Do swordfish feed during the day or night?

In recent years, swordfish has become one of the most overfished species in the waters.  As a result, swordfish are not often targeted by commercial fishermen.  However, fishermen deciding to accept the challenge of fishing for swordfish will be met with several challenges.  First, swordfsih feed at night.  Not only that, they feed deep in the sea where presenting a bait becomes much more challenging.  Even if you manage to get one that will take the bait, swordfish are notoriously difficult to hook, fight, and bring to the boat.  Part of the reason for this is because they have extremely soft, fleshy mouths.  Swordfish are usually caught using one of two methods.  The most common approach consists of locating, spotting, and baiting a finning swordfish in the daylight.  However, not only has overfishing contributed to reducing the success rate of this type of swordfish hunting, the technique itself works only during the fish’s spawning season.  It is only during this particular season that the swordfish will rise above the thermocline to swim on the surface.  The other approach consists of drifting a dead or live squid over submerged canyons, banks, and seamounts during the nighttime.  Though this particular technique is a more recent invention and has also proven more successful, it requires boats, tackle, and crew that are expert fishermen and willing to endure nights in potentially rough waters.  As a result, many commercial and recreational fishermen steer clear of swordfish.  However, for those willing to risk such elements, the waters off of certain countries have proven more optimal for catching swordfish.  Some of these countries include Mexico, Venezuala, Panama, Kenya, and South Africa. 

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