- Mar 12, 2003
- 1,274
- 45
- 54
- Name
- Charlie
- Boat Name
- 23' Parker CC, "Chesapeake Charlie"
It seems to me that most of the swordfish that are hooked locally are done so on a make-shift rod and reel that really wasn't set-up properly for baiting a swordy. More times than not this involves using a 30-40 pound bait stick with no leader material.
I think it will be difficult if not impossible to use a large trolling stick to bait swordies unless one is trolling the bait past the circling fish-----in other words, it's tough to cast an international 30 or 50 equipped with 80 pound mono.
With the recent onset of these high power-smaller sized bait reels, I think it will be feesable to set up a much lighter 40 pound bait stick using straight 100 pound spectra connected to a 6' length of 49 strand 180 pound cable. At the end of the cable I will be using a chain gang style pair of 9/0 premium hooks. There will be a ball bearing swivel connecting the spectra to the wire leader and all wire connections will be crimped. My rig will consist of an Avet JX fully loaded with spectra and an Ugly Stick 40 pound bait rod (Dan Hernandez would be proud).
Has anybody thought of using this sort of set-up? Swordfish vision at the surface is not that great---I am sure they are not going to be shy of the wire leader (Zane Gray used to use piano wire to hook these critters 100 years ago). And, it should be relatively easy to accurately lob out a small bonita or large mackeral using straight spectra as a main line---much like casting a heavy jig. I also think that using a longer, more flexible rod will reduce the possibility of ripping the hook out of the soft mouth tissue these fish have.
Any thoughts from someone who knows about hooking these fish would be appreciated.
I think it will be difficult if not impossible to use a large trolling stick to bait swordies unless one is trolling the bait past the circling fish-----in other words, it's tough to cast an international 30 or 50 equipped with 80 pound mono.
With the recent onset of these high power-smaller sized bait reels, I think it will be feesable to set up a much lighter 40 pound bait stick using straight 100 pound spectra connected to a 6' length of 49 strand 180 pound cable. At the end of the cable I will be using a chain gang style pair of 9/0 premium hooks. There will be a ball bearing swivel connecting the spectra to the wire leader and all wire connections will be crimped. My rig will consist of an Avet JX fully loaded with spectra and an Ugly Stick 40 pound bait rod (Dan Hernandez would be proud).
Has anybody thought of using this sort of set-up? Swordfish vision at the surface is not that great---I am sure they are not going to be shy of the wire leader (Zane Gray used to use piano wire to hook these critters 100 years ago). And, it should be relatively easy to accurately lob out a small bonita or large mackeral using straight spectra as a main line---much like casting a heavy jig. I also think that using a longer, more flexible rod will reduce the possibility of ripping the hook out of the soft mouth tissue these fish have.
Any thoughts from someone who knows about hooking these fish would be appreciated.
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.......... he is going to be stoked!!!!
