Swordfish- The Bite is On

Fishing out of Venice, Louisiana, for Swordfish during the day is no easy task. If you want to land a Swordfish, it would be wise to go fishing with a professional that knows how to catch them. There are specific ways to bait a hook and to get the perfect bait to the depths of 1,100 to 1,600 feet, as Swordfish can be found at the bottom of natural canyons and mounds, specifically in transition areas between the ledge and shelf. Captains use topography graphs to find the best locations to fish for Swordfish, and Swordfish can be found as near as 20 miles offshore from Venice.

Swordfish Day Charters from Venice are now extremely popular because they make for an action-packed day on the water! And Swordfish have been hitting the docks daily.

Squid is the preferred bait to use when fishing for Swordfish. You will need to "stitch it up and put a skirt on it". Lay out a few squid to find the perfect one. Prior to cutting a squid, lay the hook on top of the bait so that you know exactly where you need to cut it to best hide the hook. Once you have selected the perfect bait, cut a 1/4" slit in it and feed the circle head of the J-hook through the inside of the bait. Note, the J hook should already be attached to a 3-6' fluorocarbon leader line, 200-400 lb test. Use a waxline needle, thread it, and stitch up & close the slit, passing the line through the eye of the hook. Also, make sure the head is stitched and attached properly so that it does not fall off. Then add a skirt, which come in various colors. The skirt will help bury and hide the hook even more and make the bait more attractive. The goal is to hide the hook, and make the squid look and swim in the water like a live squid does. Once you have properly prepared and rigged your bait, hold it in the air and put it in the water to confirm it looks natural.

Crimp the leader to 300 lb. top shot line, which should be about 100-150' long, and splice the hot shot to your braided line. Where the top shot connects to the braided line is where you will add your main weight.

Next add tri-color 1/4" lights, that are activated by water, to your line. The lights come in many colors, so you can select the colors you prefer. Place the lights approximately 6' apart. The light helps the Swordfish find your bait, since the water is completely dark below 600'.

There are different methods you can use to sink your bait, including a throwaway weight or double weights dropped at the same time, while the boat is in gear. The goal is to sink your bait so that it goes to the bottom, free-flowing and moving like a live squid, rather than getting tangled up.

Fishing for Swordfish at night requires different techniques as well as bait and line preparation. So again, fishing with a professional offshore fishing guide may be your best option.

So whether you want to fish Swordfish during the day or night. you are guaranteed an action-packed memorable fishing experience when you hook one!

-Brooke Andry

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