Swordfish rigs

[El Mar]

I know this is the Tuna forum but anyone have insight in rigging up for swordfish?

This weekend at W Atlantis we had two good hits by swordies but in both instances after a good run and significant bend in the rod the hooks never came tight. The one sword I did get this season came on a live squid circle hook chunking rig about 60' down off Greg's 35 T. Jason.

So now that the sword bite is getting better in the NE canyons, we find ourselves targeting them more in the deep at night.

A little frustrated with the standard rig, almost to the point af throwing a treble hook in there.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[CEShawn]

Use Market Basket squid, 9/0 gamu live bait hook and 9' of 100lb mono... LOL So funny but we did the 14 yellowfin and 2 swordfish just putting a 5lb box of market basket squid out there.

 

[El Mar]

Yeah, we were using store bought swordfish rigs, I was not impressed with the hook while rigging up.

Time to make my own, thanks for the Gami suggestion.

 

[greg]

Yeah, we were using store bought swordfish rigs, I was not impressed with the hook while rigging up.

Time to make my own, thanks for the Gami suggestion.

I use an owner mtsu hook. I think that's what its called. They are about $10 each though. It can really hurt to lose a rig between the hook, the heavy fluoro, and the LP light.......

For my sword rigs, I use about 15-20 feet of 130 flouro as a leader. 20 feet seems to be about right for the LP light most nights anyway. If I have a spare rod, I'll usually do a wind on. That way it makes leader management easier.

If you go to swordfishcentral, there is a lot of good info. Or you can try these links:

Swordin 101!

Rigging Squid that Swords Can't Resist | Sport Fishing
Swordfishing - SFC Fishing Forums

 

[El Mar]

Thanks for the info Greg. I remember you had all that out in the tails that night from the helm, then the swordie hit the live squid with a circle hook chunk rig we were fishing in the pit, go figure. Haha.

 

[greg]

It's always a matter of depth. Some nights they run deep, some nights they are up top.

If you have the space, you would run more than one sword rig. One at just above the thermocline and one halfway between that and the surface. Or if no set cline, one at 300 and one at 150. If you were just swording, you could run 3-4.

Its hard running that many lines along with chunking gear though. That's why I set the sword line off amidships.

You also want a lighter drag on those lines. Maybe 12-15 pounds. They will run further, but less chance of ripping the hook.

Anyway, if you have time this winter, you can hit up the canyon runner seminar or one of the ones in southern mass. They usually have very good sessions on night time swording.

 

[CEShawn]

I will tell you this, I lost 4 giants to hooksets in one day to Super Mutu's hook. Sure people catch fish on them, I actually caught a few before with them too. I went back to my basics of using Gamugatsu live bait hook, used it for chunking canyon tuna, live bait for white marlin, striped bass and bluefin tuna. Very very very few problems...

Something with that hook and ME do not match.