Somebody teach me how to catch squid... please

[Tim_N]

Hi,
Anybody willing to help me out on this one?
Buggered if I can catch them.
I live at Bribie and apparently Moreton is the go to spot, but I'm still zero in the squid dept.
All help appreciated.
Tim

[robsue]

Tim, I'm no expert, but pick up a feed, not every time

I have a squid jig out the back of the boat while fishing for whiting in the rouse, I catch them just drifting

i'm sure there are experts out there, just need them to respond to your post

cheers
Robsue

[airlock]

Have you tried a squid call? works well if you don't mind getting your hair wet.

[Moonlighter]

Over Easter Fri/Sat we got about 50 good sized squid, yesterday got another 35. Yesterday not quite as good quality, about 50/50 good sized (125mm or longer tubes) vs smaller bait sized.

This time of the year, find the weed beds along the edge of channels or along Moreton island. Run out tide is best. Generally, bright coloured jigs on bright days, dulller colours on overcast days. I like hot orange, pink, red or rainbow colours on bright days and coppery colours or grey on less sunny days, but its best to have a selection of 5 or 6 colours and try a few different ones each trip until you find the colours they like on that day, then swap everyone to that colour. Sometimes they want green or purple, you never know until you try.

I've got the squid bug bad, I've got 50 or 60 jigs that i brought back from Japan, they are much cheaper to buy over there and some truly amazing colours and patterns. Every time i go there i bring home another 20 or 30 ........

Sometimes you can get just as many casting the jig out then leaving the rod in the holder. But the last few years we have had more success with quite agressive ripping of the jigs then pausing to count to 10 while they sink, then ripping again, quite sharp erratic rips of the jigs, seems to attract them, most times you get hit as the jig sinks again. So cast, let sink, rip, sink, rip rip rip, sink, is how we do it.

Not uncommon to have a squid thats been hooked followed in by one of more of its mates, if that happens some quick skilful work sight-fishing the others while you hold the hooked one in the water can see you catch them all.

We were fishing for whiting in the Rous on Easter Saturday when suddenly saw dark shapes in the water behind the boat. Tossed out a jig and 3 big squid shot over, and one grabbed the jig. Got him in, then tossed the jig out again and got the second one, but we were a bit slow getting the jig back out again so missed #3, if we had 2 rods ready with jigs we would have got all 3 of them no dramas.

Oh, and dont wear a white shirt.

[Tim_N]

Okay,
So I'll try along the weed beds, just off the beach on the inside of Moreton, say around Tanga's to Bulwer , and get some bright jigs.
I'll let you know how I go, Thanks.
Tim

[stue2]

Go aggressive.
Squid are hunters and realy respond to an aggressive action.
Fav colour is a white lumo type colour

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[PROS]

Over Easter Fri/Sat we got about 50 good sized squid, yesterday got another 35. Yesterday not quite as good quality, about 50/50 good sized (125mm or longer tubes) vs smaller bait sized.

This time of the year, find the weed beds along the edge of channels or along Moreton island. Run out tide is best. Generally, bright coloured jigs on bright days, dulller colours on overcast days. I like hot orange, pink, red or rainbow colours on bright days and coppery colours or grey on less sunny days, but its best to have a selection of 5 or 6 colours and try a few different ones each trip until you find the colours they like on that day, then swap everyone to that colour. Sometimes they want green or purple, you never know until you try.

I've got the squid bug bad, I've got 50 or 60 jigs that i brought back from Japan, they are much cheaper to buy over there and some truly amazing colours and patterns. Every time i go there i bring home another 20 or 30 ........

Sometimes you can get just as many casting the jig out then leaving the rod in the holder. But the last few years we have had more success with quite agressive ripping of the jigs then pausing to count to 10 while they sink, then ripping again, quite sharp erratic rips of the jigs, seems to attract them, most times you get hit as the jig sinks again. So cast, let sink, rip, sink, rip rip rip, sink, is how we do it.

Not uncommon to have a squid thats been hooked followed in by one of more of its mates, if that happens some quick skilful work sight-fishing the others while you hold the hooked one in the water can see you catch them all.

We were fishing for whiting in the Rous on Easter Saturday when suddenly saw dark shapes in the water behind the boat. Tossed out a jig and 3 big squid shot over, and one grabbed the jig. Got him in, then tossed the jig out again and got the second one, but we were a bit slow getting the jig back out again so missed #3, if we had 2 rods ready with jigs we would have got all 3 of them no dramas.

Oh, and dont wear a white shirt.

Great info mate, thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Is size important with the jigs?
I see tiny squid jigs at tackle shops however I would always prefer bigger profile.

Heavier or lighter jigs?

[Moonlighter]

I us mainly 2.5 to 3.5gm weight jigs. 3.0 would be the most frequently used ones, as we usually fish where there is quite a bit of tidal run and up to 5m depth so you do need to use jigs that will sink down to the bottom. But sometimes if it is very quiet we will even use unweighted jigs. I have concluded that there is no such thing as having too many squid jigs!

Tiny 75mm long squid will attack a large 3.5gm jig, they are aggressive predators. So size isnt that important in my opinion.

google Japanse egi fishing videos, you will see how aggressively the Japanese fish for squids.

I Had one good sized squid on the jig on Saturday and another big one chased after it and tried to steal the jig off the hooked one! My mate tossed his jig just behind the hooked one and we converted one squid into two, he was on the second jig in a spit second.

Give it a go, it really is a heap of fun.

We stand up on the gunwales at the transom so we can see our jigs better as we bring them in, so half the time we sight-fish the squid as they hone in on the jigs. While they can be agressive, they can also be very shy and tentative so you have to learn to move the jig just right so they come in and grab it.

[airlock]

I usually start out with more natural coloured jigs, the squid sitting in and above the weed bed are looking for these profiled and colours to whizz by, Not had nearly as much luck on the vibrant colours as i have on whites, silvers and darker shades of red/brown. a nice light drag really helps with the number of hookups/captures as well.

[robsue]

as said above I'm no expert but I got 2 today while chasing whiting in the rouse, 1 x 19cm & 1x 23cm tube, caught with 3.5gm jig, great eating size

BUT I dropped 3 on smaller jig, I think the barbs are too small on smaller jig, just a guess on my part

tomorrow I am going to try a s/s pole jig or whatever they are called the one's that you put through the middle of a fish head first towards barbs

cheers
Robin

[phantomphisher]

I used 2 jigs for the one squid the other day. Line must have been frayed badly and broke just after hookup, but the squid just hung around in plain sight so I cast out another one and after a few attempts got the loose braid wrapped around the jig and pulled it in with the squid still attached!

[screamnlines]

great post and replies, you got to love squiding.

[Moonlighter]

Attachment 113346

Caught these big units this morning off the Sunshine Coast.

Rainbow coloured jig won out by miles, accounted for 4 of the 7.

[airlock]

Just though i'd add my last squid experience, turns out you don't even need jigs.
Caught this little bugger when i put out half a pill on a 4/0 circle floater targeting sweetlip, when i felt the strike in pulled everything back the boat i discovered a yakka had taken my bait and the squid had latched on to the yakka.

Attachment 113513