Is the type of main light you use very important?

[hangten]

I live in Hawaii and there are a lot of swordfish here that are not targeted by those using sportsfishing tackle. I am determined to catch a broadbill on rod and reel and I will be trying to use the methods that seem to work in Florida as a starting point to catching them here.
I would like to know how much relative importance should be placed on using a green light such as the hydroglow? I have used regular white lights to fish bait and want to know if I should forget about using one of them and buy one of the expensive flourescent green lights that seem to be commonly used in Florida?
Any input would be appreciated.
Aloha!
Mark

[LETSRIDE]

i haven't been able to post in awhile but let me tell you what i have learned from my marine science class this year. the first thing i learned and the most important i now feel in using lights for swordfish is what colors disappear in the water first. ill type the list from fast disappearing to the light you can see from the deepest.in the colors used
red
green
blue
purple/violet
you can take my word for it or not but i will tell you now when i can afford another hydroglow im definately getting the purple or blue light!

[kai akua]

alohas and e komo mai!

what isalnd you stay on?

check out this link if you want to get a cheaper version of the hydraglow. they also sell teh parts if you want to build your own.

http://www.meangreenlights.com/

what grounds you going to be fishing at? i have friends who drop rock at night for tuna, and only come accros a sword once a year. from what i hear they are more promenent on the northern side of the islands.

Alohas!

Robbie.

[hangten]

I have also fished for tuna at night though it is usually done much closer to shore than where I plan to fish for swordfish. I will be fishing north of Oahu.
I know that there seems to be a prominent season when the long line boats catch broadbills from about March through August.
aloha!
Mark

[Anonymous]

I like to use 2 lights, 1 green and 1 blue made by Rumblefish. It is just the way I like to fish, I have had many Sword attack the blue light during the fight. Most of the fish I have caught are caught when I use a Blue LP with a combo blue/green light stick (Made by LP) 3 feet up from the bait.

[RiskTaker]

Scott:

I understand that you prefer the dual light stick 3 ft. away from bait. How far back are you setting the LP Electrolume or are they bundled together?

I just reconfigured my rods with 200 lb. Momoi diamond, wind-on leaders, which I just so happened to win from the SSC meeting raffle a few Tuesdays back. Its nice to get lucky from time to time and I had been wanting to setup wind-ons anyway!

With this new configuration I am going to start using shorter snap-on leaders for the bait rigs: I am thinking about 6 ft. I have previously been attaching just an Electrolume (flasher is optional/varied) to a slip-ring that I have attached to the ring of the snap, (the bait side of the ball bearing). The ring is just large enough to accomodate the long-line clip of the electrolume. Staying with this method my electrolume will now be about 6 feet from the bait. I was previously running it about 15 - 18 ft. away.

Any comments about a configuration like this? Does it significantly matter how far or how close the light should be to the dead bait? Or is it to just call their attention to the area then the bait takes care of the rest.

Any preferred difference on light position if you are presenting a live bait?

After seeing the Swordfish seminar in Jupiter with Ray Rosher, I noted that he preferred to keep his weight about 40ft. away from the bait but I forgot how far back he preferred his light. It seemed like somewhere along the wind-on though.

Perhaps a Poll will help tally multiple preferences. But your added comments are appreciated.

RiskTaker

[greg1]

I use a 50 ft leader and attach a glowstick 6 feet up from the bait.

I am also very new and am just doing what I learned from a Commercial Sword Capt. that I grouper fish with now.

My true life experiences are limited, but he fished commercially for 7 years for swords. Out for 6 days at a time. Rod and reel not longline.

Maybe with some experience I'll start adding other lights or switch to the battery powered ones. But for now, I'm keeping it simple.