swordfish rod setup? light ?

[Kevin K]

My swordfish rods do not have the big roller guides that I've seen. My rods have top roller guide and last. Middle guides are rings. My setup is like 60lb test to a wind on (25 ft 220lb) then crimped to a swivel. I then put my bait with a leader 12-15 feet long. The pain is wiring in a fish. I'd like to rig with wax line to loops so I can put my weight and light farther on the line, also guage a depth. and most of all then be able to use 3-6 foot leader to get the fish in closer to hit it with the spear. My question is will it get stuck on the rings and snap the line.

2cd is that I use the plain ole dollar light sticks and want to use electralumes. If I can't put the wax loops on the line and I'm stuck placing the weight and light on the swivel 12-15 feet from the bait. Do you guys think that is too close to the bait. I noticed the lights are 4x as bright. Risk Taker positioned the lights like 25 feet from the bait. I might have to put it like 10 feet from the bait. Is that to close to put the bait near the elactralume. Or should I just stick with light sticks...
Alright got it all out...
Thanks Kevin

[Canyon Runner]

I don't think the rings are a problem...I am sure your wind-one goes right through. I personally like the weight about 30-40' from the bait, and the light stick to be about 8-10ft from the bait. With your setup you should shorten your leader length or use a smaller wind-on swivel to get the leader closer. With a 220lb test wind-on and a 6' leader even if the fish rolls you will have plenty of heavier line to protect your main line, but when he comes up you can reel him within 6'. There are many ways to attach a light stick or LP...wax thread loop, rubber band...fish finder sliding snap swivel.
help at all?
Justin

[RiskTaker]

Kevin K:

Good to go fishing with you the other day...

I think you should be fine moving the electrolume closer than I put them. Before I started using the wind-ons, I used to put the Electrolume right onto the added ring at the snap swivel ring, just like you are stating now AND caught fish. For a time I even put the weight there too. But now I put the weight further back. The weights are 61 ft. away from the bait (5 arm length + 25 ft. wind-on plus 6 ft. leader). After seeing Ray's swordfishing seminar, that convinced me to give it a go. It seemed to make sense to me. (Oh, almost forgot, Ray mentioned 25 -70 ft. as a general weight placement. As you saw mine was a pre-set wax line with captive loop. I prefer the longer distance ADDITIONALLY because it gives you just a little more distance to take the permanent weight off before the fish is at the boat). Now after trying it for a while I seem to hook into fish very well every time. I generally don't lose fish. (You see, even from the other day, the line broke before the hook pulled, but that was not my fish and I am not counting it anyway). Although we know who rigged that one. I would like to believe that the weight placement has some effect on allowing the hooks to set better. One thing that I may even start doing myself on at least one bait would be to tape a cyalume, in-line, about 2 ft. from the bait, in addition to the brighter Elecrtrolume further away as a variation. I don't think that there is any sin with having another light on the bait.

Next, time I am going to use my super floaty things too. I was trying to see if I could wean back over to balloons, for reasons that Hannaman cited about being able to crank right past the balloon if you need too. But you obviously demonstrated how efficient it was to slap a jug on and go, compared to tying the balloon on. That makes a lot of sense for me too; especially efficiency when you pull up lines to reset. But I still want my floaty light as high as possible so it can be seen very well. The "A" game is going to be "the way business gets done" on our tightly run ship next time out. Even the googans that may come too close should be able to steer clear of that landing light! If not, then fire the potato cannon at will matey! Arrgh irat:

I bet you are all stoked up and ready to fish again. :!:

P.S. - there is also a swordfishing article in the current February, 2005 Florida sportsman. The boat J-hook sets up in a slightly different variation and there are pictures of it also. I will still prefer to keep my bait attached directly to the main line with only one in-line BB swivel, and not the two swivel "Carribbean style" connection that they show. But the concept of light location, in addition to weight is also exactly where you question as an optimum location.

[Break Away]

I personly like to use duel color duralumes @ about 9' on a dark night and the electra lumes @ 15' on a bright night. I have had a better hook up ratio after moving the weight back to at least 40'. I also use a wind on with a 6' additional leader to allow me to wind in closer. Good Luck

[fastgas]

we use longliner clips on our ballons and weights. We used to add a band
like the type women use on their hair to the wax loop so we could cut it
if the clip wouldn't come off but they don't hold up in salt water. In strong
current with the weight up that high doesn't your bait swim sideways?

[CaptainEd]

I'm using 80lb test and 25 -30 ft of 300lb mono leader. I like hand leadering these fish and I want to be ready for the big fish when & if it hits. I put the light about 4-5 ft from the squid. I use long line clips on my weights for three reasons. 1st, I can't afford to throw 4 bucks away every time a fish hit's my bait. 2nd, it's shitty to litter the bottom of the ocean with lead. 3rd, I have not had a weight ever break my line while fighting a swordfish. I use rubber bands to stop the weights and jugs from slipping on the line. At first I had a lot of trouble getting the rubber bands to hold consistantly but after a lot of trial and error I finally have that whipped. I think putting the weight 40 ft from the bait will increase your hook ups somewhat. But if you really want to increase your hook ups the area to focus on is how you rig your squid and the hook(s) you use in your rigs. That is something I spent a lot of time on and it's made quite a difference. If you set up like this all you have going through your guides/rings is tiny knots of rubber band so no problems there.