Sailfish and swordfish are two of the top dogs of the big-game fishing world.\u00a0 These are some of the fastest, biggest, and hardest-fighting saltwater species that can be caught with a rod and reel. And while both fish should be on every serious angler\u2019s bucket list, there are some things to consider when comparing sailfish vs. swordfish.<\/p>\n
While the two billfish species do have a lot in common, sailfish<\/a> and swordfish<\/a> also differ from one another in several ways. Aside from their physical attributes, they prefer different water types. They also have their own migration habits and unique fighting styles. From an angling perspective, this means that each species calls for different strategies.<\/p>\n In this article, we look at sailfish and swordfish through the following lenses:<\/p>\n Sailfish and swordfish are built to travel vast distances while chasing down fast-moving prey and escaping sharks. They are lean, mean swimming machines with muscular bodies and powerful, deeply forked tail fins. They\u2019re also easy to tell apart if you focus on a few key characteristics:<\/p>\n Swordfish grow much larger than sailfish. These giants of the deep can weigh over 1,000 pounds. The IGFA all-tackle world record<\/a>, caught in Chile, weighed 1,182 pounds. As with sailfish, swordfish reach larger sizes in the Pacific than they do in the Atlantic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n A typical sailfish averages 5 to 11 feet long (including the bill). The biggest Atlantic sailfish ever caught weighed around 142 pounds, while the all-tackle world record for Pacific sailfish weighed 221 pounds and was caught off the coast of Ecuador.<\/p>\n The name \u201cswordfish\u201d derives from their sword-like bill, which is smooth, broad, and flat with a sharp tip. Swordfish have the longest bills in the billfish family. They\u2019re between one-third and one-half of their total body length.<\/p>\n Sailfish have more rounded bills that are shaped more like a spear than a sword. Their bills are shorter than a swordfish\u2019s and just under a third of their total body length.<\/p>\n While swordfish are named for their bills, sailfish are named for their characteristically large dorsal fins, which fan out and run almost the entire length of their backs. They can retract and expand these \u201csails\u201d, which gives them an incredible ability to maneuver at high speeds.<\/p>\n Swordfish have slim, crescent-shaped dorsal fins that run a short distance behind their gill plates. These fins are rigid and never change shape.<\/p>\n Swordfish have giant eyeballs that are noticeably larger than those of a sailfish. These larger orbs let in more light, allowing swordfish to hunt in deeper, darker waters.<\/p>\n Visually speaking, sailfish are stunners. They\u2019re typically blue-gray in color with whitish underbellies and vertical stripes. But when they get excited or agitated, sailfish \u201clight up\u201d, turning their bodies a bright, iridescent blue with golden and purple tones and yellow stripes.<\/p>\n Swordfish have deep brown or black backs that transition to silvery-white bellies. Their colors are somewhat drab compared to sailfish, with a subtler iridescence and purple hues.<\/p>\n Both species have long, tapered bodies, but swordfish have a more cylindrical shape than sailfish. Swordfish also have leathery skin that is very different from the typical scales found on most fish.<\/p>\n Swordfish and sailfish are both pelagic species<\/a>, which means they swim throughout the water column but rarely touch the bottom as they hunt for prey in the ocean. They\u2019re also migratory and travel long distances each year, swimming up and down the coasts following food sources. The two species are native to the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, and NOAA Fisheries<\/a> recognizes four main subspecies: Atlantic and Pacific sailfish, along with North Atlantic and North Pacific swordfish.<\/p>\n While these expert hunters inhabit the same oceans, sails and swords tend to hang out in different water types. Sailfish typically prefer warmer water closer to the surface, while swordfish can be found in much deeper, colder waters closer to the ocean floor.<\/p>\n Sails and swords are both predatory fish that hunt baitfish, squid, and smaller game fish. They use their bills (also known as \u201crostrums\u201d) to slash, stab, stun, and impale their prey. The two fish have very different hunting styles, however.<\/p>\n Sailfish are the fastest fish in the ocean, and they can swim up to 68 miles an hour. They rely on their speed to chase down smaller fish like sardines and mackerel. With their dorsal fins folded against their back, sailfish can dash through the open ocean at top speed. Then, by folding out their giant dorsal fin, they can use it like a rudder to make sudden turns or throw on the brakes.<\/p>\n\n
Appearance<\/h2>\n
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Size<\/h3>\n
![\"sailfish](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/06\/16\/sailfish_vs_swordfish_7.jpeg\")
Bills<\/h3>\n
Fins<\/h3>\n
Eyes<\/h3>\n
![\"sailfish](\"https:\/\/www.outdoorlife.com\/uploads\/2023\/06\/16\/sailfish_vs_swordfish_5.jpeg\")
Coloration and Body Type<\/h3>\n
Distribution and Habitat<\/h2>\n
Behavior and Hunting Styles<\/h2>\n