First trip daytime-Big Pine Key

[Ed Walker]

After about a year of asking a lot of questions here on the forum and trying to learn about this daytime sword thing, I finally pulled together all of the gear and headed out to a spot a Key West tackle dealer told me was a good sword spot.
Suprisingly the rig went down 1600 feet just the way it was supposed to. After a while we kinda figured out the best way to send it down, where to put the rod, and that cylumes are no good. Had battery flashers/lights so that wasnt a big problem.
My squid swam real good and looked good on their return trips. I kinda came up with my own squid rigging based on some of the photos Ive seen here and with rigging wire. Kinda like rigging a ballyhoo. Seemed to work out just fine.
We made about 6 drops and only got a minimal tangle on one. I dont think we had a bite although one time we had a slight bounce lost a weight and brought up a headless squid. In fact we had headless squid twice. My guess is some kinda bottom fish.
Rig stayed straight down with homemade 12 pound weights that I poured in 4 inch PVC " slotted molds then popped out by opening the slot with a screwdriver. Put cheap swivels on the coat hanger tie spots. From my experimentation it seems that 12 inches of concrete is about right in 4 inch pipe, weighs 12 pounds. I may slightly try a little lighter next go around as we were never anything but stright down in 3 to 4s with the wind against the waves. Drift was about .7 MPH.
I had the bait about 15 feet behind the swivel connection which was about 10feet above the weight rigged on 20lb (which didnt break on the retrieve) which is fun when hand cranking.
Couple things I wasnt sure about.
1.I put the lights at the swivel, 15 feet ahead of the bait. Too far? Do I need one closer to the bait?
2. Do I need a longer leader? Seemed like the weight may have been too close to the bait.
3. Do most of daytimers just drop on the contours or outside the edges or do you look for bait/squid on the bottom machine? (this was mentioned to me by a local) I couldnt really get a good read for actuall fish down that far even on low fq. BOttom yes, fish not so much.

[DIRTYFOOT2]

We have been using a considerably longer leader Ed, and fishing the bait as much as 100' behind the weight. I still haven't got my first daytimer either though, but the setup has worked for my buddies, just not when I've been onboard. Good Luck.

[Ed Walker]

Thanks D.
Thats kinda what I thought. When the rig comes up I can see the big ol' weight and the bait at the same time and im not sure if a swordfish would like that. Then again its not dark where Im looking at it.

Where are you putting your lights then? How close to the bait should they be? On the bait leader or 100 feet away at the swivel?

Still tweaking my rig. Any input appreciated.

[weekley rehab]

Ed, I think the weight was about the right size for the current you had , I find I have to keep bumping my boat in gear to keep the bait going straight down. it is a lot of work for the captin as he has to watch were the line is in reference to the rod tip. we use 100 foot leaders we put a swivel on that leader at the 50 foot mark to allow clean swimming action the lights are 30 and 60 mark on that leader, but we have tried many different daisey chain of lights etc. A good trick is put your rig in and then at a bout 100 foot above your first bait tie a loop of wax and use a another 100 foot leader tied with light 12 pound line to the loop. This will allow it to break free and drop to bottom if you hook up a fish , but it will give you two chances on each drop to get the sword. if he slashes your first bait and comes back he may see the second above it and eat it. When using a set up like this drop the setup slowly for first 400 - 500 feet then you will be able to let it free fall to bottom . I have had best luck with squid, but I have been trying boinita strips also latley. I have caught daytime fish this way it does work , the info was shared to me by RJ boyles so special thanks to them and bobby

[Ed Walker]

Thanks again.
Hopefully if these freakin' storms ever get out of the way I can tweak it just right, drop it on the right spot, and get myself a photo of my first sword.
Its supposed to blow 30 to 50 here in the Keys tonight, just like it did in Fay and then it looks like Hanna might be coming in on us as well. It has been a tough summer as far as weather goes.

[out of the blue]

Ed
I have been trying a few daytime drops of Key West. Been out there 3 times to date so I'm a "newby" at this. Lots of trial and error. Have found that placing the weight about 75 to 125 feet in front of the bait keeps the tangles at minimum to none existent and if you get hung on the bottom it's usually the weight, you can just pop it off and re-rig another weight. I keep a wax loop at that distance, place a double ball bearing swivel there (remember to remove it when you are retrieving your line) and tie 50 feet of 25 to 30 lbs mono depending on the current. I'm using a 2 feet long 4 inch pvc pipe filled with cement ( 22 to 25 lbs) to get to the bottom and this has worked well as far as getting and staying at or near the bottom. I place a strobe light ( disco) at the swivel that attaches to my main leader which is 10 feet long. I place another light blue or green or disco anywhere from 15 to 50 feet from the bait. I just keep adjusting it until I get a bite or I'm done for the day.
Many opinions on leader length though it depends on your crew. Wind on's give you addedd flexibility. So far my best day was 1 for 4 in 1450 feet just east of the middle crack. It was a very busy bite as we only fished from 3pm to 7 pm. The other 2 trips have been good as far as getting bites though only 1 per trip and could only think of swordfish due to the appearance of the bait and the frays on the leader. Have caught a few sharks also doing this.
Good Luck out there
Mike

[Ed Walker]

Originally Posted by out of the blue

Ed
I place a strobe light ( disco) at the swivel that attaches to my main leader which is 10 feet long. I place another light blue or green or disco anywhere from 15 to 50 feet from the bait. I just keep adjusting it until I get a bite or I'm done for the day.

Thanks Mike. We fished the East Crack the other day with no bites. We should get together sometime and give them a shot although my Yellowfin is not wired for electrics..yet. The more the merrier when it comes to hand cranking that thing up (half the time my weights wouldnt come off but im working on that). Or im in for gas share anytime.
Im a bit confused about what you mean by ten foot "main leader". Im guessing you mean the part with the hook on one end of it? It is heavier leader there or something? Also, how are you getting the swivel off the wax line loop when you have a fish on?

We fished weights from 19 pounds t0 about 13 (12 inches-4 inch PVC). Had no problem staying down with 13 so Im going to experiment with a little less and try to find the lightest I can get away with. Heres a few of my experimental weights/forms and the cheapo swivel atachment things I put in them.
The split PVC idea was passed along to me by Rob Harris at Conchy Joes in KW. Using it you pop it open after the concrete sets up and the cement weight slides out and you can pour another one in it. worked remarkably well. The skinny ones were early versions that werent heavy enough and included the pipe in the weight itself.

[Disco Lady]

E/W Love the leads COÑO!!!!!!!! The lead leader goes on the loop with a small L/L snap that you remove fast and easy.Now the swivel is in front of your bait! I like mine 5 foot then comes the ossie swivel.Then it gets crimped on to the rest off tour 95 foot leader I use 300 mono.Now put your light in front of the swivel next to the bait! with a small snap I rubber dand it so it won't slide.

Tight Lines! DL,

[out of the blue]

Ed
Thanks for the pics. The main leader is indeed the one with the bait that I attach to my wind on swivel. I have tried with wind ons from 25 to 100 feet long, and currently having more success ( no tangles) with 25 feet wind on and the variable will be my main leader which I initially started with 15 feet , now down to 10 and will continue to adjust depending on results. DL says 5 feet so that is also worth a try. I have experimented with 200 to 400 lbs leader and got bit on all those test. I'm now sticking with 400 lbs. I think Rob swears by 250. Again the concept is that the lighter the leader the more bites , though not sure if this works for swords and I think if you get into a long fight you might be wishing you had 300+.
I don't pop off the cement from the pvc as it helps protect my boat on the run out there. Yet if you got the storage capacity to wrap them up thightly that would make construction for next trip easier.
When I'm done with a drift I just give it a few cranks with the boat in gear and usually pop the weight off rapidly either by adding drag or speeding up the boat. It takes to long to hand crank one of those puppies and usually I take 8 to 10 of them so will crank one back up only if running out.
Only time I have to really think about removing the double snap swivel with a fish on was with a buddy ( only sword I have caught) and he kept the boat in gear and just reached over and removed it and then continued with the fight. it's a big wax loop so removing it is very quick.
Sounds like a plan, I'll be sidelined for a couple months and will be ready then.

[Disco Lady]

[Ed Walker]

Thanks again for your input guys. Gonna manipulate my rig a little and try it again as soon as the swell dies down. Expect a very excited and photo intensive post the day I catch my first one.