Best Daytime Swordfish Rod For 2020
When you have hundreds of meters of line stretching down to the ocean floor, there are two things that you and your crew members are watching: the depth-finder and the tip of your fishing rod. And you, the angler, are definitely watching that rod tip. Because any twitch could be a strike from the monster swordfish you’ve been waiting for.
So, if you’re going to be spending all this time thinking about swordfish and staring at a fishing rod, we’ve scoured the internet to answer the foremost question on your mind: what is the best Daytime Swordfish Rod ?
A full-grown swordfish doesn’t have many rivals in the ocean. They are too big, too fast, and too dangerous for most sea-dwelling creatures to mess with. Without sophisticated electronics to read the topography of the ocean floor several thousand feet below, these creatures would hardly be fishable.
But now we have the technology that makes landing a swordfish in broad daylight less of a tall fisherman’s tale, and more of a reality. But you’re going to need to have the right equipment to do it. So in this article we’re gonna troll Amazon for the best daytime swordfish rod and see what we come up with. But first, a little context.
Before 2003, there was very little daytime swordfishing happening in the United States. But in the Florida Keys the interest in sport fishing goes deep, and it was only a matter of time before swordfish got more attention.
Nick Stanczyk is one of the names that comes up again and again when searching for the best daytime swordfish rod. Before Nick and his family, there weren’t many people popularizing the techniques of sending bait down 1500 feet and having it come up with swordfish. His time and experience have lead to quite a bit of exposure. And his success means that his custom series of rods start at about $600 and quickly become more expensive.
But the best daytime swordfish rod is the one that you can afford to buy, so we’ll focus this guide on the gear on Amazon that’s a little bit more reasonable, but still appropriate for what might be the most intense fishing the United States offers.
It takes a lot of food to power a fish whose weight is some fraction of a ton. There’s a layer of the ocean known as the “deep scattering layer” where plankton, squid, and baitfish all hang out to eat or be eaten. Sort of like a sweet spot of the ocean for marine life.
So that means that you’re going to be fishing depths of no less than 1500 feet in during the daytime. That’s quite aways down. Although swordfish are often caught as close as 300 feet from the surface during night-time hours, that’s only because their food hangs out much closer to the surface at that time too. And during the day, the squid and baitfish that make up their food wants cover from the sun, much like we would.
What the research has shown is that at night, the swordfish are able to range freely from closer to the surface, all the way to the depths of their nighttime haunts. But during the day, that the surface level water is just off limits.
So that means that although it seems counterintuitive and challenging, fishing during the day gives you a much better concentration of swordfish in that 1200-1800 foot depth band compared to night fishing. So what matters is you have the gear, especially the best daytime swordfish rod that can get your bait down there.
Since the search for the best daytime swordfish rod is still a relatively new and esoteric quest, you really have to do your homework while looking on Amazon for gear. Most internet searches only turn up gear that in the thousands of dollars range and my hunch is they don’t have Prime 2-Day Shipping either. But never fear.
There are always hidden gems in the depths and with a little research, I pulled up some trophy worthy gear. The best daytime swordfish rod is going to be the one that fits your needs most: you be the judge of the options below.
And I’ll offer my pick for the best daytime swordfish rod in the last graf.
Rods in this price point are pretty hard to come by. With the right lengths and the convenient bent butt for trolling ease being just a few of the preferred.
So paying $114.99 for 7’ of off-shore fishing rod (at time of writing) is just a deal no matter how you slice it. The rod is constructed of e-glass graphite, so there’s some sensitivity there that the all-aluminum types might be missing.
At 7’ you get 5+1 guides, a line weight recommendation of 80-120lb (the generally recommended sweet spot for swordfishing), and the rod weighs in at 56 oz.
As it’s likely you’ll be fighting fish out of a chair or at the very least a harness, this shouldn’t count against this rod in your estimation. It also comes with a carrying bag as an extra bonus, and reviewers are pleased in general by the quality and especially the price.
This Daiwa rod comes up as Amazon’s choice and has a few things going for it.
Reviewers use it with Tancom electric reels, a popular choice for this sort of fishing (although some folks on the internet opine that this reel isn’t as heavy duty as they might like).
However, the swivel tip tops put this rod in a solidly pro status territory and it’s 4 star rating undersells how much reviewers like it (usually if a product is worth one star a detailed list complaints come with it, but no such review with this rod).
Although Daiwa isn’t exactly known as a big name in the fishing industry, you at least get to purchase this rod straight from the manufacturer, which would hopefully make life easier if anything were to go wrong.
This rod doesn’t seem to lack any important features, and with the competition going for around 3x the price… worth a try. Plus. That swivel tip is pretty crucial.
Although a little short for the deepest of deep trolling rods at 5’5”, this rod has unanimously positive reviews on Amazon.
Reviewers call out good customer service (always nice when you’re about to drop $294.99 on a new piece of gear). This rod is solidly professional status, with a hefty stainless-steel swing-tip that exemplifies its construction specifically for deep-drop trolling fishing.
Reviewers have spent time on the water with this rod, and still report that the rod is holding up and doing what it’s supposed to do.
Although this may not be a fancy piece of equipment, this looks like a solid choice for some pro level equipment that won’t need replacing any time soon.
Added bonus: if you really think you need some extra durability, you can bump your spec up to the 140lb-160lb test model for the same price.
This Okiaya was surprisingly hard to surface in Amazon’s search, so it looks like the brand might not be paying top bucks for marketing.
But Okiaya seems to be gaining a reputation by winning offshore fishing tournaments, which should give you some confidence that they’re investing their resources in what really matters: fishing.
Upfront, the negative of this rod is its length. But oh man, everything else.
Carbon fiber means this rod is light light, CNC machined aluminum parts, a swivel-tip, and a 2-year warranty against any defects, not to mention a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
They even include a customer service phone number, which is decidedly NOT the norm for most online commerce, and that matters when buying big ticket items like the best daytime swordfish rod.
Another underrated perk is that they offer replacement parts: service that you definitely don’t get from other more fly-by-night manufacturers.
After doing a lot of digging, and even a little soul searching, the OKIAYA Venom PRO Bent Butt Fishing Rod 80-130 LB. The Monster PAC Bay Guides is what I’d want to rig up for a day on the water hunting for swordfish.
Even though there are cheaper options, the Okiaya brand is really about fishing and the fact that their designing is done in the US sounds like they pay attention to their customer’s needs. Plus, who else includes a phone number for customer service these days?
Although this rod isn’t the longest, which might be a slight inconvenience, not all of your rods will go directly over the stern of the boat.
The Fiblink Bent Butt Fishing Rod 2-Piece Saltwater Offshore Trolling Rod Big Game Roller Rod Conventional Boat Fishing Pole fits that bill.
Even though the construction might not offer the sensitivity you really want, at the lowest price point on the list, you might have a tough time complaining in earnest.
What matters most, as always, is getting out on the water.
So this guide should help you spend less time browsing on Amazon and more time out on the water, where you can put your hardware to the true test: matching your angling skills against the arguably the greatest gamefish the world has to offer.
So, if you’re going to be spending all this time thinking about swordfish and staring at a fishing rod, we’ve scoured the internet to answer the foremost question on your mind: what is the best Daytime Swordfish Rod ?
The Brand-New World of Daytime Swordfishing
A full-grown swordfish doesn’t have many rivals in the ocean. They are too big, too fast, and too dangerous for most sea-dwelling creatures to mess with. Without sophisticated electronics to read the topography of the ocean floor several thousand feet below, these creatures would hardly be fishable.
But now we have the technology that makes landing a swordfish in broad daylight less of a tall fisherman’s tale, and more of a reality. But you’re going to need to have the right equipment to do it. So in this article we’re gonna troll Amazon for the best daytime swordfish rod and see what we come up with. But first, a little context.
New to the Game
Before 2003, there was very little daytime swordfishing happening in the United States. But in the Florida Keys the interest in sport fishing goes deep, and it was only a matter of time before swordfish got more attention.
Nick Stanczyk is one of the names that comes up again and again when searching for the best daytime swordfish rod. Before Nick and his family, there weren’t many people popularizing the techniques of sending bait down 1500 feet and having it come up with swordfish. His time and experience have lead to quite a bit of exposure. And his success means that his custom series of rods start at about $600 and quickly become more expensive.
But the best daytime swordfish rod is the one that you can afford to buy, so we’ll focus this guide on the gear on Amazon that’s a little bit more reasonable, but still appropriate for what might be the most intense fishing the United States offers.
Gotta Be Where the Swordfish Be
It takes a lot of food to power a fish whose weight is some fraction of a ton. There’s a layer of the ocean known as the “deep scattering layer” where plankton, squid, and baitfish all hang out to eat or be eaten. Sort of like a sweet spot of the ocean for marine life.
So that means that you’re going to be fishing depths of no less than 1500 feet in during the daytime. That’s quite aways down. Although swordfish are often caught as close as 300 feet from the surface during night-time hours, that’s only because their food hangs out much closer to the surface at that time too. And during the day, the squid and baitfish that make up their food wants cover from the sun, much like we would.
What the research has shown is that at night, the swordfish are able to range freely from closer to the surface, all the way to the depths of their nighttime haunts. But during the day, that the surface level water is just off limits.
So that means that although it seems counterintuitive and challenging, fishing during the day gives you a much better concentration of swordfish in that 1200-1800 foot depth band compared to night fishing. So what matters is you have the gear, especially the best daytime swordfish rod that can get your bait down there.
The Best Daytime Swordfish Rod on Amazon. Choices, Choices.
Since the search for the best daytime swordfish rod is still a relatively new and esoteric quest, you really have to do your homework while looking on Amazon for gear. Most internet searches only turn up gear that in the thousands of dollars range and my hunch is they don’t have Prime 2-Day Shipping either. But never fear.
There are always hidden gems in the depths and with a little research, I pulled up some trophy worthy gear. The best daytime swordfish rod is going to be the one that fits your needs most: you be the judge of the options below.
And I’ll offer my pick for the best daytime swordfish rod in the last graf.
Fiblink Bent Butt Fishing Rod 2-Piece Saltwater Offshore Trolling Rod Big Game Roller Rod Conventional Boat Fishing Pole
Rods in this price point are pretty hard to come by. With the right lengths and the convenient bent butt for trolling ease being just a few of the preferred.
So paying $114.99 for 7’ of off-shore fishing rod (at time of writing) is just a deal no matter how you slice it. The rod is constructed of e-glass graphite, so there’s some sensitivity there that the all-aluminum types might be missing.
At 7’ you get 5+1 guides, a line weight recommendation of 80-120lb (the generally recommended sweet spot for swordfishing), and the rod weighs in at 56 oz.
As it’s likely you’ll be fighting fish out of a chair or at the very least a harness, this shouldn’t count against this rod in your estimation. It also comes with a carrying bag as an extra bonus, and reviewers are pleased in general by the quality and especially the price.
Daiwa TNB66HF-DD Tancom Dendoh Casting Rod, 6'6" Length, 2Piece, 60-150 lb Line Rate, Heavy Power
This Daiwa rod comes up as Amazon’s choice and has a few things going for it.
Reviewers use it with Tancom electric reels, a popular choice for this sort of fishing (although some folks on the internet opine that this reel isn’t as heavy duty as they might like).
However, the swivel tip tops put this rod in a solidly pro status territory and it’s 4 star rating undersells how much reviewers like it (usually if a product is worth one star a detailed list complaints come with it, but no such review with this rod).
Although Daiwa isn’t exactly known as a big name in the fishing industry, you at least get to purchase this rod straight from the manufacturer, which would hopefully make life easier if anything were to go wrong.
This rod doesn’t seem to lack any important features, and with the competition going for around 3x the price… worth a try. Plus. That swivel tip is pretty crucial.
EatMyTackle Deep Drop Trolling Rod | Blue Marlin Tournament Edition (3pc. Swing Tip)
Although a little short for the deepest of deep trolling rods at 5’5”, this rod has unanimously positive reviews on Amazon.
Reviewers call out good customer service (always nice when you’re about to drop $294.99 on a new piece of gear). This rod is solidly professional status, with a hefty stainless-steel swing-tip that exemplifies its construction specifically for deep-drop trolling fishing.
Reviewers have spent time on the water with this rod, and still report that the rod is holding up and doing what it’s supposed to do.
Although this may not be a fancy piece of equipment, this looks like a solid choice for some pro level equipment that won’t need replacing any time soon.
Added bonus: if you really think you need some extra durability, you can bump your spec up to the 140lb-160lb test model for the same price.
OKIAYA Venom PRO Bent Butt Fishing Rod 80-130 LB. The Monster PAC Bay Guides
This Okiaya was surprisingly hard to surface in Amazon’s search, so it looks like the brand might not be paying top bucks for marketing.
But Okiaya seems to be gaining a reputation by winning offshore fishing tournaments, which should give you some confidence that they’re investing their resources in what really matters: fishing.
Upfront, the negative of this rod is its length. But oh man, everything else.
Carbon fiber means this rod is light light, CNC machined aluminum parts, a swivel-tip, and a 2-year warranty against any defects, not to mention a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
They even include a customer service phone number, which is decidedly NOT the norm for most online commerce, and that matters when buying big ticket items like the best daytime swordfish rod.
Another underrated perk is that they offer replacement parts: service that you definitely don’t get from other more fly-by-night manufacturers.
Author’s Pick for Best Swordfish Rod
After doing a lot of digging, and even a little soul searching, the OKIAYA Venom PRO Bent Butt Fishing Rod 80-130 LB. The Monster PAC Bay Guides is what I’d want to rig up for a day on the water hunting for swordfish.
Even though there are cheaper options, the Okiaya brand is really about fishing and the fact that their designing is done in the US sounds like they pay attention to their customer’s needs. Plus, who else includes a phone number for customer service these days?
Although this rod isn’t the longest, which might be a slight inconvenience, not all of your rods will go directly over the stern of the boat.
The Fiblink Bent Butt Fishing Rod 2-Piece Saltwater Offshore Trolling Rod Big Game Roller Rod Conventional Boat Fishing Pole fits that bill.
Even though the construction might not offer the sensitivity you really want, at the lowest price point on the list, you might have a tough time complaining in earnest.
What matters most, as always, is getting out on the water.
So this guide should help you spend less time browsing on Amazon and more time out on the water, where you can put your hardware to the true test: matching your angling skills against the arguably the greatest gamefish the world has to offer.
