So you want to learn how to setup a swordfish reel?
Well, the first thing you are going to have to do is get one. The question now becomes which type of reel should you choose. There are so many different reels on the market it can be overwhelming trying to decide what size and quality of reel you need.
The simplest way to determine what size reel you should choose is to identify the approximate weight of the fish your are chasing. Swordfish are generally between 400-1,000 lbs when landed so in order to fight these beasts you need a large enough reel that will hold at least 600 yards of 80 lb test line.
Reels for swordfish are available in 4 sizes:
The 4000 size is for the smaller fish and has a maximum drag of about 16 lbs. If you plan to use this reel stick with the smaller 8-12lb swordfish. This reel will hold about 250 yards of 80 lb test line and won't be large enough to fight most trophy sized fish.
The 6000 size is ideal for larger swordfish. This reel has a maximum drag of about 34 lbs and will hold 500 yards of 80 lb test line. This should be more than enough power to fight the average 10-20lb fish you are likely to encounter.
The 8000 size is what you need if you want to use something other than 80lb test line. This reel has a maximum drag of about 68 lbs and will hold 750 yards of 100 lb test line. The advantage to this size is if you are using larger hooks or live bait it won't be necessary to fight the fish for as long since the drag pressure increases significantly on these reels, resulting in less wear and tear on the fish.
The 10,000 size is the true "big game" of the swordfish world. This reel has a maximum drag of about 100 lbs and will hold 1000 yards of 100 lb test line. If you plan to fight and land trophy sized fish you need this reel or something like it in your arsenal.
Whatever size of reel you choose, make sure it is a quality product that will hold up to the demands you plan on putting on it. The last thing you want is for your reel to fail while fighting a fish.
Now that we have established what size and what quality of reel you are going to need lets move on to the next step…the rod.
The best way to determine what rod you need is the same as we used to determine reel size, by identifying how big your target fish will be. A general rule of thumb for swordfish is if the swordfish weighs less than 200 lbs it probably won't require anything more than a 10-12 ft conventional rod. This gives you more than enough power to fight most swordfish and is compact enough that you won't have a problem stowing it aboard your vessel. If you are going after larger fish or are fishing in rough conditions, 10 ft may not be long enough for you to avoid breaking the tippet. The other downside to using conventional tackle is that it will require you to use 80 lb test line. If you are fishing for swordfish this shouldn't be an issue, but if you are hunting trophy fish it will limit your drag settings and may make trolling or chumming ineffective since the maximum drag on conventional gear is generally 16 lbs.
The other option is to switch over to a stand up setup. This type of gear requires a longer rod in order to achieve the necessary leverage and power. The big advantage to using stand up tackle is you can use 100 lb test line and increase your drag settings since the maximum available drag on this type of setup is in excess of 150 lbs. You may need to invest in a different reel, but if you are planning on fighting larger fish, stand up gear is the way to go.
Next we will look at line. The first thing you need to consider is what kind of terminal tackle you plan on using and how the rod/reel/line combination you choose will affect your ability to use it. For example, if you are planning on trolling you will need to get line designed specifically for trolling. This type of fishing requires a lot of control and uses up more line than you would be able to troll with one of the conventional rods/reels combo's we talked about earlier. If you are planning on chumming it is best to use 80 lb test since the fish cut at the surface will make it difficult for them to see your bait since it is very close.
Now that you have determined what type of line you need, lets discuss a few different types and the pros and cons of each.
Monofilament has been around a long time and is still a very popular choice for many fishermen. This type of line has a lot of stretch and this can be a big plus when fighting a fish. If you have ever hooked into a fish on conventional gear you know how much they fight and how often they will head straight down to the bottom once they get a little bit of line. This means they are going after your lure, not away from it…
More social:
