Sword Boat Design

I feel better now, I had a baby boa, from a pet store, bad idea I know, but I stole it 25 years ago, named it sally. I love snakes, and I'm glad you're not a big game hunter.

 

Swordfish

Best I know - they do set longlines to catch swordfish, but not trolled - they set and leave em stationary (drifting actually). Lots of baits (squids are good) - with cyalume sticks attached (Chemical light sticks) to attract the swordfish.

The biggest movement of fish at sea - in deep water where pelagics like swordies live is a mass migratuion from very deep to within 200 feet of surface at night time...

Anyway - I believe thats the way they do it.

I know someones caught one on rod n reel - they fish for it off NZ, (3 kings islands?) and I sa the video - very exciting - the swordfish was very big and got away - it broke 3 gaffs..

All filmed at night time - lots of yelling and splashing - & no fish - but exciting to watch.

I think like all deep ocean species - they are doomed due to uncontrolled overfishing by fishermen from nations - who observe no rules in international (and sometimes other nations territorial) waters.

Anyway good luck to him!

Cheers!

 

Yah Trouty that's the way to do it. I have looked it up and your description is correct.
That's why I am thrilled to do it once, my question is it a similar fish as the Marlin? Will look it up too.

 

Yes it is, in a lot of ways, but also a little different in some ways, I think.

Pelagics both of them, i.e. deep sea fishes roaming vast distances, very fast, predators of other very fast pelagic fishes. Marlins etc like to eat fast tuna's, & they disable them with spear on nose.

Swordfish also - but moreso - the squids than the tuna's I think - (but I could be wrong!).

Good question - they are a lot alike.

Both reputedly are good eating - but again probably both being top end of food chain predators are most likely to be bio accumulators (of toxins like heavey metals!), so i would think twice about eating either Marlins or Swordfish more than once in a blue moon (but thats just me!).

I ate swordfish once and it was good - strong tasting (to me) but still very nice indeed...

All these deep seas predator fishes - migrate a lort more from deep to ocean surface at night than many realise, so to fish at night is the key!

How many game boats troll all day for marlins?

Not many caught, because, in day time they (mostly) are too deep for trolled lures!

Glow in dark lures trolled at night is the answer...but don't tell everyone or maybe I'll go broke!

Cheers!

 

That's funny, I made the comparison with leopard-catching; a leopard hunts only) in the darkness,; they stalk a kraal, crawl under the thornbush and play havoc in the goat's pen.
They tow their prey to their fovorite tree, climb it and start to devour their catch, leaving it sometimes in the tree or bury it not far from it.
But this is a boat forum and not a hunter's forum so I better stop talking.
If I have ever the possibility to come to Oz,you may book me for a trip.
I like fishing a lot, on sea or in the rivers. But never did the BIG thing!

 

Hello to all,

I've been off island for the last few days to a friends wedding. I appreciate everyone's views on the swordfish fisheries. I've been fishing for them since high school and I know the ins' and outs' of the business. Also I'm not in Holland, I am in the Netherland Antilles in the Caribbean. However, Im not into the controversy of the fisheries, just want insight on my designs if anyone can be of assistance.

Now... about the design of my boat. The amount of diesel (US gals) choosen is not for range. Its' for fishing trips depending on where I need to go, (steaming up to 7days one-way and up to 21 days of fishing). Also, its better to have more fuel than less, just in case I need to steam father away for better fishing.
The fish hold is huge to carry my load and also for the tons of bait to use as well.
The beam may seem longer than others and I know its suppose to be around the 1/3 of the lenght of the boat but why stick to tradition. Ive seen a few footballs out at sea. Mines wouldnt be the first.

Remember guys, it is a fishing boat not a luxury cruise liner with cocktails and crap tables!

Regards,
Aaron

 

I would to see some sketchs Ill give you a fax number later

 

I would like to see some sketchs Ill give you a fax number later

 

Best way to stop over fishing is ban nets! Any boat found at sea with a net is sunk (becomes fish habitat!)

That'll get them going!

" I don't suffer from Insanity, I'm enjoying every minute of it!"

 

I say farm raise 'em! A swordfish farm would be very interesting! I've gone to work for Texas Parks and Wildlife at the Corpus Christi redfish hatchery (boat work has dried up, thanks Exxon ) and we grow reds pretty well. We just got a donation of about 600 fish in the 1 to 3 pound range from a commercial redfish farm who had a bumper crop this year. Any way, we keep some hefty reds around for brood stock (20-50 pounders), so why not grow swords out to that (good eatin' ) size? May take too long? Reds grow purty fast. I know, nothing to do with the original thread, so I'll shut up now.

 

Ban nets? safewalrus, you better plan on giving up your fish and chips.

 

Raising swordfish in a farm environment would be like raising tigers in cages for human meat consumption.

 

Back to longlines and swordfish fishing, have any of you guys seen "The Perfect Storm" It's a movie. Pretty good depiction of the sword fishing industry.

 

It's also a very good book, I read it in one sitting, couldn't put it down!

 

sorry fellas ; flew off the handle a little. once you lose everything you work for it eats at you;im really not that big of an *** . at least thats what I tell myself , longliner.