If somebody asked me what I would like to do on my birthday catching a broadbill would undoubtably be on the top on my list. Yesterday was my 60th birthday and apparently the fish gods were reading my mind and gave me not just one but two opportunities to fulfill this wish. This time of year spotting a swordfish is always on my mind. Experience tells me March through May is prime time for swordies on the East Cape. Over the years I have had the good fortune to land two swordfish. The first one came in March and second in April.
So off I go with a high school buddy Gary Street of Laguna Hills who came to celebrate my birthday. We headed the Jen Wren East and ran about 20 miles before starting to troll. The seas were calm, water was a beautiful purple blue and 78 degrees. After a short while we spotted a stripped marlin tailing. The fish was hungry and immediately ate the bait we presented. Gary fought the fish to leader and then we sent it on it's way.
About 10:30 AM Jen Wren skipper Chuy Cota spots a broadbill. I take a look and there it is tailing along at a good clip. I jumped down from the bridge and went into the cabin to grab the rig we always have ready for this type of an event. An Accurate 655W loaded with 80# spectra, short mono top shot and 300# fluorocarbon leader with an Owner 10/0 Jobu big game hook. I pinned on a large live horalito and stunned it with a fish bat. The bait was almost dead but still quivering while I payed out about 40 yards of line behind the boat. Chuy moved the boat in a large circle trying to position the bait in front of the fish. Almost there the swordfish jumped out of the water and sank out. At that point my though was our opportunity was missed but to my surprise my bait started to slowly move off and I knew the broadbill had it. Then it stopped. After several seconds the line started pealing off my reel and I set the hook. It felt like a solid set and the spectra was peeling off the reel. About 50 yards of line pealed off and boom, I could feel the tension come off the line and it was over. Wound in the line and the horalito was still on the hook.
It was a heart break but what the heck. That's fishing. I was happy to have had the opportunity and the whole ordeal was very exciting. The rest of the morning I had a smile on my face dreaming about the good one that got away.
OK, who says lighting doesn't strike twice in the same place? Now it is about 1:30 PM and we are thinking about heading toward home when up pops another broadbill. I pinned on the same dead horalito that the first broadbill ate and paid the line back. Chuy maneuvers in a circle until the bait is near the fish and stops the boat. The fish sinks out and we wait. After just a few seconds my bait gets whacked so hard it almost knocked the rod out of my hand. After that the line went slack for a few seconds before it started to peal off the reel. I waited a moment before taking the swing and bendo! I'm thinking this is unbelievable. I've hooked two swordfish in one day, and it's my birthday.
The fish had the edge for the first 30 minutes, took line as it pleased and pulled the Jen wren backward at a half a knot according to our GPS. All I could do was hang on, put maximum pressure and hope things would go right this time. The power of these fish is really something. It is no wonder they are known as the king of the ocean. Finally I was able to turn the fish and battle it to gaff.
This was a day I'll never forget. Guess what we had for dinner.
Mark Rayor
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