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July 28 2006 Swordfish on My CC28

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  • July 28 2006 Swordfish on My CC28

    At 6:00pm the salty sword crew of five, Jimmy, John, Russ, Tommy & Tyler, load the Good Mojo with ice, beer, bait, rods/reels, rain gear and assorted tackle. After multiple thunderstorms just hours before, we are unsure of the weather conditions but are committed so off the dock and out the St. Lucie Inlet we go. We slow troll for a few bullet bonito for bait but none to be had. I set the course for the deep water migratory zone offshore of North Palm Beach.

    We arrive to our location at 8:25pm. The ocean is calm with a two foot easterly swell. The sun has just dipped below the horizon so the hydroglow is barely noticeable as it is deployed and beams green beneath the boat. We immediately have a small school of bait in the light. The lines are deployed without pause by Jimmy, Tommy & Tyler. Everything is perfect, all four lines out and everyone is settled in. I climb into the tower to get a better view and sip on a cold cerveza while the discussion below continues about setting a flat rigger line and circle hooks. Russ climbs to join me and we stand watching. Minutes later I see a green glow heading from the mid depth line. I shout FISH ON and push the boat forward towards the west to help set the circle hook while our newbie sword angler, John, gets bolted in.

    15 minutes later, our first circle hooked swordfish is being leadered to the boat by Tyler. The fish is hot but one swing of the Gaff by Tommy and the fish is controlled and a reiterating stab at the back of the fishes head quickly establishes our kill. Over the transom comes our first fish of the evening. High fives, pictures snapped, weigh taken (80+ lbs) and congratulatory remarks aside, the lines are reset. We continue to drift North Northwest. Its now Jimmy’s turn to take the rod and find his fight his first swordfish.

    I watch the moon set and comment below, stay focused cause’ when that moon sets these things are going to go off. Sure enough seconds after the moon disappears into it’s westerly hiding place, Tommy yells about a flash of a sword charging towards the tip rod. The light below, belonging to the tip rod, dances then races towards the south. I push the engines into gear and Jimmy gets into position. The fish takes line as it heads towards the place where it was born. Ten minutes later we have color and Tyler stands by to leader the fish. Jimmy feels the fish shake and head straight up but even winding in high speed can keep the hook from sliding off the bill and coming undone. One for two in an hour, not bad work for a perfect night out!

    I suggest that we pull the spread and check the baits. The first bait is getting deployed and I start commenting about a ship that is approaching us from the southwest as I had the bow and starboard nav light. Minutes later the ship is turned and headed true north to our position showing all three nav lights. Jimmy turns the spreader lights on so we can get more visible and eventually the ship turns 10 degrees east but continuing its pace. As it nears our position it slows, idles, stops then lights out!!!

    Five weeks earlier the same exact situation occurred will in the same area drifting for swords with my daughter. You can imagine my thoughts now as I stare in disbelief of the ongoing situation. My instructions were to pull our tackle and ready to make way for home port. Lights out! I idled west.
    I radioed the USCG on VHF 16, I spoke with Lake Worth Station and gave my Lat/Long then switched to 22A to speak with Station Fort Pierce. The ship was stepping on my transmission so that I couldn’t deliver the message. After repeated attempts I switched to 16 to tell Lake Worth what was happening then back to 22A. I tried to do this when it happened 5 weeks ago but did not realize that the ship was blocking my attempts to call USCG.

    Now underway but severely spooked and thankful we were not threatened any further, we tried to relax and feel calm. It will not be the same again for any of us. I spoke with the USCG District 7 Commander this morning and Chief Operations Officer at the Lake Worth Station. Their comments were solace but stern about the threat. US Law Enforcement does not act this way; US Customs, US Coast Guard, Navy, Marines nor Homeland Security operates in this manner. This vessel is not friendly.

    If you are approached in close quarter at night by any vessel that chooses not to identify itself, you should:

    1) Prepare to leave and make way slowly in the opposite direction
    2) Radio VHF16 contact USCG with position & details of threat
    3) Prepare flare gun and munitions
    4) Spot light the vessel in question to gain a better description if possible
    5) Follow up with the USCG and make others aware

    It was a great trip anyway with another sword fan. We will have to work on Jimmy and Russ next time. Tight lines & good times!

    David
    It’s better to have Good Mojo than no Mojo at All!
    Attached Files
    05 CC28

  • #2
    Scary. Any speculation either time as to what they were after? I suppose they could block 16 and 22. Then what? Sat phone?

    No weapons at all allowed on the left coast if you fish in Mexican waters. Not even the gun type flares. Absolutely nothing we can do in a similar situation but run.

    Congrats on the fishing. I would enjoy reading more details on the swordfishing method as I'm not familiar with it. Can you describe the spread and light set up a bit more?
    Steve on Reel Screamer
    2004 Carolina Classic 28

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    • #3
      Not much speculation other than we are ready now and won't need to speculate much when and if it happens again.

      You can get alot of info on the way we swordfish here in Florida just by hitting Google for a search. Since we have a gulf stream current of about 3-5kts North, we are typically drifting and the ballons keep our depths staggered...
      05 CC28

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      • #4
        Boarding

        Night Boarding,
        I would like to contradict the coast guard reply on stealth boarding tactics. I have been personally boarded at night, in the keys by a vessel sneaking along with lights out. Rather scary until the vessel reveals itself. You see the boat on radar, you hear the boat motors. You see nothing until the boat is on top of you and they blast you with high intensity lights, weapons drawn. We were innocently fishing at night, no big deal after the boarding was done. The only tense moment was when they asked me if I had anything to declare. I was carrying a bang stick. Their tactics are meant to protect coast guard lives in a world of drug running, immigrant smuggling, gun shooting idiots. After the fact I fully understand the tactic.
        Mark

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        • #5
          Swordfish

          Thanks for the descriptive story about fishing for swords in the stream and your unwanted 'visitor'.

          with the 25, single engine, I don't have the comfort level to go this alone.
          Plan to do this trip with another boat (or two) or on a larger vessel.
          Any tips for swords would be greatly apprciated.

          Regarding lights off vessels. Up here numerous long liners running inside 100nm line and setting lines at night. You can see them on radar.. but it's still being done.

          thanks john
          ( a few miles north of you.. of Cape Canaveral)

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by JohnD View Post
            Thanks for the descriptive story about fishing for swords in the stream and your unwanted 'visitor'.

            with the 25, single engine, I don't have the comfort level to go this alone.
            Plan to do this trip with another boat (or two) or on a larger vessel.
            Any tips for swords would be greatly apprciated.

            Regarding lights off vessels. Up here numerous long liners running inside 100nm line and setting lines at night. You can see them on radar.. but it's still being done.

            thanks john
            ( a few miles north of you.. of Cape Canaveral)
            That's too bad that the commercial boys are still getting away with setting up a long line. I believe they are allowed to long line the bottom though but it is unlawful to run the drift lines in the pelagic zone.

            check you mail...
            05 CC28

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