ELECTRIC REELS, DEEP-DROP RODS, COMBOS, RIGS, LIGHTS & LEADER
Swordfish & Deep Drop Gear
Daytime deep dropping for broadbill swordfish is the newest and most technical fishery on the WA coast, and Perth is right on it. The Perth Canyon drops to over 600m within reach of the ramp, and swords hold deep in the day over 400 to 700m, rising at night. The method is a whole squid or a stitched bait dropped on a breakaway brick or a weighted rig, suspended just off the bottom on 80 to 130lb braid with a light on the leader, and watched for a bite that's often no more than a change in the rod tip.
It's a gear-heavy fishery and Compleat Angler Nedlands has the range for it: Shimano Beastmaster and Forcemaster and Daiwa Seaborg and Tanacom electrics, deep-drop rods, pre-matched electric combos, sword skirts and LED lights, Talica and Tiagra lever drags for the manual option, 400lb-plus leader, crimps and wind-ons, gimbals and harnesses. Browse below, or come in and talk to the team about setting up for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What electric reel for swordfish?
A Shimano Beastmaster 9000 or MD 12000, or a Daiwa Seaborg 1200 or Tanacom 1200, matched to a deep-drop rod like the Shimano Status or Daiwa Saltist Dendoh. The electric does the work of winding 600m of line to check baits and fight by-catch; the strength of the reel matters when a sword or a big oilfish comes up from the deep.
What rig do I use for daytime swordfish?
A wind-on leader of 200 to 300lb mono, an 11/0 to 12/0 J or circle hook, a deep-drop LED light on the leader above the bait, and a weight to get it down: a breakaway brick on light tie wire, or a 24oz-plus sinker on a snap. The Meridian sword skirts dress the bait. The team can talk you through the breakaway and light-line versions.
What bait for swordfish?
A whole squid stitched to the hook is the standard, or a whole small salmon or bonito stitched at the nose with the fins removed so it doesn't spin. Bait needles, rigging floss and a sword skirt over the head are the tools for it.
How deep and where do you fish for swords off Perth?
400 to 700m along the Perth Canyon and the edge of the continental shelf, drifting over the drop-offs and scatter layers you can see on the sounder. Find the bait layer and you've found where the swords are feeding. The current here is generally lighter than the east coast, which makes holding a bait in the zone a little easier.
Can I fish for swordfish on a manual reel?
Yes. A 50 to 80W lever drag like the Shimano Talica 50 or Tiagra 80W on a bent-butt game rod, with 80 to 130lb braid, is how it was done before electrics and still is by purists. Expect a long wind back from 600m. Most Perth boats run one electric to check baits and one manual outfit for the fight.