Bait Help

[freezorburn]

I've tuna fished for years but sad to say I know very little about sword.

In dec in Miami, What kind of bait?

I've seen these pre rigged squids and i've hear of blue runners which is better?

When you rigg a live runner how do you floss the hook on?

Also in the rigging section hear they rigg a squid with a float so it would not slide down the hook.

I used a sinker. is the float better?

Ever put night glow stick inside the bait?

[Mike]

Stick to your dead baits.. squid and tinker mackeral. In december the tinkers will most likely be under your boat while fishing.. Just jig them up with sabilkis and put them out live or dead.

We bridle a live bait to the hook using a rigging needle and floss.. this is easier to demonstrate. I suggest hiring someone such as myself to teach you these things or go out on a charter with one of our approaved captains.

When rigging a squid use the rigg that is showing in the photo gallery. IT doesn't matter if you use a lead or float... the idea is so that the squid doesn't slide.

Some of us experiment with lights in the bait, but when they are biting they will eat just about anything.. it's just a matter of having a bait in the water.

Good LUCK!

[greg1]

Anybody ever use Boston/Atlantic mackerel?

I tried soaking a spanish in pogey oil and all I caught was sharks.

[Mike]

I'd love to get my hands on a boston mackeral. Tinkers are just as good, but I like to mix up the spread.

I haven't been fishing as long as some of the other guys.. but I have tried a spanish mackeral on numerous occasions without a bite? Probably just not my night...

Tip: Rig your dead mackerals in the tail... better hookset!

[greg1]

Mike, what do you mean by tail rig your Macks? Just run your hook through the tail or do you rig with floss?

Also, do you know where to score Boston Macks? Maybe we could split some or something......I don't know, just thinking here.

[Mike]

Greg- Insert the hook through the tail and stitch it up using floss.. Swords 90% of the time eat the fish head first. So when they swallow it and you pull drag, you will put the hook into the gut or whereever.

As for boston mackeral, we don't need to waste our money.. This time of year the tinkers will be out there and thats what the swords will want.

I usually catch about 12 dozen and freeze them up just in case one night they don't show up on my boat, but they are under others.

Mike

[RiskTaker]

Hey Mike:

Up to what size (in Inches) of Spanish mackeral have you used for swordfishing. I imagine they are always dead by the time you can hook them up or is there some trick to keep them ticking?

Watch out for those teeth, even dead just a touch will make you bleed. I wonder if swordfish have this apprehension? Have swordfish consumed other billfish bigger than a foot or so?

Anyone.

Are there any other live baits that work well besides the ones you typically see in swordfish stomachs?

Small jacks are running in the canals right now! It would be nice to jig a few up and throw them into a bait pen, providing they work well. These things are pretty tough: you can hook one right through the tail (well behind dorsal) and they keep going. I imagine that would be a good presentation for swordfish although I have not tried it yet, just reef fishing. I will report back if I learn something good.

I asked Dean Panos the question a couple months back, " does he catch the live bait once there?" And he said he likes to always go prepared with a few livies in advance, even though you may be able to catch some fresh after setting up.

What other types of reef fish are good?

Who's doing live mullets? (and what size?)

Any typical species not recommended?

Like, I would not try to present a squirrel fish or other highly spiny fish to a sword. (But tell a Cubera that he can't have that spiny crawfish and he will tell you something, in two words or less! So I am not quite sure on the spiny hypothesis but it is a guess for starters)

Thanks for any good feedback.

RiskTaker

[FinalPoint]

Mike (Risktaker)-
There was an article a few months back about a billfish tourney that you might find interesting. It was a blue marlin tourney, and the upon cutting open the winning fish, they found a small white marlin inside of it (maybe 40-50 lbs). That put the fish over the edge for the victory. The white marlin still had it's bill attached and all. I think that is the way the story goes, I don't know where the article is anymore.
-Pat

[kai akua]

also in an issue of blue water (could be wrong though), thier was a picture of a nice size blue, with a bill from a spear fish stuck in its head. the wound was fresh and still bleeding when the boat pulled the fish in. upon gutting they found a spearfish inside of the blues stomach! i guess they made the conclusion that this fish ate the spearfish right before it hit the rigger bait. crazy stuff if you ask me! :shock:

i will see if i can dig up that issue somewhere!

Alohas!

Robbie

[freezorburn]

Originally Posted by Mike

Stick to your dead baits.. squid and tinker mackeral. In december the tinkers will most likely be under your boat while fishing.. Just jig them up with sabilkis and put them out live or dead.

We bridle a live bait to the hook using a rigging needle and floss.. this is easier to demonstrate. I suggest hiring someone such as myself to teach you these things or go out on a charter with one of our approaved captains.

When rigging a squid use the rigg that is showing in the photo gallery. IT doesn't matter if you use a lead or float... the idea is so that the squid doesn't slide.

Some of us experiment with lights in the bait, but when they are biting they will eat just about anything.. it's just a matter of having a bait in the water.

Good LUCK!

Thanks for the Advise Mike-

What would you charge to go out for a night sword fishing. I'd like to learn
the local tactics. I have a 28 foot fishing boat in Key biscayne Fl.