A lot of new anglers are pretty intimidated by the thought of catching swordfish. It's a fish that weighs 400+ pounds and it gets its name from the long spear-like bill found on its face. A fish this big holds itself differently in the water, and when you hook one your drag is going to be screaming and your heart is going to be racing.
But don't be scared! With the right techniques and gear, catching a swordfish can be an exciting and rewarding experience. In this article we'll go over everything you need to know to start targeting these big fish.
Where To Find Swordfish
Swordfish can be found in tropical and temperate areas all over the world, but they don't usually appear in abundance. They can be found most years and in most water types in the Gulf of Mexico and in Florida Keys. California also has a swordfish population worth targeting.
Swordfish travel long distances and they're often caught hundreds of miles from land by commercial fisherman, so they can be a challenge to target if you're not fishing in open water.
How To Catch Swordfish
The best way to catch a swordfish is by trolling with lures or baits. Trolling means to slowly move your boat along while casting your lure or bait out behind it. This allows you to cover a lot of ground and find the fish without them being spooked.
Swordfish have a tendency to be lazy, so even when they're in feeding mode they won't go out of their way to chase down your lure. You need to move pretty slowly when you're trolling lures or baits for swordfish because fast moving reels will send your lures out of their comfort zone.
Other fish such as kingfish, dolphin (mahi mahi) and blue marlin love to eat lures and baits that are made for catching swordfish, so you could get hit by one of these fish while trolling if you're not careful. This can be a lot of fun, but it can also result in a lot of lost tackle.
Gear For Swordfish
The best gear for catching swordfish is heavy duty and built to handle big fish. You'll need a reel that can handle a lot of drag, and you should use at least a 30-pound test line. Heavier line is better because it will give you more fighting power when you hook a fish.
Your rod should also be heavy duty and capable of handling big fish. You can use an 8 or 9-foot rod for targeting swordfish, but a 10 or 11-foot rod will give you more reach and help you cast further.
You'll also need an offset or bent butt rod holder so you can fight the fish from the comfort of your seat. This is a must-have piece of gear if you're targeting big fish.
Lures And Baits For Swordfish
There are many different lures and baits that can be used for catching swordfish, but the most popular ones are squid, ballyhoo and live mackerel.
Squid is a great bait because it's durable, easy to use and swordfish love it. You can buy squid in frozen or live form, and using a frozen squid is the best way to go if you're targeting big fish. Just cut the squid into small strips and thread them onto your hooks.
Ballyhoo is another great bait for swordfish, and it's available in both frozen and live form. Ballyhoo are a little harder to use than squid because they have a tendency to spin in the water, but they're a good bait to use if you want to target bigger fish.
Live mackerel are the best bait for targeting big swordfish, and they're also the most popular bait. You can catch live mackerel on a Sabiki rig, and they're easy to use. Just attach your Sabiki rig to your line and start trolling. The Sabiki rig will attract all sorts of small fish, and the mackerel will bite onto the hooks.
Conclusion
Catching a swordfish can be a challenging and rewarding experience, but it takes the right gear and techniques. In this article we've gone over everything you need to know to start targeting these big fish. So get out there and start fishing!
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