By Philip Friedman
Captain Shawn Morgon was still walking on air days after a rare catch of a 188 pound swordfish taken September 8 just east of the east end of Catalina Island. “We are all still really excited,” said Morgon. “It was a total team effort and the first swordfish I’ve taken in the 27 years I have been a Captain.
Morgon had departed Los Alamitos Bay at 3am on Sunday morning to catch mackerel for marlin bait. The group had been searching near a bank called the 277 when Morgon spied a swordfish about 1⁄2 mile away. “Get ready he told everyone on deck.”
Bobby Lienau already had the prefect rod and reel set up ready to go and made the perfect cast just over the bill of the swordie. “”I’m bit,” said Lineau. Morgon instructed Lineau to move to the stern of the vessel and the accelerated forcefully to drive the hook home. That set off a monumental battle that lasted about an hour and a half with several of the men on deck taking a turn at turning the mighty billfish.
There was one point when the swordfish was up close enough to the Good Karma to be gaffed. “Gaff that thing,” said Morgon. But everyone on deck was afraid to do so as the fish was lit up and still stronger than ever.
The fish did what is known among anglers who fish for swordfish as a final death dive stripping hundreds of yards of line off the reel in seconds. It later came to the surface and was gaffed and put on board.
“It was a great day and even better to have had my son Rudy on board with me who put the gaff in the fish at the end,” said Morgon. “It took 27 years to do this but it was
well worth the wait.”
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