VB Swordfish

[bigg09]

I'll keep that in mind let me know when you go and i'll see waht i can do.

[Captain Fred Archer]

A couple of tips on night or deep drop swords, if no one minds. If you are getting sharked a lot, forgo the wire or cable leader if you're using it and, unfortunately, the circle hooks too if you are using them. When using the J's, most sharks will bite through the mono leader, even the heavy stuff like I at least use for swording. Because the circle hook hooks both swords and the damned sharks around the jaw hinge and even heavy mono will often survive the trip there, you will often have to deal with sharks that otherwise would have bitten you off. The downside of the J hooks is that you are going to gut hook some swords with them. Up to a point that is fine with most folks. Hopefully, you will use discretion here.

Modify your kirbed standard stainless Southern Tuna bend J's by putting them in a vise and carefully putting a few more degrees of kirb in them. This will increase your hookup and landing ratio's substantially. Just be careful when you put that bend in and wear eye protection in case the hook breaks. And don't overdue the bending. I put anywhere from 5 to 10 degrees more kirb into them and I only do it once, to try to avoid work hardening the metal.

As for me, I stick with the circles because they are so great at hooking and holding swordfish, especially big ones that require a lot of serious drag pressure to beat in a realistic time frame. And they don't do serious damage to the smaller ones that we release and want to survive.

The sharks? Unless they get ridiculous, I just consider them part of the overall game and most of the guys that I fish with actually get a kick out of catching some of them, unless there are too many of them, or it's a bigeye thresher...then, nobody wants to pick up the rod, but it's usually too late for whoever did. They fight like hell, but let 'em go because they are not good eating.

Hope that helps. I want as many of you as possible to rack up some big catches of my buddy, Elvis. Just remember, as soon as you get consistent and have a few under your belt, please carefully release those pups. After you have hooked a big one, you'll see why I say that!

Oh, yeah...Purple Fever! Get it!

[bigg09]

capt. archer. good tips, but i respectfully disagree with the circles. i have yet to gut hook a sword even at night. one thing different between night time and daytime, is the current. i feel that nighttime fishing you could possibly get away with them because you are drifting in less current, but i whole heartedly agree about the open gap j hooks. we match the size of the hook with the bait ( ie smaller hook for squid and larger for fish etc. ) we use a 10 to 15 deg. bend. with daytime fishing, you have less control over the current and i feel the off-set j's are a necessity. as for hooking the fish, i am a firm believer that less pressure is better for swords and i think if anybody is set on circles, then you better go on the light side of drag if hooking in the mouth is desired, b/c they have soft weak mouths. b/c swords play with the bait, a j off-set is better b/a you have a better shot at a hookup around the mouth and head that is bonier. i have pulled the hook out of a sword with a perfect mouth hookup by hand and split the jaw. i think personally, that you have a better chance of foul hooking in a good spot and not hurting the fish as much with a j than with a circle. if you damage the mouth than the fish can't eat. if you get them in the top jaw or in a boney part of the head, i believe a pup has a better chance of surviving than if their mouth doesn't work any more. just my opinion, but i am 100% in agreement with teh off-set j's for those that invest in this fishing with minimal shots.

[Big Jay]

I am interested to know about the sled rig. I have literally VOLUMES of notes that i have taken from magazines, the internet, little tips that capts down in Florida with "loose lips" let slide now and then.

There's a few concepts i think would work. My mind is always cranking with regards to new ways to get that bait down there.