This Saturday will begin a trip on a sailing boat for a tour that will last about a month.
Departing from Ostia (near Rome) with heading south: Calabria, Sicily, through the Messina Street between Sicily and Calabria, go back the other side and then straight to Kefalonia in Greece.
Various tours to these islands and then back to home.
I will sail from 6 to 8 knots in areas that are particularly good for swordfish.
For my trip always I love Rapala countdown, small and big size.
With these baits I take several fish species that are in our sea: tuna, dorado, mackerel, baraccuda, etc.
Now, some trolling anglers told me that for the swordfish is preferable to use a Kona rather than the minnow like a Rapala.
Moreover, while for a tuna I have to leave the bait in the boat wake, for swordfish I should keep it away......
Do you have the same opinion ?
Thanks
knife
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/swordfishspot_zpscb8d11d8.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/swordfishspot_zpscb8d11d8.jpg.html)
Most of the swordfish trolling is done at night with Marlin type (Kona) lures. Swordfish typically feed near the bottom in the day and feed near the surface at night. Sometimes a Sword will surface in the day and bask but when they are doing that they typically aren't in the feeding mode and it is hard to induce them to bite even with live bait.
If you want to troll for swords, than I would get on the night watch on the sailboat and troll a Marlin lure. Not sure if you need the lure to be illuminated, but these guys make a light for trolling lures. http://nightfighterslures.com/
Good luck.
Melton International Tackle (in California) stocks some Moldcraft glow in the dark skirted trolling lures for swordfish. You may want to look for Melton online or maybe you can find these lures in your area..
There's a lure company that makes lure head that react to UV light. I need to find that one. Fish can see UV reflective lures better than glow in the dark, and that is what I could recommend.
Good info, Bryan. Pakula lure heads and skirts have UV additives..
I would also recommend Gaji Lures are top of their game. Damage Inc. has been very productive. Very well know Coggins Lures are consistenly hot. Koya luress are beautiful. There are many more that have and are productive in Hawaii for Ahi as well as Marlin.
Lois at 5 Oceans, 7 Seas in Hawaii can set you up with what is hot in Hawaii.
Yeah :) :) :). I wish you all the best and although chances are not thick for swordfish you might have a chance for Spearfish (mediteranean spearfish) and for tuna (little tunnies, albacore, BFT) and smaller dorado's ( or even leerfish closer to shore)
The best lures for that, if trolling behind a sailboat, seem to be Ilander Sailure flasher (this is the lightweight 5,5 inch ilander) and the ilander black hole. Both in Blue-white but it can pay of to have an black purple. The water in the med is mostly quite clear and it can pay off to use a fluorcarbon leader, especially as there is no white water from a sailboat. Have your gear up to the ante and SECURE the rod with a rope (oh why am I saying this, if you're targeting swords you must know what you're up to). If you can read German the big game board german section can give you a lot of info. PS, there are sword in the med, it's just not easy to catch them and certainly not from a sailboat. Some area's are over 3 miles deep. On one of my sailtrips I saw a (smaller) sword jumping on the surface in daylight (ionian bassin) but even the specialist have quite a hard time getting them at night. In the area where you're going there seem to be a couple oldfashioned harpoon boats (very old) from a long forgotten past when it was still possible to find and harpoon swordfish in daylight.
If you have a smaller rod than a 4"williamson dorado catcher in "bleeding dorado" colors seems to work well but also hoochies and Moldcraft little chuggers run well behind sail boats and seem to catch fish. Pulling lipped minnow plugs is awkward when the speed of the boat gets up, the get out of the water or tend to shear left and right, tangling lines.
Straits of messina, if there on the right time (which is short) seem to be one of the best places for spearfish in the med.
I just heard of a 1,9m spearfish that was caught in the adriatic a couple of days ago behind a sailboat on a black hole ilander.
I hope that you have more luck than I have on trolling lures behind a sailboat in the med. Although I havent been to your area I have failed to be on the same spot as the fish and have not caught anything substantially large from a sailboat like spearfish or BFT. Well, maybe next time
Let us hear how you're doing. Looking at your tripplanning you have a chance at least although you should take in consideration that the med is one of the most overfished area's in the world high numbers would be a miracle
You sail 24/24 or do you go into a harbour/bay at night?
I hope it helps.
We used to have really good luck at night trolling a clear squid with a green lightstick rigged inside the lure. Cheap and economical.
Hmm... I might have mistaken and you really want to go for swordfish and not for anything else. I have purchased a moldcraft wide range luminous glow lure which is said to be good for slow trolling swordfish but I have not been able to put it to use.
You could check whether that is something for you. They are not too expensive either compared to some other lures.
I have read an article about slow trolling for swords at night but can't find it back. I remember from the article that the best results were when the lure was not on the surface but had some depth. As far as I recall it was about a depth of between 30 feet and 100 feet but I'm not completely sure as it was some time ago. If they went deeper they did catch less and if they went moer to the surface they did catch other species and less swords. Don't take the figures for granted but it was something like that. I haven't found the article but could find another (old) article regarding research on daytime and night time depths for swords. Here it is:
http://fishbull.noaa.gov/79-2/carey.pdf
I'm still curious. You must have some serious reliable crew for taking on a sword from a sailboat at night. I would be a little hesitant to enter such adventure. I've never caught a sword but have been in the cair with a 900 lb blue and I know that swords can have a temper worse than marlin.
I still envy you though ;D
In Italy I have found this:
PAKULA - FLUZI 170 Lumo
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/Lumo_zpsfc746f9d.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/Lumo_zpsfc746f9d.jpg.html)
Reinaard
I also have some doubts but it is also true that the Mediterranean is not the ocean and I will not find the big fish that you have in your seas....
We have some big bluefin tuna but don't take the trolling bait but only firm with pasture.
However, I exclude the night navigation for fishing, too many problems with the sailboat !!
I will try up to one hour after sunset and in the early morning....
knife
I didn't know you could travel through lo Stretto di Messina, I thought the current was too rough. In the 60's in grade school, I learned that they were trying to build a bridge, but wasn't possible due to the strong corrent.
It 's true that there are strong currents and is very busy but it is a great spot for fishing !!
The bridge has been and continues to be just a "political" project with which to fill the mouth before any political campaign :-[
knife
Knife,
I do knot know or own this particular lure but Pakula makes great lures in general. It has a wide chugger face and I think it will run well behind a sailboat. Run it so far behind the boat until it breaks the surface every few seconds and when it dives it should create a buble trail and you're fine. If you run into a Ilander sailure flasher then buy that instead as this is a lure that has proven to run well behind sailboats and catches fish as well
I'm dutch and sail mostly in the med sea or in the Canaries.
Good luck on your trip and I hope you'll be able to post pics of what you catch.
Knife: If Swordfish feed on the surface I have the perfect lure for fishing for them. If you send me your address I'll send you one or I will deliver one to you. I rigged it up myself. I will be passing through Rome on my way to Agropoli in late October. Dominick
Knife you might try this site http://swordfishingcentral.com/
Dedicated to swordfishing....good luck...we want pictures... ;D
Knife, if you still read this before you go (or while you are in the harbour on tour) : You can consider to pull a couple of teasers on separate lines. You can use any lure as a teaser but with the hook removed. (you do not want to have al kine of hooked lures dangling around when you have a strike). Also the plastic squids can be used as teasers. Run them on a piece of fishing line from the railing before the real lure. A couple of meters at least, up to ten meaters. The teasers have no other purpose than to attract fish from a larger distance and make em aware of the lure.
Pescachaser: I'm curious, did you rigged it yourself or do you make lures? I do some DIY stuff myself and are alway interested in the considerations of others. Although in german I have a topic here: http://www.big-game-board.info/deutschsprachige-sektion/ausr%C3%BCstung/sonstiges-tackle/5348-diy-lures-und-teasers-die-bastel-ecke/
Some run very well like the bakery rolling pin teaser.
Sailing in greece I saw a small broadbill jumping at the surface in daytime but the sea was to rough to try anything on a family trip
Reinaard,
That looks like real good stuff. I will have to translate it.
Ron
Thanks to you all for the precious advice but unfortunately no swordfish :(
even seen him to jump!
Only three albacore tuna and not even too big .....
However, wonderful places and sea, good food
and the Senator have sung, that is the important!!
knife
Nice pics Knife! ;D
That water looks Awesome! Glad you made it back safe!
Is that a 116A(10/0) on the right?
Yes is it, the 10/0, 6/0 and the 4/0,
it was a pleasure to share with you.... :)
knife
p.s.
to enjoy the 10/0 I needed to be at least 50-pound fish......
Nice shots Knife, I love to see those nice Senators floating on water from my Patria ;).
Thanks for sharing them with us.
Sal
Knife glad to see you had good time and are back safely. Those reels are in really good shape. Good to see that you take care off your equipment. Arrivederci! Dominick
The "back safe" is not only for the tuna.......:D
knife
Knife,
Very nice pictures!!
Although you didn't get the sword those nice albacores really do soften the pain to some extend. I would have been exquisitly happy to catch some but in high summer there are not so many albies, especcially not in the ionian see near Greece.
I see that one was caught on a rapala floating model, is that correct?
Didi you catch all albacores on lipped lures ore some on other lures as well?
This summer I caught albacore tuna with sinking Rapala magnum and floating barra magnum sailing at 6-7 knots
In the 2011 in the nord (Bonifacio) and west Sardinia coast I took a nice bluefin tuna with a sinkink Rapala magnum "red head", two albacore tuna and one alletterato tuna (little tunny) with a Rapala Xrap 30
I am convinced that success in fishing depends on the amount of fish, luck and skill in equal measure.
The baits are important but not as the "market" wants us to believe.
This is only my opinion and I'm not a very experienced fisherman with big fish.
Alan, let me know if I've uploaded too many photos.
If so I apologize and I remove them immediately .....
Thanks
knife
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/01tonno50kg.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/01tonno50kg.jpg.html)
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/04tonno50kg.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/04tonno50kg.jpg.html)
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/07tonno50kg.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/07tonno50kg.jpg.html)
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/06tonno50kg.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/06tonno50kg.jpg.html)
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/02alletterato13kg.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/02alletterato13kg.jpg.html)
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/01alletterato13kg.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/01alletterato13kg.jpg.html)
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/alalunga10kg.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/alalunga10kg.jpg.html)
(http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5/veriano/leccia2.jpg) (http://s268.photobucket.com/user/veriano/media/leccia2.jpg.html)
I took this Leer-fish using a floating bait unbranded, paid almost nothing, in a lousy color water but a lot of baitfish breaking the sea surface.
I also wrong the recovery because the boat is stopped and the thread tension is loose for a few seconds.......
knife
I love the photos!
No such thing as too many photos! ;)
Knife,
I love the photo's. You cannot post to many.
Due to extreme demanding business conditions I have not been able to go this year so I like photo's more than normal ;D
Thanks for sharing! Great! :)
great pics knife! thanks...
Awesome!
That was awesome! I loved the harness rig you had goin on lol
Knife: Check the PM I sent you a message. Domenico
Quote from: Dominick on October 05, 2013, 09:04:04 PMKnife glad to see you had good time and are back safely. Those reels are in really good shape. Good to see that you take care off your equipment. Arrivederci! Dominick
doctor?