iStockphoto / lillophoto
The swordfish is one of the most iconic fish in the world. Folks who have never gone fishing in their lives can almost always identify a swordfish, though I often get asked (by people who don’t fish) if the blue marlin tattooed on my back is a swordfish. And as one of the species on the Mt. Rushmore of Game Fish, swordfish fishing records are pretty special.
Capt. Dillon Houston of San Diego-based Brothers Sport Fishing can now lay claim to a swordfish record after breaking a 20-year-old California state fishing record. The previous Cali record for swordfish was a 452-pound, 8oz swordfish caught by David Denholm off Catalina Island back in September 2003.
That record fell on Monday, October 30th when angler Mason Karafa was fishing off San Diego’s Nine Mile Bank and reeled in a 520 pound swordfish that measured 135.5 inches from end to end.
Capt. Ezekiel ‘Zeek’ Cruz was the third member onboard when they hauled in the record-setting billfish. Cruz told WON their bait was only down 5 minutes when it got nailed.
According to Field and Stream, it was a wild fish. The fish turned at one point and b-lined it for the boat and the angler was forced to reel for his life to keep the line taught. When it got close, the swordfish smacked the boat’s engine with its bill. To cap it off, the first gaff snapped off and the record-setting swordfish required a second gaff to get it into the boat.
On Instagram, the fellas who caught this swordfish described this incredible feat as “the culmination of countless hours, days, years, a lifetime of hard work & mental dedication. Most see the end result. Few see the commitment and grit that preceded.”
Once back on land, they brought the swordfish to Chula Seafood where they used the certified scale to weigh their fish. From there, it was only a matter of processing the paperwork and now they’re the proud owners of a new California state fishing record, one that hadn’t been touched on the past 20 years.