The swordfish grounds are anywhere
from 25-45 miles from Islamorada.
Being that distance
we only offer FULL DAY charters when targeting swordfish. The typical run to the swordfish grounds is an hour to an hour and a half. We fish
in 1400-1900′ of water along the continental shelf. We use both electric and conventional reels, so it’s completely up to you on what sort of tackle we use that day. We fish 1 – 2 rods down near the bottom while drifting in the Gulf Stream. We fish between 6-12 lbs of lead on the rig depending on how much current we have that day. A lot of times we have a flat line out with a smaller bait and certain times of year (late spring through early fall) mahi are a common bycatch while waiting for a swordfish bite. Most of the time when a swordfish strikes the bait the rod tip only bounces an inch! There is a lot of line out with a very long
leader, so seeing the initial bite and reacting to it is very important! We may take the bait away
from the fish to make him more aggressive or we may drop it back to try to feed him. Hooking and landing a swordfish can be tricky!