600 lb Swordfish Caught In Stuart Florida - 600lb

[Mike]

Just got a call from Brian (Legal Limit), he has a 103 inch fork length fish at a marina in Stuart. Estimating the fish at 500lbs... He has pictures to send us when he gets in...

If anyone has a scale up his way,give me a call 954-817-4634 and I'll hook you up with him.. he cant find a scale that goes over 300lbs..

--
Final measurements - 104 LJF - 68 inch girth

Formual weight is : 601.12

Mike

[Mike]

Thanks to beerman for getting the pictures...

[Shark Tagger]

OMG :shock: Can't wait to hear the story

[Beerman]

All I can say is I got a call @ 5 am and was out the door with camera in hand........and that fish is just SICK, cant get over the size of that thing!! Congrats guys, guess the new lights work like a charm!!!! Hope they find a scale to get an offical weight!!

[Randy]

WOW !! MY scale only goes 300# !! Maybe a marina/bait store will let you weigh it ! Congratulations !!!

[RiskTaker]

Amazing:

Way to go Legal Limit! One for the Beerman too for delivering the photos. It is great to see some unusually big fish every so often. Hey, is that an LED light he is holding up in the background? Mike, this fish should get a double booking in the 200 lb. club gallery.

Glad to see a big fish or two being caught from the individual hook & line boats rather than a whole string of them from a longline set. (Recall Irish Wake's 508 lb.er from last Thursday night too.)

Conservation Note - These big fish are likely breeding females, so in some ways anglers might consider to let the extra big ones go, if you are trying to be an active conservationist. But that is always a tough call when you know there is commercial longline pressure to the North and South of you and limited commercial pressure in the general vicinity. When there is competition, you usually take what you can get, not to mention just stocking the freezer and sharing.

Good job guys ! I do not mean to be critical AT ALL of any recreational angler taking these big fish but just to plant a friendly reminder among the readers that these big fish have active roles in restocking the swordfish populations and maintaining a healthy fishery. The more that are around the better it is for the fishery. But this is a good sign that there are a few in the neighborhood

[Beerman]

I believe its a new LED light that runs off of batteries, they were field testing it out, but I will let Brian (LegalLimit) tell you more about them!!!

[CaptainEd]

Now's a good time to laugh at the few idiots that posted bullshit comments because someone on my boat kept a dead 49" REPORTED, LEGAL fish. All anonymous of course. It's also an appropriate time to point out that you do a hell of a lot more damage to the swordfishery taking one of these large, established breeders that take over a decade to mature than you do a rat.

Having that said I have talked to quite a few people who are managing and studying the sword fishery. They have told me that they do not see a need for a slot limit right now but it is a topic of interest. It has to be bitter sweet to kill a magnificent fish that size. Congrats on the awesome catch guys :thumleft: but I hope you don't get another one like that. :thumright:

[JahMussa]

That's what I want to catch next!!!

[Mike]

I just got the call with the offical measurements done by Grey's Taxidermy.

105' LJFL
72' Girth

Formula = 72x72x105/800 =680.40

[J.P Freeman]

that is a monster. i hope they get her to a scale. congrats guys, well done.

[purplefunk]

i heard they got it on hand gear

[Shark Tagger]

Originally Posted by purplefunk

i heard they got it on hand gear

Either way.. still one hell of a catch... good job to capt and crew. Can't be a state record if it was on hand gear.

I believe Florida record is 612lbs out of key largo in the early 80's.

[Toad]

These guys are longliners. I'll be impressed when they bring something in by rod and reel. This site should be reserved for anglers.

[CaptainEd]

Longliners? Why even post this Mike if that's true? If this fish was caught on R&R it's an impresive catch. If it was caught longlining, Whoopdeeshit...

[Shark Tagger]

Originally Posted by Toad

These guys are longliners. I'll be impressed when they bring something in by rod and reel. This site should be reserved for anglers.

You obviously don't know how hand gear works.. nothing like a long line.. and I think many of these hand gear guys fish rod and reel also..

I know we all want to practice conservation, but if this fishery explodes too much and us anglers are consistently getting fish over 200lbs, I think it will open the doors for longliners..

By having less than 5 commercial hand gear guys that can fish just 12 hooks, i think we are ok and don't need to bash them...

Just my .02

[Mike]

Originally Posted by CaptainEd

Longliners? Why even post this Mike if that's true? If this fish was caught on R&R it's an impresive catch. If it was caught longlining, Whoopdeeshit...

Timmy is a good friend of the swordfish club. He stays clear to the North of our grounds and always shares valuable information with the club... He is not longlining, but like shark tagger mentioned he is restricted to 12 hooks...hardly a long line..

This fish was caught off Stuart...

I still think it is a great catch...

[Ron.38 Special]

I talked to Tim early this morning.

Of course it wasn't longlining! As I have said many times here, no one is permitted to fish a longine off Florida and it isn't likely to happen any time soon.

The fish was caught on bouy gear and for those doubters, its really a handline. A bouy, and a hundred feet or so of line.

While I understand why R&R's would think of it a less of a catch, try boating your next 50 incher by hand without the rod and reel. This thing pulled something like 80#'s for three hours.

Great catch Tim !

( And yes Tim is a great friend and member of the swordfish club and does more than any other swordfisherman I know to keep up with and influence the regulations and whole process at NMFS. )

[Shark Tagger]

I've never met Tim, but handgear is a far stretch from longlining...I think this guy deserves credit for sure.

I also read on the FS forum that there are about 20 handgear permits out there..

I'll take that over 1 longliner, anyday...

Tight lines

[Mike]

Here's a few more pics.. I always say you know the fish is big when the picture is taken during daylight...