second trip = success

[just2fish]

i've been collecting the equipment for a while now and made the first trip in April. we went 0/0, however no other boats were reporting anything but jellyfish so i didn't feel so bad. after reading all the posts on bait, rigging, lights and all the other parts of this sport we made the second trip Thursday night. setup around 8:30 the GPS speed was 4.7mph to the n/w. we were east of haulover inlet. the first hit came at 9:00 on the tip rod. a short run and no hookup. checked the bait, looked ok so i put it back out. 9:30 the 100' rod starts clicking. furthest rod back, also the shallowest thanks to someone's post on how they like the shallow bait the furthest (it makes sense). anyhow, after a feeling the line and feeling the fish toying with the bait i wasn't sure if it had picked it up. it was tight then loose then tight then loose. the nerves were on overdrive and i couldn't take it anymore so on the next time it was tight i slid the strike lever to 15# (thanks to another post from this forum) of drag and started cranking. got tight but no drag screaming run. kept cranking and it felt like i was pulling a parachute through the water. still no run still no fight. at this point the balloon was at the tip so i removed it and kept cranking. next was the weight (24 oz with a dacron tagline and rubber band thanks to a post on weights) i pulled and it popped right off. now we can see the lights (about 25' from the wind-on a total of 50' from the bait, thats right, thanks to another post :-) pulled the light and now we can see the fish. he came up the port side, we were freakin trippin with the size of this thing and at the same time the fish looked at us and must have been thinking the same thing cause he left, right now, straight down, at mach 2. (thanks again for the links for jbhc 120) i took solace in knowing i had more capacity than he had depth, just worried that he would pull the hook. after an epic battle of give and take, mind games by running at the boat and thinking we lost him. the lactic acid in my system making me think I'm going to puch. he finally gave up the ghost. we stuck him at 10:00 PM. success..... so again a special thanks to the members of these forums for sharing there knowledge and know-how, it really makes a difference in the success ratio. Ray, AKA JUST2FISH something else you find out after you catch sword is how many people (friends) start bumming fish off of you. thats ok though my freezer cant hold it all anyway. >>))))('>

[ReelIntubaiter]

Congratulations! Welcome to the darkside! Any pics? Please post.

[Liquid Swords]

Nice report and some congrats as well! :salut:

[just2fish]

heres a pic

[just2fish]

oh yeah, 59" and not sure of the weight

[Relentless33]

Looks like a short fish but quite fat.

The one we had was about 74" but only weighed out at 141 lbs.

He was quite skinny

[Shark Tagger]

Nice looking broadbill there.. good job guys.

We went 1 for 1 on saturday night with a release of a 49 incher... We also had some missing baits and one missing hook...

This was on the 49 line friday night..


See ya in the hydroglow touney

ST

[Disco Lady]

CONO!!!!!~! pretty work :lol:

[GENERALturtle.]

:thumright: WTG

[quack quack]

Nice fish god job :salut:

[Excalibur]

Congrats man :thumleft:

wat did u get him on

[just2fish]

we were using squid with a single 10/0 J mustad, 200# moimoi wind-on with jbhc white 130. i took care to rig the squid with the hook exiting the mantle infront of the head and on the bottom of the squid. i sewed the head to the mantle and the hook to the mantle on the bottom to keep it in place. also used a styro float (bobber) in front of the hook and sewed it to the mantle so the squid wouldnt slide down the hook and bunch up. also makes the bait swim as natural as possible. the hook sewn to the bottom of the body kept the squid in the right attitude. i dont know if all that really made a difference or it was beginners luck. i hope it works again. thanks Ray

[Relentless33]

I saw that idea in a picture but Im not sure if I like the idea of a float in the squid.

It wouldnt make much of a difference but it's only going to make it flip upside down


:???:


Apparently it will work, how did you like it ?

[just2fish]

not to get too long winded, if the sword is a sight feeder then you should take care to present the bait as natural as possible. the bobber was on the leader in front of the 10/0. to be even more efective it could have been even further back like on the shank. the squids natural position is swimmers up and body down. this is why i didnt go through the mouth/head with the hook. instead i went through the bottom of the mantle in front fo the head. the bobber was also a stopper. when the bobber was loged into the front of the squid i sewed around it with cross hatches to the mantle. the hook sewen to the bottom kept the squid swimming like a real one and not upsidedown. i did a "test" drag while we were drifting to see how they swam and it was right on. the bobber was 3" long 1" diameter and shaped like a bullet. (day-glo red, bought them at k-mart next to my shop) with the squid on the table i measured where the hook would exit through the space between the head and mantle and cut the bobber infront of the hook leaving the taper in front to match the length of the squid.

[Relentless33]

Fair enough

Great idea that I might look into.
Although I think we are finally good on how we rigged squid.

Now who was it I had to send a picture to of the squid we rig ???

You'll have one within a few days of when I get home, which should be within a few days

[just2fish]

i remember a pic where someone used a bobber.. thats where i got the idea...