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Explosive Sailfish Action

Written by Capt. Ed Williams

AS SEEN IN THE FALL 2003 ISSUE

Stuart is recognized around the globe as the “Sailfish Capital of the World” and for a few months each winter the area undoubtedly lives up to it’s reputation. Though sailfish are indeed taken here year round, the bite really peaks from December through January when large numbers of sails congregate in our cobalt blue waters to gorge themselves on anchovies, greenies, sardines and more.

Working in unison packs of hungry sailfish ‘trap’ the schools of bait in large balls while taking turns darting in and out of the tightly packed group, picking off unfortunate individuals. Get yourself caught up in one these hot bites and the incredible action here will rival that of any top sport fishing destination in the world and it is without a doubt, just as exciting. Though not as glamorous as its bigger cousin the almighty blue marlin, Atlantic sailfish are incredible adversaries.

There is no question why anglers from all over the world travel to south Florida with one goal in mind, to catch a sail! Resident anglers should never take for granted what a thrill it is to catch and release one of these spectacular billfish. Their gracious acrobatic ability is second to none as they appear to magically float across the surface. Sails are beautiful fish that fight hard and with 10 to 20 shot days common, what more could you want! As the owner/operator of a full time charter boat, if I could only chase one species it would surely be the majestic sailfish. These are magnificent creatures that provide spectacular memories and great action on light tackle. At times they hammer every bait in the spread while on other occasions they intentionally tease you into frustration. Depending on conditions a sailfish’s temperament can vary from very aggressive to very finicky, which enhances the challenge of catching them, even for the most seasoned veteran. Just a few short years ago the majority of sailfishing in our area was done by trolling ballyhoo and other rigged baits along with a variety of teasers. Working the edges of color changes, temperature breaks and weed lines all accounted for impressive catches and still do. For the hardcore sailfish enthusiast, dragging rigged ‘hoos which perfectly emulate live bait is the purest form of sailfishing. From my perspective, I would choose this approach as compared to fishing with live baits.

However, most charter clients do not have the experience and often the patience to fish this way. As a result, live bait seems to be taking over as the preferred method of attack. The results have been outstanding and the survival rate of the fish we are releasing is equal to if not higher then when we are trolling “dead baits”. For the balance of this article I will provide some useful insights into various tips and tricks we implement while live baiting sails on the Fighting Lady, a 32’ tournament equipped Luhrs Open. We’ll start by recollecting a typical summer sailfish trip and work our way into the prime winter season.

On a recent trip in late June, Rich Bagdasarian and Eddie Baharian decided to head down from Michigan to join me for a couple days of offshore fishing. The weather had been less than desirable prior to their trip and the forecast for this first day offshore called for severe afternoon storms. We were anxious to get out early and get in as much fishing time as possible as nasty weather was headed our way. We started our day by filling the bait well outside the St. Lucie Inlet. Our sabiki rigs made short work of a few dozen greenies, sardines, cigar minnows and blue runners. On this particular morning the ocean water was a clean Caribbean blue. The current was moving north at a brisk pace and the winds were from the west. Setting up to drift the 50’ to 100’ depths, our baits quickly went to work as we immediately hooked up on a decent king. This was followed by another strike, then another and another. The hot kingfish action steadily continued, but we were after something just a bit more exciting. To maximize the effectiveness of a live bait supply, most knowledgeable sailfish anglers fish at least two baits off of kites.

The end result is a couple of helpless frantic bait splashing directly on the ocean’s surface, an irresistible temptation for any sailfish. On the Fighting Lady, we present the baits in the same manner but with a slightly different technique. Rather than flying a kite we simply use what I like to refer to as blue water bobbers. These large cork floats will keep your frisky baits directly on the surface and create an equally effective presentation, but with much less hassle. On this particular day, my blue water bobber paid off again and paid off big. We were all brought to attention by the site of our terrified blue runner screaming across the surface with the white float hot on its tail. We knew that could only mean one thing and we were right. The lit up sail seemed to first toy with the bait. He chased it around for a while and then as if on que, opened its mouth and devoured it. In what seemed liked one seamless motion, I grabbed the rod from the holder to allow for a short drop back and started reeling as fast as I could to come tight. Unfortunately though, I came up empty. Within seconds the float broke the surface and just as quickly, the fired up sail was back on the bait. This time and without a second of hesitation, he grabbed it for real.

A short drop back later and airborne our first sail went. This was an extremely active fish that seemed to spend more time out of the water jumping than actually swimming in it. A number of the spectacular leaps were just feet from the boat and we were able to get some great shots. After the show, we got the fish alongside the boat for a couple of close up’s as we cut the leader and released him unharmed—Approx. 85” long and 65 lbs. of fierce sailfish on 20 lb. tackle — an exhilarating thrill for all of us. Shortly before noon a pack of three sailfish came calling. We watched as one of the fish rushed the far ‘bobber’ bait, grabbed it and ran off. We quickly set the hook and immediately the angry fish grey hounded up the starboard side. Another big one I thought to myself. This time we weren’t so lucky. With a few wild shakes of its head, he managed to throw the hook right back at us as if to say “not this time pal”. We finished our day by catching several gaffer size dolphin along with a few more decent kings, and also missed two more shots at sails. A typical day of summer fishing in the sailfish capital of the world, Stuart, Florida! The following morning we left the inlet in the hopes of again encountering a hungry pack of sails. Today though, was different. The ocean had changed; the water temperature was several degrees cooler, the winds from the northeast and the water was a dirty green. Luckily, bait was easy to find and we even ran across an area close to the Inlet where the kingfish and bonito were very active. After bending a few rods we headed further north where we again found more dirty water and equally poor conditions. Not confident in the area we decided to pick up and head directly offshore. This was the right move as we ran across a 2 to 3 degree temperature break where we spent the remainder of the day.

Throughout the afternoon we saw five sails but only managed to hook one which hit a deep bait fished 50’ down off a downrigger. During the summer months, sailfish will hit baits presented deeper in the water column intended for kings and wahoo. That’s why along with flat lines and ‘bobber’ baits we always set at least one bait down deep. This deep bait accounts for a decent percentage of the bites we get and often results in a nice fish or two.

So there it is. One for five on sailfish, a handful of kings and two AJ’s later concluded our second day. Again, another typical summertime sailfish trip. As the months roll by, we eventually work our way through the fall into the holiday season, our approach takes on a slightly different direction. Now, rather than hoping for a sail or two to spice up a day of chasing kings or dolphin, we target sails exclusively. The cooler water temperatures bring with them an abundance of baitfish heading south for the winter and a large number of savvy sailfish are right there with them. These migratory cycles have been going on for decades and by early January you can count on the sailfish action heating up into total chaos. This is the most exciting time of the year for sailfish anglers and often double digit catches are extremely common. In addition, what our sailfish lack in size compared to their Pacific brothers, they definitely make up in numbers. It’s always exciting to watch a pack of lit up sails fighting over a single bait. Your adrenaline level will soar to new heights as the spindle beak erupts into mid air after consuming your bait.

When exclusively targeting sails throughout the winter months, our spread consists of 5 live baits rigged on mono or fluorocarbon leaders.We avoid wire traces to increase the amount of strikes. One or two baits are fished directly on the surface with two additional flat lines and of course, a single deep bait. This spread is easy to manage and covers the entire top half of the water column. Goggle eyes and blue runners, the hardiest of baits, should be fished on floats furthest away from the boat. I can’t stress enough that these large styrofoam floats provide a presentation very similar to a kite. The benefit is they require less work while providing equally impressive results. Pilchards and sardines are perfect for flat lines set at 30’ to 50’. Our one deep bait, usually a big gog or runner, is fished between 45’ to 55’ down. Normally when a sail or any other predatory fish is in the area all the baits will shoot to the surface, hoping to avoid the monster that is lurking below. Whenever you see nervous baits on the surface, it is a prime indication that something is about to happen. Rigging techniques are pretty basic. A few feet of double line, 8’ to 12’ of 50 to 80 lb. leader material and a 7/0 circle hook to finish things off. The leader is attached to the double line with an Albright Knot and the hook to the leader with your favorite knot.

Circle hooks work great and we experience a very high hook up ratio when using them. The most difficult thing I have found when using circles’ is getting the anglers to point the rod at the fish and wind until the fish pulls line off the reel. Then gently raise the rod without setting the hook. I like bridling my baits using rigging bands. The baits last longer, swim stronger and baits rigged this way simply catch more fish. The alternative is nose hooking the baits, but they just don’t seem to be as frisky or last as long. Hot sailfishing isn’t exclusive to the Stuart area. With Sailfish Alley right in our front yards, it is pretty hard to beat. As a matter of fact, for a 3 week period last winter, large numbers of sailfish were stacked up in 59’ of water. Day in and day out, packs of hungry sails would trap bait in the nutrient rich shallows and gorge themselves all day long. We regularly scored double digit catches in an area where you could almost see the bottom. How cool is that? The entire southeast coast offers phenomenal opportunities to cash in on some of the best billfishing in the world. The key is to locate clean blue water in depths ranging from 60’ to 200’. Pinpoint congregations of bait, edges of color changes or temperature breaks and you now have an excellent starting point. However, subtle signs should not be overlooked. Surface slicks, picking birds and floating debris will also hold their fare share of lurking sails.

As for conditions, sails will bite in all weather patterns although a 2’ to 4’ chop coupled with a stiff northeasterly breeze and you’re in sailfish heaven. Are there the correct words to describe the feeling of battling a high flying billfish of any kind? I don’t think so. There is no doubt that tangling with a huge blue marlin in excess of 500 lbs. is the probably most exciting thrill an offshore angler could achieve but make no mistake, sailfish are a close second. Watching your baits getting harassed to the sight of a sailfish tail walking across the surface will leave you with memories you will soon not forget. Good luck and remember, you’ll never catch ‘em if you’re at the dock!

I would be negligent if I didn’t provide information on how we can help increase sailfish survival rates. The debate continues by those who believe that live baiting results in gut hooking too many fish. I am sure that could be true if the proper measures are not taken. Whether using customary J-hooks or innovative circle hooks, at least 80% of the fish we catch are hooked somewhere around the edge of the mouth. Keep a close eye on your baits and only allow a very short drop back once the fish is headed the other way. This short drop back will avoid gut hooking a large percentage of your fish. By consistently using this approach, I’ve drastically reduced the number of gut hooked fish. Other important factors you should take into consideration to insure a healthy release are... The amount of time spent fighting a fish dramatically affects the amount of lactic acid that builds up in a fish’s tissue. Using real light lines with minimal drag settings will cause excessive fatigue on a sailfish from a prolonged fight. Hook the fish, enjoy the show and focus on the task of getting it to the boat. This alone will greatly improve his chances of survival. Dragging a sailfish across the gunnel or laying him on the deck for photos and measurements will needlessly wipe the protective slime coat off of the fish. It’s believed that dragging a fish across a covering board or deck can doom that fish to a slow death. The area that the slime was removed is now susceptible to infection. Not only is it bad for the fish to be brought into the boat but it can be very dangerous for an inexperienced crew. A sailfish’s bill can be the dagger of death so be careful. When a client would like photos, we will take a picture of the angler leaning over the side of the boat with the fish partially out of the water, taking measures to insure the fish doesn’t rub against the boat. Prior to release, hold the fish alongside the boat until it shows some signs of renewed energy.

This greatly enhances its chances of survival. It’s best to minimize contact so release the fish with the least amount of handling. Leadering tactics can also cause damage to the fish. While you are fighting the fish an embedded hook on 20 to 30 lb. line averages below 10 lbs. of pressure. When the heavier leader is grabbed, that pressure could easily approach 50 lbs. Proper handling of the boat and the fish as it’s eased alongside will assure an increased survival rate. Grabbing the leader and jerking it to bust the fish off is not a good approach. A better method is to cut the leader as close to the fish as possible. Leaving a hook in the fish is not a big problem. I think it’s healthier for the fish than forcefully trying to wedge the hook out. Plus, I have personally caught sailfish that had several old hooks in its mouth that were in various stages of corroding away. None of the fish with old hooks fought any different than a fish without them and the hooked areas didn’t appear to be infected. Never be fooled and believe that you must kill a sailfish if you intend on hanging your trophy catch on the wall. Thanks to today’s technology, release mounts are constructed of fiberglass and nothing more than approximate measurements are required.

About the Author:

Capt. Ed Williams is a full time experienced charter boat captain who has spent most of his life here in Florida. He has extensive knowledge fishing the many prime locations in Florida as well as the Bahamas. Whether it’s with a family, a hard core group of tournament anglers or a bunch of friends just looking to get out on the water for the day, a day with Ed on the Fighting Lady will be a day to remember. Fishing from Stuart Florida, Captain ed Williams always does his best to insure a safe, enjoyable and a quality fishing experience. Captain Ed can be reached at: (772) 225-7500, CaptEdWilliams@aol.com, or by visiting www.CaptEdWilliams.com

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