How big is a swordfish? As of November 2026, a swordfish can grow to about 177 inches long. That is almost 15 feet, measured from the tip of its bill to the end of its tail. The bill counts in that length. As of November 2026, the largest published weight for a swordfish is 650 kilograms, about 1,400 pounds. Both numbers are the top of the range.

People who fish with a rod and line keep records too. As of November 2026, the International Game Fish Association all-tackle record for a swordfish caught by a person with rod and line is 1,182 pounds, or 536.15 kilograms. That record is a different kind of number from the 650 kilograms. One is the largest published weight, and the other is the heaviest one caught this way.

Not every swordfish is the same size. Female swordfish are larger than male swordfish. As of November 2026, a swordfish lives about 9 years. It reaches adulthood, and can have young, at 5 to 6 years old. A female swordfish may carry from 1 million to 29 million eggs. Each number comes from scientists who counted or measured.

Where does such a big fish live? Swordfish live in oceans around the world. They live mostly in midwater, at depths of about 200 to 600 meters (650 to 1,970 feet). In the day they are deep in the ocean, and at night they rise toward the surface to feed. Some swordfish travel very long distances: adults tracked in the western Atlantic migrated long distances between the Grand Banks and the Caribbean.

Words to know

• kilograms: weight unit
• record: best number
• adulthood: fully grown