Huge broadbill caught off NE coast
Andrew McDougall was drop lining for blue eye trevalla in his six metre Razorline near the Eddystone Patch and got more than he bargained for. Caught on a hand operated deck winch in 500m of water on Sunday 31 May this broadbill swordfish probably took a trevalla and then managed to entangle itself in the dropline.The fish didn't play up too much as it was tangled, but still took an hour or so to wind up.
Although not weighed, at 12" 3" overall some digging around would put it well over 450 pounds, and heading towards 600 pounds. Xiphias gladius only grow to about 14" so its not far off the top end in length.
Big females reach 1000 pounds at that length, whilst males are much smaller.
Experienced angler, Nigel Stingel read that once blue marlin get to 12 ft they add 220 pounds for every inch in length so perhaps like blue marlin, broadbill bulk out enormously over the final two feet or so.
In Mexico, the broadbill is found along the Pacific side of the Baja California Peninsula, in the extreme southern portion of the Sea of Cortez, and along the mainland coast through to Guatemala and around all of the oceanic islands. It is reported to reach a maximum length of 15 feet and more than 1,300 pounds in weight. All trophy catches are females since the males do not exceed 300 pounds. The broadbill swordfish is the major targeted species of the world's commercial longline fleet and as such the supply of trophy fish has been significantly reduced with the average size now being less than 90 pounds.
