The next time you are out at the canyons on an overnight tuna chunking escapade, try fishing for swordfish. Many swordfish are caught throughout the season ranging from 40 lbs to 300 pounds. Everything stands true to swordfishing as does for tuna chunking except the use of a chemical glow stick in either green or red. With a 50 wide reel or 9/0 spooled with plenty of 50 or 60 pound test line, tie on a tuna rig. Get a small spinner and put a tiny pen-sized squid lure on and snare yourself a nice fat live squid.

Hook the squid through the tail and attach the activated chemical glow stick on the barrel swivel tied off to the flourocarbon leader (about 4 feet above the hook). Let out about 20 yards of line and with some tommy tape or electrical tape, tape on a 5 or 6 oz egg sinker. Use tape so you can remove it quickly when you reel in the fish close to the boat.

Swordfish are very omnivorous when it comes to what they will eat. Sometimes they will swallow a yellowfin whole, other times they will suck up a school of butterfish, but no matter how big they get they cannot resist the glow of a squid. The chemical stick acts as a visual attractant to the bait, the swordfish will zero in on the chemical stick, and hopefully find your live squid.

Once hooked let the swordfish run. Because they can get so big you want them to swallow the rig so you can hook them in the belly. Swordfish are absolutely delicious on the table, and have gotten all the bad press from politicians and activists, but hell, if I'm out in the canyon and I am fortunate enough to hook a swordfish, it's coming home with me. If I catch a second, then I'll let it go.