How to fish for squid
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| "it was
a dark and rainy night"...
but, these squid aficionados were concentrating on the
elusive critters in the water, not the atmosphere. This
photo was taken at the public pier in Des Moines, which
is a popular squidding location. |
The squid calendar
During progressive time slots between late
May and the following February, adult squid can be found in
almost all waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget
Sound. The map below shows where and when squid generally
appear at various public piers.
While reasons for their migration aren’t
entirely known, many experts believe the location of squid
populations is likely a combination of an ocean-to-South Sound
migration of adult squid and resident populations that yield
new generations as site conditions become favorable.
Squid feed mainly at night and are attracted
to light, which is why public piers are good locations for
anglers. Hungry squid lurk in the dark fringes near patches
of lighted water and then dart into the bright area in pursuit
of food such as young herring and other small fishes.
Because a boat isn’t needed and jigging
equipment is reasonable, squid-jigging is one of the most
inexpensive ways to catch squid. Anglers should take a camping
lantern or flashlight of significant size for unlit locations.
Squid Migration: When
and where |
|
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Squid are usually first seen
in Neah Bay in late May |
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Squid present at City Pier
and surrounding area from late June to the end
of August |
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Squid appear near Edmonds
waterfront starting about September |
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Squid in Elliot Bay and surrounding
Seattle shoreline |
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Squid appear in Des Moines
and Tacoma in late November and December |
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Squid likely throughout South
Puget Sound in December and January |
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Gear
Almost any style of rod and reel will work. Think "light
and long" because it's best to have something that is
sensitive and telegraphs slight changes.
 |
| Squid lures all
have the "ray" of upward slanting prongs but
from there it's a question of the color and shape you
want to test for success. |
Successful squidders use anything from six to 20-pound line
but the best chances of success come with the lighter line.
The photo on this page gives an idea of the uniqueness of
squid lures. It's the "hook" part that is different.
Squid lures vary in length and thickness, and color and pattern,
but they all have a distinctive upward slanting "ray"
or two of sharp prongs.
Since the idea is to attract the attention of the squid that
are watching that lighted area in the water, almost all lures
are either luminous or have something embedded in them (metal,
etc.) to reflect light.
Most squid jigs are made out of tinted, relatively clear
plastic. Common colors are blue, pink, green, red, orange,
amber and no-color (clear). Commercial jigs commonly range
in size between two and four inches although some are twice
as long and pencil thin.
If using an unweighted lure, anglers should buy some one-ounce
lead weights to maneuver the lure down to the desired depth.
Squid generally start feeding just
after dark and then often tapers off until midnight or later.
A variety of fishing methods can be used to fish for squid.
These techniques include use of dipnets and forage fish jigs.
However, use of squid jigs is by far the most popular productive
method.
Important rules |
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Fish at night |
|
Select a location where
a strong light shines into the water |
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Try different depths |
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Try different colors |
|
Keep your jig moving at
all times |
|
Set the hook when you
feel the slightest pull on your line |
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|
Squid fishing techniques
Odds of catching a squid are more favorable during high tide
on a cloudy or rainy night. These conditions give the nearshore
water the depth that squid prefer plus a setting in which
the artificial light will be most noticeable.
In many areas, a single lure works best. For example, at
Edmonds, most of the successful anglers use a single lure.
The tall pole lights at the Edmonds pier shine farther out
into the water meaning that you need to cast your lure farther
out.
In other places, multiple lures (up to four) are better.
By putting lures of different sizes and colors on the line
anglers can test which type is attractive to the squid at
that site, that night, at that time.
Anglers should also experiment with the arrangement of the
set of lures. Sometimes putting the same lures in different
order on the line makes a difference.
A favorite method of setting up with three lures is to space
four-inch dropper lines 16 inches apart on the main line.
Then add a one-ounce weight to the end of the main line.
Jigging
Single lure: If using a single lure, cast it out some
distance from the dock (or boat or bulkhead) and allow it
to sink to a depth where the squid may be lurking. Retrieve
it with a series of steady jerks or "jigs."
Multiple lures: If using multiple lures, drop them
into the lighted area of the water. Lower them down to the
chosen depth (which frequently is just off bottom) then slowly
raise them up and down in the water column.
Again knowing how challenging squid can be, no one style
of lure is a constant winner. The specific environmental conditions
dictate what is going to work or isn't.
Depth: Depth is a critical factor in the pursuit of
squid. Having jigs working at different depths often spells
"luck" or lack of it for side-by-side anglers.
Keep in mind that squid are congregational
beings and stay gathered in schools.
How to land a squid:
Squid hole up in the darkness near lighted water areas then
lunge into the brighter arena when they see something that
looks edible. They don't "bite," however. They deftly
wrap their tentacles around their intended prey.
The feel: Squid are those ghost-like "streaks"
in the water and it's good to keep their fleetness in mind.
Squids propel themselves backward by forcibly expelling water
through a tiny nozzle that is part of their anatomy. They
also can swim backward and forward, using their fins.
When a slight change in the behavior of your gear is felt,
jerk upward to set the hooks immediately. Then keep a steady
upward motion when reeling or lifting the catch to the surface.
The hooks on squid jigs are barbless and most of the time
the squid isn't really hooked, only entwined in the prongs
so any slack in the line will lose the catch.
Two words of caution
Squid have a defense mechanism —dark ink. They shoot
the ink at intruders who come too close. In the water it is
an effective defense that creates a cloud behind which the
squid makes a quick getaway.
Don't be overly distressed about getting squid ink on your
hands and clothes, however. Not surprisingly, the ink is water
soluble and washes out if you act quickly before it dries.
A second note of caution is the possibility of bites. It's
good to remember that these creatures do have a parrot-like
beak. Although squid are not likely to bite at a lure, they
can and do bite things like food and perceived enemies who
are not alert.
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