Swording is fun ... but its hard work!

On Tuesday 20^th March, Wayne Ritchie, Hansie van Wyk, Herman Olivier and I boarded a plane headed for Kenya. We wanted to focus on broadbill and learning the techniques used to catch them.

We landed in Mombasa at noon on Wednesday 21^st and had an eventful trip up to Watamu where we checked into Ocean Sports. Our charter captain Rob Hellier from “Unreel” met us there for a welcome drink and we discussed the plan for the week. The festivities carried on into the night but luckily, we had some time before we would head to sea.

On Thursday 22^ndat around 3pm, we hopped into a tender made our way to Rob’s boat. From there we headed out to sea for about 10 miles before putting out a few lures and trolling the rest of the way to the rips. Unfortunately, the water colour did not look good on the drop-off, but as we approached the seamount, the water cleared up and looked beautiful.

My Royal Billfish Slam completed!

At around 6:30pm, the lures with squid strips and light sticks were deployed. Two on the outriggers and one on the downrigger at about 30m down. Rob trolled south at about 3-4knots along an underwater ridge that went from 1700ft to 1300ft and back to 1700ft. There were several boats on the water and at 8pm two had released fish. We headed south to where they were fishing and at 10pm, the downrigger rod went away with a speed. There was a commotion on the surface and a big glowing foam as the fish thrashed on the surface. I was on strike and after backing up on the fish and getting it close, it took off on a 200m run straight down. After a further 20 minutes, it was back on top where we could see the light stick just inches from the rod tip. As the Daddus the deckie prepared to take the leader, the worst imaginable thing happened … hook pulled! We had no option but to try again.

Herman's 1st Broadbill

We had caught a few big squid on the surface lures earlier in the evening, so the fresh strips were rigged up. About an hour later, we had a pull on the long rigger, but it never stuck. It came back twice but never hooked up. Rob made a turn and we slipped back a small whole squid. I was busy feeding it out when it was hit. I fed the fish for a while, but again it didn’t connect. Trolling commenced and at 1am, the downrigger rod took off again. The lightstick raced across the surface as the fish went on a fast run. I took the strike and Rob backed up on the lightstick. There were a few tense moments as the fish violently shook its head and made short runs, but eventually it settled down and I could get it under control. Daddus took hold of the leader and brought the fish alongside. Hansie grabbed the bill and they lifted a feisty broadbill swordfish into the boat. After a few quick pics, it was released. I was over the moon! This fish was the last one I needed for my Royal Billfish Slam of 9 billfish species. My trip was made, and it was only night one!

Wayne with a broadie

Without wasting time, the lines went out again. Herman was up next and an hour later, he was hooked up to his first broadbill. This fish came to the boat quickly and after a few pics, was also released. What a night it was!

Things went quiet and apart from a quick on-off on the downrigger at dawn, there was no further action, so we trolled back to Watamu where I celebrated my Royal Billfish Slam and Herman’s first swordfish.

On Friday 23^rd, after a long afternoon / evening snooze, I woke up to the sound of the boats diesel motors idling along. The celebrations had obviously taken their toll on me, but I was glad to be back on the water. After 10pm, there was a hit on the downrigger. After a short run, the fish unfortunately pulled hook. At around midnight, the moon went down and we had a solid take on the downrigger. Wayne was on the rod and made short work of his first broadbill which was also released.

The night wore on with only a few squid bites, and at about 3am the downrigger rod went away again. Hansie took the strike but he immediately felt the heavy shakes of a fish that was wrapped in the leader. It was not surprising when the hook unfortunately pulled. This was the last swordfish bite for the night. When the sun came up, the lures went out and we trolled back. On the way, we managed to get a wahoo and two dorado. 

After two back to back nights, we decided that we needed a day off to recuperate. With all our sleep caught up, we were ready for another two nights.

Hansie "Polu Kai" van Wyk

There were a few fish down south of Kilifi on our off day, so Rob suggested we head there and work our way north if it was quiet. With the lures out, it didn’t take long for us to get a dorado. Not long after, a stripey came in and hooked up on the left short. Wayne was on the rod and after 20 minutes released a feisty marlin. 

There was a ship drifting near the seamount so we trolled around it and caught 3 more dorado. Just before dark, another stripey charged down the lure, but didn’t commit. It seemed there was some daytime action so we hoped that it would continue into the night, but it was anything but. Apart from a few squid, it was very quiet. At about 10pm, while checking the downrigger bait, the rod shook violently and the reel took off as a sword grabbed the lure. Hansie had the rod in his hands when this happened so he was fighting straight away. The fish took some line, but before we could clear the other lines, the hook pulled!

Trolling commenced and at about midnight, the short rigger popped and the reel ran a bit. The light stick hopped in the air as the fish jumped, but it didn’t fight like a sword. It ended up being a small dorado!

Hansie's Swordfish

The moon went down at 1am and we were hoping for the swords to come up, but nothing happened. Rob decided to troll north with the current to the ledge where we had fished the previously. He worked the area for an hour or two and began marking fish. At 4:30, the downrigger rod went away and Hansie was into a broadbill. It went on a deep run and Hans said it felt different, almost as if it was a dead weight. He fought the fish for about 25 minutes before the light stick hit the rod tip. With the fish next to the boat, we could see it had totally wrapped in the leader and was DOA so it was loaded. We were over the moon as all of us had caught a broadbill for the trip!

Grand Slam Blue

With very little time left, the lines went out again and Rob made a turn over the same spot. The short rigger popped and the reel gave a short burst before the hook pulled. I held the bait there and sure enough the fish came back. It missed the hook twice before fading to the long bait which it crashed and hooked up. I could feel it was a small fish so Rob backed up on it and Daddus grabbed the leader. While he was trying to calm the fish down, the hook came out and the fish was released. By now the sky was light so the marlin lures went out. Rob trolled through the rips and over a few seamounts on the way home. First we got a nice dorado and a 20kg wahoo. 

Shortly after, the centre rigger popped and Herman was hooked up to a 300Lbs blue marlin. The fish made several jumps then sounded. After about 45 minutes, it came up and Daddus grabbed the leader and brought the fish along side where it was released. Only then did we realise that we had caught a boat grand slam of 3 billfish species in 24hrs … a first for all of us! Awesome! Despite looking for a black or a sail, it was not to be and we headed back to Watamu. It goes without saying that there was a bit of celebrating that went on that morning…

On our last night, we fished aboard “Tarka” with Cullem. The conditions were a bit bumpier than the previous evening and we rocked and rolled quite a bit in the rips. Things were quiet in the early part of the evening but at 10pm, the short rigger popped. Herman was on the rod and was hooked up to what seemed to be a small sword. Before the other lines were cleared, Herman had the lightstick right next to the boat. We were ready to take the leader when it turned and made a bit of a run. This run then accelerated with big head shakes. Realising it was not that small, the deck was cleared and the fight started in earnest. An hour later, with the line now straight up and down, we got Herman into a harness so he could put some heat on the fish. Unfortunately after only a few minutes, the harness straps ripped off and Herman just managed to grab the rod in time. With another harness on, he fought on into the night. Finally the line angle came up and we could back up on the fish. The light stick was on the surface only meters from the boat. 

Herman after 2 hours

The fish moved out from under the boat’s shadow and obviously did not like the bright moon as it got its head down and made another 100m run straight down. Two hours into the fight, the fish shook its head and shot to the surface. We all thought it had come off, but the rod then keeled over again as the fish changed direction. Again the lightstick was close, but we just could not get the leader and again the fish sounded. This time it swam just below the thermocline and would not budge. There it stayed for another hour while we tried every trick in the book to get the fish to change its mind. Eventually the angle increased and the fish came up. The lightstick was clearly visible 20m from the stern. Cullem backed towards the fish but when it was only meters away, it shook its head and took off on a run that was as strong as its first one more that 3 hours earlier. With the fish still on surface we again slowly backed up on the fish. Herman was gaining line steadily and all was under control when the hook pulled and the fish was gone! 

Wayne with Broadie #2

It was enough to make one cry. After 3 and a half hours, we were so close yet so far. We had drifted 7 miles with the fish and it took us a while to get back to the area we hooked it. By now it was 3am and we were in position again on the ledge. I heard the rigger pop and then the reel took off. Wayne was on the rod and the deckies were clearing the downrigger, so I cleared the long rigger rod. The swivel hit the rod tip and I leaned over to lift the lure into the boat when there was an almighty splash just 2 meters from the transom. The leader ripped out of my hand the rod keeled over. We had a double! I just managed to hold on to the rod as the lightstick flew under the boat and out to the side. The fish went on a mental run on the surface while Wayne’s fish sulked near the boat just under the surface. I let my fish run while Wayne fought and eventually released his second swordfish. By that stage, I was into the backing with 200m topshot off the reel, but we took it calm and soon had the fish just below the boat. Just as the deckie was reaching out to grab the leader, the hook pulled! Nuts!

Jono Boosen Tours

With just an hour of darkness left, the trolling commenced. As the sun came up, the downrigger popped, but when the fish jumped, we saw that is was a dorado which quickly threw the hook. That brought our Kenya Broadbill trip to an end. The aim was to tick a sword off all our boxes and we had done just that … and more. Thanks to the guys for a great trip.