We put out a live bait first and attached the jug, then kept it in freespool with the clicker on. Put out a squid next and attached the jug. Both jugs were moving away from the boat at a good pace as we were fishing 10-15 knots out of the NE. Next the #1 jug goes off for a few extra feet then stops, within a few seconds the # 2 reel starts rolling line off at a nice pace. My mate Kenny emmediately gets tight and we get Matthew harnessed up. This fish was staying tight so we kept the pressure on. At one point the line scoped all the way to the surface and we saw the LP light flashing about 150 yards away. Then the fish turns towards the boat and puts slack in the line. Kenny was reeling at this time and had to crank over a 100 yards before we came tight. We are on the leader and we get to see our fish in the Swordlight. She was just on the edges of the light and we knew we had a lengthy fish. Then the fish surges about 300 feet or more and we slowly cranked her in, give and take for an hour. Matthew wanted the meat so we put the steel in it. As I'm holding the fish boatside another one shows up and comes exceptionally close to the gaffed fish rubbing it as it swam away. We didn't get a chance to bait the other one or else they could of gone to fish heaven together. Just kidding. Total fight time was 2 hours. The Swordfish was 75 inches in length and 49 in girth in between 225 and 250 lbs.
Next George Pinkerton from Long Island comes down for a Sailfish trip on the afternoon of the 4th. The trip started out really nice with flat calm seas and sunny weather. 2 hours later we watch the front approach from the north. Birds were in front of it a mile high flying south. The wind picked up to about 20 knots out of the north and brought the seas up to 3-5. Then the Sailfish bite turned on and George had our first one to the boat in 20 minutes for a quick picture and release. Then we got into another bite and had 2 fish circling the same Pilchard bait off the starboard stern area. One takes the bait and gets on the surface emmediately dancing all the way past the starboard bow with the other one following him. We baited that one but never got tight. George's buddy gets his fish to the boat in 10 ninutes. So we got into a nice 2 hour bite as the front moved through before we headed to the docks.
Fishing looks good so far for the winter. More cold fronts will make the Sailfish bite increase and the chance to get multiple hook-ups.
See you on the 4 foot chop,
Captain Cary Hanna
New Lattitude SportFishing Charters
954-907-0967
