7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report

PMACDIDDY · 07-21-2008, 11:26 PM

The morning started very good at the docks at 5:00am. The boat was loaded, everything working, and all anglers showed up. Everything was going so right that I knew something would go wrong - and it did. But landing the sword at the same time the next moring made up for it all.

We headed for 10 miles south of the Squiggles where the bluewater was supposed to be.70 miles later from Destin we found it. Flat seas, cobalt blue water, flying fish everywhere. It was hot with no wind. We trolled south with no activity. We finally managed to find a faint weed line and a few floating bushes that were good for one Wahoo and a

Tripple Tail.

We headed toward the Spur around 5:00pm to get ready for Swords and try to find the big weed lines we had heard about on the VHF. About that time, the bottom finder stopped working and the Raymarinestarted giving the most annoying buzzerevery30 seconds. That lasted 30 minutes before I turned all the electronics off and went to the Spur old style with the compass. Later that night we dug into the menu and found something that seemed to work for a few hours at a time.

We set up for the Sword drift at 8:00pm and got baits in the water after a few steaks on the grill. I drop my Hydroglow and it works for about 5 minutes. All my cigarette lighter plugs now don't work. I find a blown fuse and replace. It still doesn't work and I give up. About that time, one of the Raymarine screens starts turning off and on. Thankfully, I had one working good.

We drifted right over the deepest spot and reset at 11:00pm. At that point, I went to sleep and put Hudson on watch. Every hour or so I woke up and thought about resetting, but drifted back off. By 4:00am, I thought I needed to get up to get ready for trolling - another Sword trip without a bite.Then, I heard Hudson jumping into the cockpit and grap a rod. Whit and I manage to jump up and clear the lines. I was convinced it was a shark. It did not fight like I thought a sword should fight. It took line very slow - only a few short runs.It hit the deepest line (400 feet) long after drifting over the deep part of the Spur. We were in about 1,700 ft on the NE side (but not sure due to the bottom finder). I kept preaching the only thing I know about swords - take your time and keep the drag light - as Hudson sweated.

One and a half hours later, the sword reaches the boat and he is done. Once in the boat I go to dehook. To my suprise, the J hook was not set!!!!!!!. I gave a hard pull on the leader, and the red dyed squid came right out. It was a miracle!!!! We packed it in ice, placed it on the bow, and headed for the weed line.

There was a nice weed linerunning north/south about 7 milesto the east of the Spur. We trolled it all day. It produced several small Dolphin and a Wahoo. We saw several YFT free jumping (one right on the bow), but could not get any to bite.

Even though we did not have a bottom finder, Whit insisted on bottm fishing the way in. As you can guess, it sucked. One undersized AJ was it.

Even though we burned 236 gallons ofpricey gas, it was a great trip. Our first swordfish. Can't wait to get back out.

Midnight Run · 07-21-2008, 11:38 PM

good job on the sword:clap

Sir Reel · 07-22-2008, 12:48 AM

Looks like a great trip. We are still working on that first sword. Congratulations!

Chris V · 07-22-2008, 08:57 AM

Congrats on your first sword

clap

401 Cay · 07-22-2008, 12:22 PM

Awesome job! We had a few problems Sat nite as well but ended up with swords steaks too! Congrats!

Fish Happens · 07-22-2008, 04:57 PM

Just curious but is it easier to use a J-hook or a circle hook when sword fishing? or what are the regs even? I have never had the pleasure of sword fishing so i'm looking forward to my first trip, whenever that may be.

PMACDIDDY · 07-22-2008, 08:47 PM

No rules I know of. Most use J hooks, but some are believers in circle hooks as well. I might try circle hooks next time to see.

bottomfisher01 · 07-23-2008, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Fish Happens (7/22/2008)Just curious but is it easier to use a J-hook or a circle hook when sword fishing? or what are the regs even? I have never had the pleasure of sword fishing so i'm looking forward to my first trip, whenever that may be.

Go to this post and read it http://pensacolafishingforum.com/fis...4445-26-1.aspx. There is everything you want to know about swordfishing.

Heller High Water Mate · 07-30-2008, 03:24 PM

Awesome report and congrats on the first sword!!! It's a beauty too! Keep it up and continued good luck guys...

David Ridenour · 07-30-2008, 03:33 PM

I'm a little late, but great report! Congratulations on the sword.

07-21-2008, 11:26 PM	#1
PMACDIDDY Member Ruby Red Lip Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 49	7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report The morning started very good at the docks at 5:00am. The boat was loaded, everything working, and all anglers showed up. Everything was going so right that I knew something would go wrong - and it did. But landing the sword at the same time the next moring made up for it all. We headed for 10 miles south of the Squiggles where the bluewater was supposed to be.70 miles later from Destin we found it. Flat seas, cobalt blue water, flying fish everywhere. It was hot with no wind. We trolled south with no activity. We finally managed to find a faint weed line and a few floating bushes that were good for one Wahoo and a Tripple Tail. We headed toward the Spur around 5:00pm to get ready for Swords and try to find the big weed lines we had heard about on the VHF. About that time, the bottom finder stopped working and the Raymarinestarted giving the most annoying buzzerevery30 seconds. That lasted 30 minutes before I turned all the electronics off and went to the Spur old style with the compass. Later that night we dug into the menu and found something that seemed to work for a few hours at a time. We set up for the Sword drift at 8:00pm and got baits in the water after a few steaks on the grill. I drop my Hydroglow and it works for about 5 minutes. All my cigarette lighter plugs now don't work. I find a blown fuse and replace. It still doesn't work and I give up. About that time, one of the Raymarine screens starts turning off and on. Thankfully, I had one working good. We drifted right over the deepest spot and reset at 11:00pm. At that point, I went to sleep and put Hudson on watch. Every hour or so I woke up and thought about resetting, but drifted back off. By 4:00am, I thought I needed to get up to get ready for trolling - another Sword trip without a bite.Then, I heard Hudson jumping into the cockpit and grap a rod. Whit and I manage to jump up and clear the lines. I was convinced it was a shark. It did not fight like I thought a sword should fight. It took line very slow - only a few short runs.It hit the deepest line (400 feet) long after drifting over the deep part of the Spur. We were in about 1,700 ft on the NE side (but not sure due to the bottom finder). I kept preaching the only thing I know about swords - take your time and keep the drag light - as Hudson sweated. One and a half hours later, the sword reaches the boat and he is done. Once in the boat I go to dehook. To my suprise, the J hook was not set!!!!!!!. I gave a hard pull on the leader, and the red dyed squid came right out. It was a miracle!!!! We packed it in ice, placed it on the bow, and headed for the weed line. There was a nice weed linerunning north/south about 7 milesto the east of the Spur. We trolled it all day. It produced several small Dolphin and a Wahoo. We saw several YFT free jumping (one right on the bow), but could not get any to bite. Even though we did not have a bottom finder, Whit insisted on bottm fishing the way in. As you can guess, it sucked. One undersized AJ was it. Even though we burned 236 gallons ofpricey gas, it was a great trip. Our first swordfish. Can't wait to get back out. __________________ Seacrest, FL 32 Century Last edited by PMACDIDDY; 10-11-2011 at 10:19 PM.

07-21-2008, 11:38 PM	#2
Midnight Run Senior Member Snapper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pensacola Posts: 516	RE: 7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report good job on the sword:clap

07-22-2008, 12:48 AM	#3
Sir Reel Member Ruby Red Lip Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 66	RE: 7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report Looks like a great trip. We are still working on that first sword. Congratulations!

07-22-2008, 08:57 AM	#4
Chris V Squid technician Blue Marlin Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: foley, Al Posts: 4,187	RE: 7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report Congrats on your first swordclap __________________

07-22-2008, 12:22 PM	#5
401 Cay Senior Member Trigger Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Ft Walton Beach Posts: 310	RE: 7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report Awesome job! We had a few problems Sat nite as well but ended up with swords steaks too! Congrats!

07-22-2008, 04:57 PM	#6
Fish Happens Senior Member Grouper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pensacola, FL Posts: 625	RE: 7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report Just curious but is it easier to use a J-hook or a circle hook when sword fishing? or what are the regs even? I have never had the pleasure of sword fishing so i'm looking forward to my first trip, whenever that may be. __________________ -Tight Lines- Website \| Twitter \| Facebook

07-22-2008, 08:47 PM	#7
PMACDIDDY Member Ruby Red Lip Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 49	RE: 7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report No rules I know of. Most use J hooks, but some are believers in circle hooks as well. I might try circle hooks next time to see. __________________ Seacrest, FL 32 Century

07-30-2008, 03:24 PM	#9
Heller High Water Mate Senior Member Mingo Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 175	RE: 7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report Awesome report and congrats on the first sword!!! It's a beauty too! Keep it up and continued good luck guys...

07-30-2008, 03:33 PM	#10
David Ridenour Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Knoxville,TN Posts: 1,416	RE: 7/19-20 Squiggles/Spur Sword & Blue Water Report I'm a little late, but great report! Congratulations on the sword.

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