(Tetrapturus mitsukuri)
By many anglers for large and exciting game, the California swordfish
is pronounced the king of all game fishes. Certainly they put up a
very determined and exciting fight. In size they average about 180
pounds, though one has been taken at Catalina by W. C. Boschen that
weighed 355 pounds. When a swordfish is hooked its rushes are
desperate, even reckless, and at times dangerous to the angler. In its
determined efforts to free itself from the impaling hook, it threshes
the waters into foam, repeatedly leaping into the air, where the
sunlight scintillating upon the purple of its back and silvery sides
adds the charm of color to the excitement of the contest. It is safe
to say that there is no fish, either in the salt or fresh waters, that
is so constantly on the surface and in the air during its struggles
for freedom as is the California swordfish. Thirty, forty and even
fifty clean leaps into the sunlight by the one fish have been recorded
in its desperate struggle to baffle the skill of the angler.
The snout of the swordfish is continued into a long, sharp bone, which
measured from the back of the mouth is about one-fourth of the length
of the fish from the mouth to the base of the tail. The under jaw is
also a sharp projecting bone about half the length of the sword. The
dorsal fin rises sharply from the top of the head to a height nearly
equaling the depth of the body, the latter part curving downward and
continuing along the back to nearly the center of the body; tail
divided into two long, slim forks; second dorsal and anal near the
tail and nearly opposite each other; ventral fin below the terminal of
the first dorsal; pectoral fins rather long and located close to the
gill-covers; two long, slender feelers projecting from the center of
the throat just below the base of the pectorals; eye very large and
bright dark blue.
Purplish green on the back, with blue perpendicular stripes fading
into the silvery sides; fins, dark purple.
=Tackle and Lure=--Same as for tuna.