Date: January 21, 2005
To: Pier Fishing In California Message Board
From: dompfa ben
Subject: Squid jigs
With the squid popping back up in local waters, you might want to purchase a squid jig to keep in your tackle box. Models vary by size, color, and manufacturer, but most of them follow the same basic style: a simulated squid egg sac with a section of up-turned spikes.
I've heard two theories on the squid jigs, with the one I tend to believe most being that squid think the jig is an egg sac that has broken loose from the bottom, so they instinctively grab onto it and are snared.
No matter what, most are also inexpensive and work great for both the small market squid and the larger jumbo squid. When the squid are around, simply jig it up and down, and wait for the “hit” (usually weight or pressure...there is no “bite” per se.) Constant, steady pressure will keep most on the barbs.
Good luck, and post if you get any!
Posted by baitfish
Iron works as well. I used Heavy Iron jigs last time, but when I went the squid would have eaten your hand if it was in the water. They were the most voracious things I have ever seen! BTW, How do you rig your squid jigs, just a torpedo on the end? Adam
Posted by surfyfisherman
Iron works as well — most jigs come with a ring on the top and the bottom. I tie the top to the main line then a leader 12-16 inches to the bottom then I tie a 4-5 oz torpedo. Be sure to use a heavy pole because these guys can fight. you can also get creative and tie another jig on top of the first jig.
The fishing was always better yesterday. Fishing not catching.
Posted by dompfa ben
Rigging depends on depth. For some hot surface action, I’ll just tie the jig on and go. I have two different types of squid jigs—a hard plastic model that sinks, and a soft plastic glow-in-the-dark version that has a hole in it, so it fills with water and sinks slower.
When the squid are feeding at the surface, that’s fun-time USA—tie and throw. When they're deeper, I’ll tie one to three of them in-line (depending on if they're jumbos or market squid) with a torpedo at the bottom. I've also used the iron for them, with the MegaBait's predescessor, the Dart, catching a lot.
On LR trips, the squid stack up under a drifting boat at night, and you can pick ‘em off with anything sharp. On a pier, they do swim into the lights. I actually saw a family at Cabrillo pier many years ago who had unscrewed a light fixture from the overhead awning, pulled the conduit out of the building and had lowered the light down the water's surface. A healthy combination of butterfish and squid were taking turns in the light. [PFIC – Don’t duplicate the unscrewing the light fixture feat.]
Posted by surfyfisherman
I’ve heard from deckhands on a b$%@ that the squid try to mate with it. They've worked best for me when i let them sink reel up very slowly then when you feel something rub on stop reeling and start jigging.
The fishing was always better yesterday. Fishing not catching.
Posted by Heretic
From squid fishing in Seattle we learned that: (1) if squid are in the area you can attract them at night when you lower a kerosine lamp or a high-powered flashlight off a pier, hanging it a few feet off the water surface.(2) Selecting squid jig size is equivalent to selecting hook size. Smaller squid = need for smaller squid jigs. Not sure if these go for the species that pop up down here, but just some general info.
Seattle: Our perch are smarter than yours.
To: Pier Fishing In California Message Board
From: dompfa ben
Subject: Squid jigs
With the squid popping back up in local waters, you might want to purchase a squid jig to keep in your tackle box. Models vary by size, color, and manufacturer, but most of them follow the same basic style: a simulated squid egg sac with a section of up-turned spikes.
I've heard two theories on the squid jigs, with the one I tend to believe most being that squid think the jig is an egg sac that has broken loose from the bottom, so they instinctively grab onto it and are snared.
No matter what, most are also inexpensive and work great for both the small market squid and the larger jumbo squid. When the squid are around, simply jig it up and down, and wait for the “hit” (usually weight or pressure...there is no “bite” per se.) Constant, steady pressure will keep most on the barbs.
Good luck, and post if you get any!
Posted by baitfish
Iron works as well. I used Heavy Iron jigs last time, but when I went the squid would have eaten your hand if it was in the water. They were the most voracious things I have ever seen! BTW, How do you rig your squid jigs, just a torpedo on the end? Adam
Posted by surfyfisherman
Iron works as well — most jigs come with a ring on the top and the bottom. I tie the top to the main line then a leader 12-16 inches to the bottom then I tie a 4-5 oz torpedo. Be sure to use a heavy pole because these guys can fight. you can also get creative and tie another jig on top of the first jig.
The fishing was always better yesterday. Fishing not catching.
Posted by dompfa ben
Rigging depends on depth. For some hot surface action, I’ll just tie the jig on and go. I have two different types of squid jigs—a hard plastic model that sinks, and a soft plastic glow-in-the-dark version that has a hole in it, so it fills with water and sinks slower.
When the squid are feeding at the surface, that’s fun-time USA—tie and throw. When they're deeper, I’ll tie one to three of them in-line (depending on if they're jumbos or market squid) with a torpedo at the bottom. I've also used the iron for them, with the MegaBait's predescessor, the Dart, catching a lot.
On LR trips, the squid stack up under a drifting boat at night, and you can pick ‘em off with anything sharp. On a pier, they do swim into the lights. I actually saw a family at Cabrillo pier many years ago who had unscrewed a light fixture from the overhead awning, pulled the conduit out of the building and had lowered the light down the water's surface. A healthy combination of butterfish and squid were taking turns in the light. [PFIC – Don’t duplicate the unscrewing the light fixture feat.]
Posted by surfyfisherman
I’ve heard from deckhands on a b$%@ that the squid try to mate with it. They've worked best for me when i let them sink reel up very slowly then when you feel something rub on stop reeling and start jigging.
The fishing was always better yesterday. Fishing not catching.
Posted by Heretic
From squid fishing in Seattle we learned that: (1) if squid are in the area you can attract them at night when you lower a kerosine lamp or a high-powered flashlight off a pier, hanging it a few feet off the water surface.(2) Selecting squid jig size is equivalent to selecting hook size. Smaller squid = need for smaller squid jigs. Not sure if these go for the species that pop up down here, but just some general info.
Seattle: Our perch are smarter than yours.