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Squid Secrets
How to catch squid/ Calamari
Port
Phillip Bay Fishing Lessons
Free fortnightly fishing
report
Squid
are one of the southern water's favourite angling targets. On any given
day hundreds of keen anglers are
chasing these cephalopods.
As far as an angling target goes
squid are one of the most versatile. Admittedly a squid will not strip
one hundred meters of line off a spool, nor will a squid battle it out
for hours. So why are squid one of the most popular angling targets?
1. They are one of the best and most
versatile baits available.
2. Squid are one of the finest and
most popular seafood's.
3. Once located bag limits are easily
obtained.
4. They are great fun for anglers for
all ages.
Really the list is
endless.
So what is the best way to get a
couple of these critters in your creel?
Squid fishing in Victoria is big
business for tackle stores. There are many different styles and sizes
of squid lures. Tackle from hand lines through to bait casters is
employed, all in the aim of securing a brace.
The following is a guide on how to
set-up, find and finally catch squid. These techniques have proven
extremely successful for me over the past twelve years. The majority of
the squid I catch come from the Mornington Peninsula, in Melbourne's
Port Phillip Bay and it's here where these techniques are derived. I
hope that I can provide you with a few pointers that enable you to
increase your productivity.
Squid inhabit reefs and sea grass
beds; this environment provides them with shelter, food and a place to
breed. Squid feed largely on small fish and shrimp. The squid is an
ambush predator that uses stealth and camouflage to capture its prey.
As a general rule squid are found in schools, these schools can range
in numbers from two to hundreds.
The most popular of all of the squid
species is the Southern Calamari; this is due mainly to their edible
qualities and distribution.
When fishing for squid I look for a
reef or a sea grass bed with plenty of weed cover that is in around
fifteen feet of water. This depth always seems to hold squid, in my
opinion this is due to the distribution of their favoured foods through
out this depth and also the protection this depth provides from the
elements and predators. As a general rule you won’t catch squid over
bommies but the surrounding waters always prove productive. I seem to
find that a flat reef with the odd sand patch and large structures or
reefs where large boulders and bommies plateau down to densely
vegetated flat reef are perfect squid habitat. Squid will often school
on the edge of a reef or grass bed to ambush prey. It’s these locations
that often produce the best results.
The Southern Calamari ranges in size
form one hundred grams and less to well over four kilograms. With this
in mind I will always fish with line no heavier than six kilograms, I
find that light line makes it easier to work the lure. I have also
noticed that the more natural the line colour the more effective the
setup. Blue, white and green lines seem to be the most effective. The
reason for these colours in lines is the fact that they are less
visible in the water. When fishing for squid I like a light to medium
rod that has a slow taper. The reason for a slow tapered rod is that
you hook a squid by the tentacles and the sharp pins on the lure are
easily pulled through the squid’s soft flesh. I find that a slow
tapered rod helps absorbs the squid's lunges and reduces the amount of
pulled hooks.
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Squid lures or jigs now come
in many different styles, ranging from garfish imitations through to
Prawn imitations. I find that on any given day that all will work; it
just depends on the mood of the squid. I find the most popular jig in
my collection to be a pink Yo-Zuri in a size 2.5. The reason I'm fond
of this size is the fact that it sports two quality sets of barbs
(hooks) and it’s not too big for small squid and it’s not to small for
big squid. The biggest squid I have caught on a 2.5 Yo-Zuri is just on
two kilograms.
The colour of a squid jig is another
popular topic for discussion. I find that the brighter the day the
brighter the colour. I also find that once a jig has been used on a
number of occasions it will fade, in my opinion the older and more
faded the jig the better the results. I believe the reason behind this
is that the faded colours take on a more natural and transparent
appearance to the squid, thus imitating the squid's natural prey more
effectively. Still with all this said some days you will never predict
what the squids preference will be.
When fishing for big squid bait jigs
are the most popular method of angling. Baits are usually whiting or
pilchards. The squid targeted with this method are generally over the
one-kilogram mark. I find that it's not always practical to carry bait
when squid fishing so I carry a jig in the size range of 3.5 - 4.0.
These large jigs are great for large squid; they seem to be just the right
size to tempt large squid while the smaller ones generally steer clear.
Of the larger models of Squid jigs I find the Yo-Zuri and the Razorback
brands to be the best.
The most important thing I find when
chasing squid is the rig used. I find that whenever possible tie the
jig directly to the main line. This is not always possible due to
current or drift speeds. The reason for this method of rigging is that
it enables the jig to sink slowly. In my experience over eighty percent
of the squid that take the jig do so as it is sinking.
Having the jig attached directly to
the main line also enables you to work through a wider range of water
levels, while maintain greater feel and control over the jig. On
occasions where the drift or current speeds are to quick for the jig to
be tied directly to the line you may need to use a Paternoster rig
suspending the jig about one meter up from the sinker.
When fishing from a boat for squid
you should always drift. Drifting helps you cover more ground and thus
exposing your jig to a greater audience. The boat should be positioned
so that the wind will push it over the desired fishing ground. This is
done by positioning the boat upwind of the desired area and letting the
wind carry you over the area to be fished. You may at times need to
steer the boat to correct any deviations from the desired path. In most
instances you should not need to start the motor, just adjust the
steering setting. When drifting I try and keep the boat perpendicular
to the wind and parallel to the waves, this is done by turning the
motor in a direction that pushes the nose into the prevailing wind. A
perfect drift is achieved when the boat moves over your desired ground
at a slow walking pace. If the wind is strong and the drift fast you
many need to use a sea anchor, to reduce the speed of the drift. I have
found this technique to be very effective. When you come across a
school of squid you have generally two options, firstly you can anchor
and then cast into the school. This is usually only done if the drift
is quite fast. Secondly, if the drift is slow you can continue casting
into the school, it is important to remember the location of the
school. As soon as the action slows return to where you first
encountered the school and continue to drift. If the squid are still
there continue this technique till you have your bag limit or if the
action tapers off continue on the drift in search of a new school. For
this method to work at its optimum you must cast into the wind or tide
so that your jig travels over the entire drift path of the boat.
Casting with the wind will not only lead to more snags but you will
also leave great areas of your drift unfished.
The way you retrieve the jig depends
on the type of drift you are experiencing. I always lift the lure (Jig)
in a jigging motion. I never jig the lure as soon as the line starts
too become taught. I always gradually lift the rod for the first half a
meter of the jigging motion, and then I jig as violently as desired.
The reason I do this is that it allows the angler to hook any squid
that may have taken the jig as it was sinking. This method will prevent
a lot of pulled hooks and frustration. If the drift is a fast one you
may not need to retrieve any line while drifting. This is an ideal
situation as the jig is spending a maximum amount of time in the strike
zone. If the boat is stationary you will need to cast and retrieve your
jig. The action that should be adopted is one where you cast the jig,
let it sink nearly to the bottom, then lift the rod in a fashion that
the jig rises and moves a couple of meters, then let the jig sink again
and repeat the process all the way back to the boat, pier or shore. If
your drift is exceptionally fast you may need to deploy line for the
jig remain in the strike zone. The jigging motion employed by the squid
angler should vary. Some days the squid will fancy a fast erratic
jigging motion, while other days will see the squid favour a slow
lifting motion or even no motion at all. Be prepared to experiment with
your retrieve to obtain the best action for that given day.
On clear calm sunny days there are
occasions when you will be fishing for squid and the water is very
clear, this can at times be a very frustrating situation. The schools
of squid can be easily seen, yet you will often struggle to catch them.
In my opinion this is due to the fact that all prey is cautious and all
predators precautious in their approach to ambush due to their
venerability in such clear conditions. In such situations I use the
predatory instinct in the squids biology to aid in their demise. I cast
my jig fifty meters and let it sink, if I don't catch a squid on the
jig's decent I retrieve the jig with haste for ten-meter bursts, then
let it sink again, this movement imitates an injured and scared
baitfish and the squid generally charge in and attack the jig
instinctively. This technique is quite effective and will work more
often than not when the squid are as I call them "Lookers".
Many people are put off catching
squid due to the ink they excrete on and during capture. If you take
your time in landing the squid generally they have no ink left to
squirt in or at your boat. The best way to avoid a squid deploying
black ink in your nice and clean boat is to utilize a twenty-litre
bucket. Simply lift the squid out of the water and place it in the
bucket. You should always point the bucket away from the boat. Now in
this theory the squid squirts the ink as it feels its body come to rest
in the bottom of the bucket, with the bucket pointed out from the boat
the splashes of ink disperse over into the water and not in the boat.
This is an art, yet once mastered you will swear by this method.
My second method on landing squid
with minimal mess is to net them. The first thing you need to remember
about landing squid is that un like fin fish the squid swims in reverse
so you must net it from behind. I net the squid and then I slightly
tilt the net so when the squid expels its ink it is dispersed into the
water and not the air. This method is very effective especially with
big squid and cuttlefish.
Good luck and remember to limit your
catch, not catch your limit.
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