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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!
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!
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