Swordfishing

Alex · January 24, 2007, 11:49:10 CET

Hi! I am a "budget" fisherman, so I am looking for better and less expensive options. This year I am planning to visit Malta in April, then Lanzarotte in August and then Singapore-Hong-Kong-Kuala-Phuket in December. I may also fly to Darwin, Philippines or Indonesia with Tiger airways from Singapore, but need to check whether or not they have good and affordable game fishing there...

I can share with you my links to different game fishing sites. I attach them in MSWord format, you can save that file on your computer, then open in MSWord and save as .html file and then "import" that file into your favourites through "import/export" option in your web browser.

So, what about you? What are you fishing plans for this year?

You also said that: "... you can sleep ot on the Great Barrier Reef". What did you mean?

thnks Alex

twoutes · January 24, 2007, 12:10:05 CET

In a few days i'm taking my boat to Portland to catch some large yellow tail King fish and sharks that are running through there at the moment. In Mid Feruary up to Batemans Bay N.S.W to do some Marlin fisging, then up to Bermagui in mid March for more Marlin. I'm spending August in Malta where l hope to catch a swordfish, then to Townsville in September to catch Sailfish then back to Cairns in October/Novermber to catch Black Marlin. I normally spend more than on day on Moana in Cairns and sleep out on the boat on The Great Barrier reef. I'ts a 3hour run to the Marlin fishing grounds from Cairns so it makes sense not to run in every night. In the mornings we normally catch bait and also have a snorkle on the reef. It's great Mate!!!

Alex · January 24, 2007, 12:26:09 CET

Cool! I like your photos! I also posted some, but in different section called "Organised Trips and Cost Sharing". You asked me what I'd want to catch. I just started and the only catch I had were bonitos. I would want to catch marlin (of course), sharks, albacore, blue and yellowfin tuna, sailfish, dolphinfish, wahoo, King fish, barracuda, but my dream is to find a place where I can catch a big sawfish. I heart that sawfish can be found in shallow waters in South America (Panama and neighbouring countries). may be one day I'll go there and catch it!

Alex

twoutes · January 24, 2007, 12:32:53 CET

I'm very sure that you can catch large Saw Fish in shallow water from Darwin too!!! Make some enquires.

Alex · January 24, 2007, 12:45:35 CET

You've mentioned King Fish. I have a book on Big Game Fishing, but there is nothing about King Fish. I saw them on a local fishmarket here in London. they are pretty big, 1.5-2 metres long and look like big wahoo or giant baraccuda. Is Australia the only place to catch King Fish or do they migrate together with tunas?

Actually, in March I'll try fishing here in UK. Reportedly, they have big rays and small sharks here. I also found some info that a guy from N.Ireland caught a big tuna. It seems that global warming brings some big fish here.

Thank you for the info about sawfish in Darwin. I'll check. If you come across of any information about fishing sawfish in Darwin, pls drop me a line, ok? thank you

In attachment some photos of that tuna that was catched here in N.Ireland

Alex · January 24, 2007, 12:47:28 CET

tuna from N.Ireland

twoutes · January 24, 2007, 12:56:16 CET

I do know that very large king fish are caught in New Zealand but don't know of any other locations. I'm sure that they are not pelegic. The photo l've attached is of my first large Kingfish, the first time l went to Bermagui and caught my first striped marlin ten years ago

Alex · January 24, 2007, 13:08:04 CET

How it is to catch many marlins? Is it still as exciting as when you catched it for the first time? Do you tag and release them?

Alex · January 24, 2007, 13:18:18 CET

I found some interesting info on saw fish

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/Freshwatersawfish/Freshwatersawfish.htm

busumark · January 24, 2007, 15:00:16 CET

no you can use use more hooks. commercial fisherman have between 1000-2000 hooks every 50m. there fishing clubs but not for game fishing. they only do competitions for albacore. mainly that is our only big game fish

skip · January 24, 2007, 16:48:40 CET

Hi Twoutes,

Basically in Malta most ppl only do offshore sport fishing for Albacore as they coudl be caught quite close. Now they have started to go for Tuna as well, but most if not no one is really equipped for Swords here.

We were planning on doing some drifing at night for them using a Swordlight, four rods and mackerel but we didn't have any luck this year. Sailfish are pretty rare and only one type but I forget which, and whilst you see swords during the day jumping don't know of many catching them.

Plus we don't give ours a chance to grow big which is a real shame.

I will post a sticky link to some offshore charters but this are small scale compared to what you're used to!

Skip

twoutes · January 24, 2007, 21:33:23 CET

Hey Guys, to me fishing is not about how big the catch is, but the actual hunting of the prey. I get very excited watching a marlin or any other fish hone in and attach my bait. Then of course l like to use light gear to give the fish a chance, and let it pull some drag. Yes, l have caught many marlin, and they all fight differently, some jump heaps and some fight down deep, and then some do both. I will never get sick of chasing marlin. I like to Tag and Release all my fish, but sometimes keep one for a feed.You say that you see them jumping yet fish for them at night, down deep and with light sticks ( As they do in New Zealand) Has any one ever tried catching them trolling live baits during the day?? Especially if they are active at the time?

busumark · January 25, 2007, 00:41:29 CET

the type of sailfish skip mentioned is the mediterranean spearfish (pastardella)

skip · January 25, 2007, 08:12:25 CET

That's the one busumark! Is it known as a Black Marlin though?

To be honest we've never had a live bait out when we saw them, only lures of varying descriptions, but say 4-6 rods out and one or two with spreader bars, others with daisy chains and some single lures.

The issue most have with live baits is that we're not equipped with live baitwells on board as we don't have all the American sportfishing style boats here, most use something designed for another purpose to fish with! Plus I'm not aware of anyone selling live mackerel for example locally so that's a main reason.

Next boat will be something more manageable and fit for the purpose, a Hydra-Sports 2200C perhaps equipped for fishing, but that will have to wait for now!

Skip

For charters, Try

Contact Fishingmania http://www.mol.net.mt/Fishingmania/index.htm or http://www.fishingmalta.com/trips.htm Aquatica

twoutes · January 25, 2007, 12:05:26 CET

Hi skip, I have no idea about fishing in Malta as l have never fished there!!!! But, what l would be trying is to catch whatever your sworfish are feeding on. I do know that they are caught at night down deep with squid, but l would try going out during the day looking for shool fish in the area that you are seeing them jumping. with a good depth sounder you should be able to pick up schools of bait. We use small feather jigs set up on a rod with a heavy sinker and jig it through the school. Whatever we pick up (mainly slimey mackrel here) we bridle rig alive. Live bait tanks are not very hard to set up using a 60-100 litre plastic container. You do need to set up a bildge pump however on the out side of your boat, and drain excess water back out again. The first year we took my small boat marlin fishing we used a bucket....hard work but effective.I would love to hear that you guys have pioneered a new way of catching swordfish during the day!!! Live baits are very very effective here. In Cairns, they are lucky to last 10 minutes before something will eat it. Hopefully a marlin gets there first before a shark or large dolphine fish. I've attached a photo of one we caught on live bait last year.