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Tassie fishos crack broadbill code

A GROUP of Tasmanian fishermen have caught what might be the largest broadbill swordfish landed in local waters, with a fish estimated at 170kg.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the monster broadbill was caught by team ChoonaChasa – Leo Miller, Simon Turner and mates – during a recent Sunday trip in a 7m fibreglass boat.

Miller said the swordfish was hooked around 35km east of Eaglehawk Neck at a depth of 500m.

“Within five minutes the fish was jumping on the surface,” he said. “Then she went down deep again, about 500m.

“It took about two hours to get her to the boat, then we swam her alongside the boat for about 10 minutes to allow water to flow over the gills to revive her.’’

The crew reckon that, after two years of trial and error, they have cracked the code for catching swordfish, hooking five and landing four since March.

Miller said the hard part had been figuring out how to lay an attractive bait at depths of 300m to 800m, with a light on the line to act as a lure.

“People in the fishing industry are telling us that we’ve cracked the code,” he said.

Miller said the released fish was almost certainly the largest landed in Tasmania, pushing the national record of 175kg. He said three previously landed swordfish had provided more than enough meat for the team’s tables.

 _536_https://yaffa-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/fishing/images/dmImage/SourceImage/Broadbill 550.jpg

Team ChoonaChasa with a previously caught broadbill of 106.8kg caught on 37kg gear. The fish is a pending club, state and national record. Image: Facebook

Read more at: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/recreational-fishermen-capture-monster-swordfish/story-fnjj6010-1226957975476

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