Swordfish fishing
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) are probably the most sought after sport fish in the world. They live in the sub-tropical and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Meditarranean Sea and Indian Ocean. Swordfish can grow over 3 meters in length and weigh more than 600 kg (1350lb).
Swordfish are vigorous, powerful fighters; once they're hooked up deep down below, they can all of a sudden jump out of the water and immediately go back to the abbyss.
By their big eyes you can tell these billfish like to live and hunt deep below the surface. They use to stay near deep canyons, near ridges, craters or areas with pinnacles. Swordfish come to the surface at night and prefer deeper waters during daytime.
Top Swordfish Fishing destinations
Swordfish can be caught in the sub-tropical and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Meditarranean Sea and Indian Ocean. Here, they can be found at dropoffs, near deep canyons, ridges, craters, wrecks, or areas with pinnacles.
Famous places for swordfish fishing are the Messina Straits in Southern Italy, Mallorca in Spain, Croatia, in the US from Massachusetts through Texas, down into the Caribbean, California, Mexico etc.
How to fish for Swordfish
Swordfish are traditionally a bycatch while chunking for tuna at night. Swords can also be caught trolling, but the best technique to target them is dropping baits deep beneath the boat.
The challenge is getting baits down 500 meters (1640 ft) in 3 knots of current. Huge weights (5kg // 15lb) and strong braided line are used to keep the bait near the bottom. On the leader, a squid or fish is mounted on a single hook (sometimes with an octopus skirt stitched to the bait).
Other Fish Species similar to Swordfish
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Bigeye Tuna (Thunnus obesus) belong to the tuna family just like Bluefin Tuna, Albacore or Yellowfin Tuna. They can grow up to 200kg (450lb) and over 2 meters long. These pelagic fish are found in temperate and tropical waters (off shore) and are targetted mainly trolling.
MORE INFO >Bigeye Tuna
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Black marlin (Istiompax indica) grows to be as big or bigger than blue marlin, with males reaching lengths of 4.65 meters and weighing up to 750 kilograms (1500lb), females larger. They are part of a group of fish called billfish, which includes varieties of marlin, swordfish, and spearfish.
MORE INFO >Black Marlin
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The Blue Marlin (Makaira nigricans) is probably the most wanted fish in the sport fishing world. The magnificent fighter usually feeds during day time on fish, octopuses and squids. Blue Marlin is mainly caught trolling with artificial lures or with dead bait (bonito, mackerel...).
MORE INFO >Blue Marlin
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The Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a pelagic fish that can grow up to 500kg (1000lb). The biggest Bluefin Tuna ever caught was 780kg (1496lb). These great fighters can be caught trolling, jigging, casting or drifting; mainly off-shore.
MORE INFO >Bluefin Tuna
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The White Marlin (Kajikia albida) is a very nice predator which can be caught off shore in warmer waters. This powerful fighter usually feeds during day time on fish, octopuses and squids. They can be caught trolling with artificial lures or with dead bait (bonito, mackerel...).
MORE INFO >White Marlin
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Yellowfin tuna grow fast, up to 400 pounds (180kg) in about a 7-year lifespan, and they range in length from 59 inches to 88 inches long. They’re known for their torpedo shape, with a pointed nose and a sickle-shaped tail, and have dark blue backs with yellow sides (thus their name) with a silver underside.
MORE INFO >Yellowfin Tuna
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Best Swordfish Fishing Charters
Restless Lady II
Ocean City, Maryland
52,00 ft
8