Quote:
Originally Posted by dustin
Good luck out there Keith.
Frankly I have thought, knowing how well you know the shark game, the time you put in at night, as well as the commercial info you have, and the fact you were schooled by Fred, that if any of your area rod and reelers would have cracked this fishery it would certainly be you. Still, I look forward to congratulating you on your first one, two, three...
Most fishers would rather someone else put in the time and money figuring out the fishery first, but if you, or anyone can begin plonking them on the dock consistently you will certainly have company out there.
Your comment
Few anglers are aware the Mediterranean swordfish average for the most part 500 pounds,
I wish it were true but it is not. The average swordfish catch in the Med is probably more like 15 to 70 lbs. The Med is too small a piece of water for them to hide from modern technology and commercial fishing weaponry.
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First of all thank you guys for your contributions in this topic I knew I could get good feed back from SCMOL crew you guys here are the best.
The comments about the different sizes swordfish in different oceans was associated with what I read from research from scientist regarding maximum sizes.
There seems to be a possible correlation with water volume and size.
Some might see this as a negative I refer to it in hopes of attracting participation.
The over fishing is a big probblem but modern technology is working towards better management hope before total collapse.
One reason our fishery has seen an increase in humboldt's in my opinion could possibly be a result of fining and harvest of 100 million sharks a year.
The gill-net fishery and long line fishery here is responsible for a 61% blue shark by catch.
They are easily 90% depleted here from many perspectives.
Shark fishing hundreds of nights here related to sword fishing has caused allot of thinking on my part.
First of all I have only seen one swordfish at night here while shark fishing.
I believe the reasons for this are as follows.
They do not come in the lights like sharks especially right to the boat again especially when for the most part I have seen a lot of action from sharks as a result of bioluminescent hunting.
I use to be on wide open mako bites all night only to have them shut off like a light switch at day break countless times.
This was action in the 20 30 40 mako nights shut down to zero.
At that time there was not any satellite mako tracking here only acoustic tracking.
The acoustic tracking clearly showed the makos would slow way down at day break.
They did not go very deep so I figured they were going to buoyancy depth and possibly resting.
I was usually beat very satisfied and being a white boy ran home like a vampire.
What was or should I say is happening is they and the bait all dropped down to lower light levels cooler water slowing them down hence the tracking.
Most larger makos here are taken in the day where seals are available.
The larger monsters are here year round.
I usually only kept baits really close if we were not sight fishing.
About talking to Fred & David
I use them all the time they are great assets to bounce the logic & science back & forth to but I have talked to everyone and they are all telling me I am in uncharted territory re guarding the new influx of humboldt's that swordfish are making their primary diet in recent years.
There was a fishery for humboldt's well north of here back in I believe 1935 and records of them as far north as central California back in the 1800.
They all ways retreated till the predator collapse.
The main comercial sword fisheries in the pacific are in the equatorial waters north of Hawaii & off Japan and here.
Most anglers are not thinking with logic & science to approach this sword fishery in my opinion and they should as the humboldt diet changes everything.
I want to point out some things I worked hard to learn in this massive learning curve to bring others to the table and work together to learn to advance my contributions.
Harpooners are not where the swordfish are.
Swordfish are every where and harpooners are stationed in the calmest waters available.
Gill-nets are also working with convenience and closures and use to fish year round here till the closures.
Swordfish as you pointed out are well adapted for much cooler waters than Marlin & most sharks.
Swordfish here are prevalent down to 55 degrees surface well with in year round SST locally but from comercial landings & science mostly females in the cooler water of the winter.
Just as well the males are usually under 300 pounds.
The main areas that produce are the major currents around the world and here especially acording to landing records.
California & Davidson currents, the Davidson current is the California under current.
Given this current information knowing where they flow and collide is key as well as landing data associated with satellite swordfish & humboldt squid satellite tracking mirroring each other at depth night or day.
This completely and totally displaces common traditional angler beliefs and target for swordfish.
Understand in thease areas the humboldt's are not coming up and are local main swordfish diet.
Apply this to humboldt's being for the most part resident structure dwellers at depth to hid in the OML where few predators can target them where they are very comfortably being abble to breath in the arms race where others can not scientist do not understand yet they are working on.
This science research and landing data incredibly narrows down the target zone.
Lets move what I have learned a little further.
Swordfish are light sensitive and closely associated with light levels.
They feed where the humboldt's are that are not coming up in thease areas for the most part and retreat to the upper light levels to warm up and digest etc.
At night the light level is comfortable for them to swim the surface waters where it is usually the warmest when they have just eaten a fat turkey up to 100 pounds at depth that humboldt's can only swim a maximum of 15 miles per hour in schools of 1200.
Easy pic kins and now that they are fat and happy at night at surface levels they are in the 6000' X 100' gill net target drifting at night only.
Gill Nets are usually set at 30' to reduce mammal mortality.
This places them at a maximum depth of approximately 130'.
The comercial fishermen have been incredibly supportive with information as most have also had a life long dream of sport fishing swordfish.
Bottom line is I do not belive any sportfisherman have put the effort forth I have to compile and try and prove the landing data science logic and prove dis prove through effort.
I will be back on the water in a week but what I have said here is I have compiled a lot of research time and effort and am passing it on to all on a silver platter.
I feel fishing in current and counter current collision areas especially associated with temperature break areas further associated with strong chlorophyll upwelling structure
at 900'-1000' with live humboldt's is where I am at at this point.
I am using the sonar to catch humboldt's then use them live 50' above humboldt on the sonar.
Three 8' 400 pound leaders in one snap swivel 9/0 hooks.
I use one leader with bait to attract humboldt's better attached to the large squid jigs and 2 LP lights above the jig 15 & 45'
I drop down 900' with an ATD 80W and set it in strike then they start bouncing the rod and I start reeling them up then gaff them on deck in the tail.
Quickly set one of the 3, 9/0 hooks in the tail where they can swim easily and the other two in the mantel J sticking up to get the first bill whack when they remove the motor the head as they swim back wards.
They have to be in good condition of they will be instantly eaten by other humboldt's.
Fished exclusively ATD80W in strike 27-30 pounds.
I usually set three deep two off the out riggers and one out the transom on a balloon back aways.
My boat usually drifts straight perfect for the ride and not being a center console.
That's enough for now.
I look forward to hearing anyone's questions or and appreciate them they challenge the mind and help me focus on more things that are relevent from a scientific approach.
Science has all ways been my focus as it is a mighty sword edge.
I am learning more every day and every trip.
I have committed to 100 trips not fishing any other species only targeting swordfish trying to do a trip a week usually 2 or three days per trip.
Just made a lot of modifications to the boat as a result of learning new things and lost a month but I am all most ready to attack the gladiator of the deep again with a vengeance.
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