Broadbill Swordfish Fish Mounts

Broadbill Swordfish are found worldwide in temperate tropical oceanic and continental shelf waters from the surface to depths of 2,000-feet or more. Swordfish have smooth broad and flattened bills that are significantly longer and wider than the bill of any other billfish. It also has a rigid dorsal and pectoral fins and a very large keel on either side of the body just before the tail. Swordfish often slash their prey using their bill with spring-loaded lightning speed. This pelagic, migratory fish travels alone when mature, but travels in small groups as juveniles.

The I.G.F.A. World Record Swordfish weighed 1,182-pounds and was landed by Louis Marron in 1953 off Chile while trolling bonito. The restored mount which is on display at the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame and Museum in Dania Beach, Florida (greater Fort Lauderdale) sports deep scars on the original bill, which was also broken at some point in the fish’s life.

During the restoration, we had to remove a thick layer of plaster from the fish, which has covered the mount for decades. The bill, which had been broken off near the tip, initially indicated that this particular sword was likely quite aggressive. When the plaster layer was removed from the bill, we noticed a series of deep scars on both sides of the bill, which confirmed how aggressive the fish actually must have been. What was most interesting, though, was the fact that most of the scarring had occurred on the right side of the bill. Did this indicate that it was a right-handed fish? Perhaps so. (more on the IGFA World Record Swordfish)