Logo: Orvis Endorsed Guide Service
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Image: Bo Stanford with a 97lb swordfish caught daytime fishing
Sword Fishing in South Florida is red hot and is starting to draw a lot of attention from anglers keen on big game fishing. Last Cast Charters carries a crew of two on sword trips and can accommodate up to four anglers wanting to target these monsters of the deep. As with any type of big game fishing patience is a must and conditions must be right. These fish are available year round but summer offers the best weather. I will make the call on conditions so if you are serious about targeting these fish plan a few days to land the weather window. We usually plan to leave 3 hrs before sunset and work our way out dolphin fishing and once the sun starts to set its time to get lines in the water. The bite usually happens close to sunset and we fish until midnight or so. Trips are 8hrs but if the bite happens to be red hot we can add a two hour extension for $150. The main reason swordfish have rebounded in our area is conservation. We like releasing as may bilfish as possible and limit to one fish per night.
Image: 11 year old Tommy with his first sword
Baits for swordfish include large squid and tinker mackrell but live baits are also used. Goggle eyes and blue runners are both great baits. We rig the squid with large single circle hooks and a Better Bait rig supporting the top of the squid. The Better Bait rig is used for ballyhoo and squid. You can also floss the top of the bait to the line. This causes the squid to hang virtically, due to the weight of the hook, and is less appealing to the fish. By adding weight to the top of the squid it lies horizontally in the water. 300lb mono is standard and our main leaders are cut to 8ft. From there it is a snap swivle then wind on leader of 200-300lbs. A 5 foot bimini above the leaders and then 50lb main line. We set our drags to 11lbs at strike. Baits are staggered beyond the boat and suspended under baloons. The longest bait is down at 50ft. The next closest bait is at 100ft. In from there is a bait down at 200. Finally straight off the rod tip is a bait down at 300. We will adjust the baits by the moon as with the lights above the baits. Electralum lights are above the baits and the weights are suspened on a break away under the light. We sometimes add a strobe to the light. Hope this is information that can help you if you are going to try it on your own.
Image: rigged swordfish squid
Daytime swordfishing is the hot thing in South Florida right now. Come be a part of the action without staying up late, or choose to mix both day and night in one trip. Fishing for swordfish in the daytime is a very produtive means of catching one of these apex preditors. Fish are hooked near the bottom in 1200-2000 ft. so be ready to crank for a long time.
Last Cast Charters
e-mail: scarpa1@bellsouth.net
phone: (305) 744-9796
Cell: (256) 762-6140
Image: Orvis Endorsed Guide
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