search of food. They spend the majority of thier time between 700-1500 feet based on the data obtained from the satellite tags . That is the general zone on both coasts for feeding, and that is where the squid and hake are. I've taken multiple swords on the East coast, and I have yet to take one on rod and reel on the West coast. Personally, I think that's because I am typically looking for Makos, and we are fishing that top 50 meters of the water column. The night time shark guys fish the EXACT same areas as the stick boats and the drift gillnet fleet. So why don't we put more swords on board? I don't have an answer, otherwise my boat would have been plugged with swords last season. I do know what does not work, as I have beaten the top 50 meters of the water column to death.

[bunner]

I used to see alot of THE SWORDFISH mounted on walls in restaurants and sea food shops. I don't see them as much anymore. Do the commercial guys sell the swordfish? I don't see it too much on the menu it seems anyway, (friend says that they taste like albacore?) but I heard that the fight is quite a show catching on rod and reel, way better than marlin. I think that there just aren't that many harcore full-time sword killers around in this day and age. Time, fuel, limits with regs etc., $ . Maybe it's not a real good pay-off for the work involved and they are not as plentiful to attract alot of Sportfishing charters etc.

[cisurfer]

Originally Posted by DEFIANCE

Strawberry, if all it takes is baits set no deeper than 200', would you mind explaining why the hundreds of nightime recreational shark fishermen don't connect more often? Not trying to be argumentative, just questioning the reality of the numbers. Why has the ENTIRE recreational private and sport fleet only managed a small handful caught per year? I'm talking about a very small handful, and most of those are just snagging a really pissed off swordie on the surface that does not want to eat becasue he is on the throne taking a dump and catching some rays. Why do the drift gillnetters clean house and the harpoon boats do ok in season? Why can't the recreational sport guys catch them on rod and reel? Most of the guys fishing shark use no more than a 50 with mono and a cable leader, if that. If you've ever taken a sword on rod and reel, you know what a 250+ lb sword can do to a 50 class reel with mono. Why don't we here reports of guys getting spooled at night? Swordfish spend less than 5% of thier time in 50 meters or less, and out here that generally means coming up to digest and get warm. We know on the West coast that they enter that zone to digest and warm thier brains, not to eat. 50 meters = 150 feet or so. God gave swordies eyes as big as your fist for a reason, and the ability to keep thier brain warm at depths over 2000 feet. They are not down deep just hanging out. They are there to eat. If baits are set at 200 feet or less, you'll get sharked, and often. The drift gillnetters get TONS of sharks in thier nets, TONS, along with some swordfish. If you use cable, then you'll just end up landing sharks. A guy might think he is fishing for Swords, but if you fish the top 50 meters, you know what hangs out in that zone in volume that IS in the eating mode, and it ain't swordies. Ya, we got plenty of swords that hang off our coast during the season, no doubt about that. And fishing them with bait in the top 200 feet of the water column has not worked here. In FL, they catch them both up top and down deep at night, but that is a totally different fishery as most of those fish are much smaller than the average sword off of our coast, and smaller swords seem to prefer tropical waters, not temperate waters. They do get some pigs there, but it's not a regular occurence, and it's usually in late fall or the winter. My experience has found that 300-600 feet is a great depth to set baits at during the night on the East Coast. They do get them on the bottom in 2000+ feet during the day, although I have not tried that. I've had the pleasure of talking and reviewing data for a few hours with marine biologist David Kerstetter Phd, who ran the sword satellite tagging program for NOAA. Swords dive to over 2000+ feet in search of food. They spend the majority of thier time between 700-1500 feet based on the data obtained from the satellite tags . That is the general zone on both coasts for feeding, and that is where the squid and hake are. I've taken multiple swords on the East coast, and I have yet to take one on rod and reel on the West coast. Personally, I think that's because I am typically looking for Makos, and we are fishing that top 50 meters of the water column. The night time shark guys fish the EXACT same areas as the stick boats and the drift gillnet fleet. So why don't we put more swords on board? I don't have an answer, otherwise my boat would have been plugged with swords last season. I do know what does not work, as I have beaten the top 50 meters of the water column to death.

ive gotten mixed results when it comes to specific areas for harpoon vs drift net. I was told this last harpoon season sucked, but the netters were doin awesome
The boat next to ours was harpooning early in the season and drift netting in the end and he told me the spots he does good with the stick are completely different from where he does good for the net alot of times. Avalon bank, 277, 14 mile were all real good he said with the stick but he slayed em in the net off La Jolla (canyon) and lower 9.
Figure this:
your typical swordfish drift net has anywhere from 24 inch and up mesh, goes around 175 feet deep, and the maximun length by law is 1,000 fathoms.

other fish caught in the net are usually threshers, makos, and those ugly opah things or whaterver they are called mola maybe? Big eye threshers too
great whites as well. One local CI boat caught a nice size one by gina while drift nettin seabass and sold it to scripps for 5k. damn!

I heard the same as you for food. Squid, hake or haddock, there was another one that was common too, i so tired i can think. sablefish maybe (blk cod)

I think the reason we dont see em gettin caught in numbers is the number of people tryin is absolutely minimal. I think most the ones that are baited are guys lookin for marlin so they have a rig ready. I saw one last year on the way to SBI to do urchins but i didnt have any rigs like that lyin around so just checked it out and keopt goin. I personally dont feel like sittin out there all night drifting, i'd rather stuff one in the back with a dart or kick back with some hydralics and a net but thats just my opinion nobody attack me.

ive always been told that risso's dolphins are a good sign because they eat the same food

Keep in touch through the summer bro, i'll always toss you the dope when i get it. I always drill those guys when they come in, ha ha.

[cisurfer]

Originally Posted by bunner

I used to see alot of THE SWORDFISH mounted on walls in restaurants and sea food shops. I don't see them as much anymore. Do the commercial guys sell the swordfish? I don't see it too much on the menu it seems anyway, (friend says that they taste like albacore?) but I heard that the fight is quite a show catching on rod and reel, way better than marlin. I think that there just aren't that many harcore full-time sword killers around in this day and age. Time, fuel, limits with regs etc., $ . Maybe it's not a real good pay-off for the work involved and they are not as plentiful to attract alot of Sportfishing charters etc.

hard work, good pay in the begining and the price slowly goes down through the season.

i think guys were gettin around 6.75 begining of last summer and in the end my buddy came back to CI from san diego cuz they were payin 2.50 down there and here he got 3.50

everyone i know sells them to restuarants, santa monica fish co, state fish etc

[msalmon]

I appreciate all of the advice. The name of my new boat is the "Outrageous". I will be down this summer many times to try to catch these things. In stead of sleeping on the hook I'll just drift and wait for the reel to scream. I'll keep in touch if any body wants to run with me.

[DEFIANCE]

Right on Strawberry. I'll be asking for the dope and appreciate that. Shoot marineslayer and me the dope when you get it. Opah are different than molas. Opah are tasty critters that fetch a decent price and taste good, and molas are sunfish that have no value at all, except to look at in the water. What drives the price in the early season is strictly the stick boats. They take a few fish, keep the price high, and then they can afford thier boat payments and folks at the local restaurants get some really fresh swordfish. This is the way it should be done as it keeps the fishery in good health, allows some swordfish into the restaurants, and allows boat payments and decent salaries. When the netters start sometime in OCT, they drive the price into the toilet because they flood the market in a very short time period. The swords stack up bigtime in the fall and the net guys hammer them. Then they all offload within days of each other for about 6 weeks, and down goes the price, same with the Makos. Last year, the sister boat to the Pelequia out of Dana Point did pretty well with the harpoon, can't remember the name, it starts with a CH. I saw them offload a couple times with nice fish. Early and mid-season was not bad for the stick boats fishing the local spots of off OC and SD.

msalmon, let me know when you are down here.

[El Corazon]

I researched this quite a bit last fall since I didn't have time to actually fish. Spoke to a number of Florida guys about the day time technique. The swords are there, just a little deep, like 1000ft + down unless the humbolts are around and holding higher.

I will be trying for them this year, I know of other who have tried but not successful in even getting a hit.

I think it could work, just requires time/effort and of course $$$ for gas and bait.

Cheers,
David

a tequila a day keeps the Prozac at bay.

[cisurfer]

Originally Posted by DEFIANCE

Right on Strawberry. I'll be asking for the dope and appreciate that. Shoot marineslayer and me the dope when you get it. Opah are different than molas. Opah are tasty critters that fetch a decent price and taste good, and molas are sunfish that have no value at all, except to look at in the water. What drives the price in the early season is strictly the stick boats. They take a few fish, keep the price high, and then they can afford thier boat payments and folks at the local restaurants get some really fresh swordfish. This is the way it should be done as it keeps the fishery in good health, allows some swordfish into the restaurants, and allows boat payments and decent salaries. When the netters start sometime in OCT, they drive the price into the toilet because they flood the market in a very short time period. The swords stack up bigtime in the fall and the net guys hammer them. Then they all offload within days of each other for about 6 weeks, and down goes the price, same with the Makos. Last year, the sister boat to the Pelequia out of Dana Point did pretty well with the harpoon, can't remember the name, it starts with a CH. I saw them offload a couple times with nice fish. Early and mid-season was not bad for the stick boats fishing the local spots of off OC and SD.

msalmon, let me know when you are down here.

Marineslayers old man knows more than me, that dudes the man!


Are you thinking of the boat the Leslie Ann?? They knock the snot out of them every year. Its got a tuna pole rack on the stern too. sweeet ride

[DEFIANCE]

Marston and I kinda work together and share info on the offshore stuff. His son Jimmie put a pretty damned nice mako on my boat last year. The boat I was talking about looks exactly like the Pelequia, and is it's sister.

[Carnivore]

Originally Posted by El Corazon

I researched this quite a bit last fall since I didn't have time to actually fish. Spoke to a number of Florida guys about the day time technique. The swords are there, just a little deep, like 1000ft + down unless the humbolts are around and holding higher.

I will be trying for them this year, I know of other who have tried but not successful in even getting a hit.

I think it could work, just requires time/effort and of course $$$ for gas and bait.

Cheers,
David

a tequila a day keeps the Prozac at bay.

Absolutely, there is no way you will ever catch one if you don't try. Good luck and let us know when you get one or two or three.