Since eels may be on the decline, I'm just curious to know if any of you have considered using squid as an alternative.

1. You can catch them is use them live (sometimes);
2. They are readily available fresh, dead (fish markets, grocery stores);
3. How about squid skin plugs (can't be that hard to make) , and
4. Rigged squid (I can think of a few ways to attach them to a wobble plate) ?

Any thoughts ?

Frank you give me good idea:think: . A trick I use bait fishing with squid is to put some bubble wrap in the body to keep it off the bottom and boyant while the sliding egg sinker is on the bottom. Now..maybe doing this with a small squid on a Wobble Head or maybe even one of theWobble Head eel tube swim plates would allow the bait to swim in the middle of the water column and retieved slowly. This would not be a rig that casts far but in certain circumstances ,I think it has potential.:drool:

There have been so many ariticles on using, freezing and re-using dead eels. I just figure with a potential shortage, why not go to the local supermarket/ seafood market, or tackle shop and try some inovative techniques with fresh, frozen, or live squid.

You can catch all the squid you can freeze in Newport from the last week in April thru May.

You can usually catch a grocery store open when the bait shops are closed. I'll grab a box of squid then. Always check out the fish counter sometimes you get real lucky, macs, butterfish, smelts. All good. Yes squid works, I caught many keepers with grocery store squid.:hihi:

I buy small california squid at the grocery store. I have a mold for a smiling bill jig with a swinging hook. I cut the tip of the body off run the hook up through the body and put it through the head (eyes). Then secure it to the jig with a small rubber band. I have caught large many times doing this. I got the split rings straightened so many times with this rig, I had to modify my mold so I could eliminate the rings. I think you could use an Eel skin rig or a Eel bob to do the same.

Just don't forget the extra squid in the sand sled -- boy does that stuff stink when ripe!! :smash: been there done that!:walk:

There was a time when I would stuff the squid with cat food, tie off with elastic. This would create a chum. It works.

I've been thinking of slipping a squid over a Needlefish body and tying it off (sort of like an eel skin plug).

Any thoughts ?

might fit better over the top of a slider or spook.

There is a Narragansett "sharpie", who doesn't frequent this forum, who last year caught a 39# and several others in the 30+ lb range, livelining squid. Not chunking it, but literally live lining them.

Just fish the squid on the bottom and you'll catch more bass than anyone else. It takes too much effort to keep squid alive ( I'm sure some of you do it) especially from shore. Besides the bass don;t care if it's dead or alive. The big bass would rather have it dead and on the bottom. Now to use a squid like an eel skin. Squid are too delicate to use over and over. If you've ever fished with squid, you're constantly replacing your bait. By the way it sounds like you have'nt left squid in the back of your truck in a few days. That smell could be the worst you've ever smelled.

Just fish the squid on the bottom and you'll catch more bass than anyone else. It takes too much effort to keep squid alive ( I'm sure some of you do it) especially from shore. Besides the bass don;t care if it's dead or alive. The big bass would rather have it dead and on the bottom. Now to use a squid like an eel skin. Squid are too delicate to use over and over. If you've ever fished with squid, you're constantly replacing your bait. By the way it sounds like you have'nt left squid in the back of your truck in a few days. That smell could be the worst you've ever smelled.

I've been thinking of slipping a squid over a Needlefish body and tying it off (sort of like an eel skin plug).

Any thoughts ?

Sounds like a great idea!!

The only problem is that you would need a small squid due to the weight or a heavy rod.

They make a steel insert in two sizes for fishing squid. (I forgot the maker) I have a few. It is a flat section with a couple of flared punched out pieces in the center to keep body of the squid fuller. It has a hole at each end one your leader and other for a hook. I have only used it a couple times. It seems to work but I don't think you could whip out a sqiud on a 10.5' surf rod the way you do an eel time after time. You can cast them but they are not as robust as an eel.

Drifting fresh dead (or live) squid out of a breachway or from a boat is pretty darn effective. They don't last very long before something grabs it. Dealing with live squid is a pain. (they bite! and the big ones hurt! and they require a good air-rator) The ones I use are dead. I catch them and vacume pack 6 or so in a pack right away and freeze them. They seem fine all season.

The hard core squid fishermen I know, catch about 6-10 squid and then go fishing right away. Most work the bottom with them.

btw, the big derby winner shore bone and albie....live whole squid off the dock.

The problem with supermarket or california boxed squid is they they are washed and cleaned, as the market is aimed at calamari lovers. IMO you are better off catching your own fresh local stuff. 1) they are bigger, 2) they have all the oils and jucies and smells of the real squid and 3) it is just fun catching squid. Some local bait shops sell "ink squid" these are local squid that were purchased by the tote from a dragger and the baitshop owner probably boxed and packaged them himself. They are not washed will work better then the supermarket type. I do a lot of fluke fishing and you can ask anyone on my boat what bait they want and it is that big fresh squid.

I think dead squid are fine because squid don't live very long and after they spawn most of them die within a short time later (30 days or so) and fall to the bottom...so for a fish to see a drifting dead squid on the bottom is a pretty natural thing.

Last year I got some decent bass mid day drifting squid, just enough weight to keep it down,small egg or rubba core. I'ld like to see a pic of that insert Jim.

I'ld like to see a pic of that insert Jim.

Next time I go up to the "fishing attic" I will dig them out and post a pic. I may have one still in the package if I dig around. I picked them up at #^&#^&#^&#^&'s B&T a few years ago.

There is a Narragansett "sharpie", who doesn't frequent this forum, who last year caught a 39# and several others in the 30+ lb range, livelining squid. Not chunking it, but literally live lining them.

does he wetsuit?

How about soaking them in a brine for a few hours to toughen them up a bit? I know when they drie out the skin is like leather.

Squid are a lot tougher than they look. Brine might improve them. Back in the 60's we used to make up Squid daisy chains for Tuna by sewing them onto monel leaders. They would troll well for hours until hit by a tuna or shark.

I have seen some LARGE bass caught at an outflow. Squid rigged w/a float inside and a slip sinker to hold bottom in an eddy. THEN, this is the imp. part, A LONG chum line of diced squid. To slow for me... but I have seen it work more than a few times.

Can I be "SquidWoman"? :shocked:

Don't many of us store our eel skins in salt/salt brine. Why not squid ?

Check out Cabelas rubber quids. They look pretty good. The thing with using fresh squid is that after a few casts the heads tend to tear off. Also fishing squid you get alot of head poppers. That is small bass s#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g off the squids head. No it's not a sexual act. It's not unusual for you to go through 30-40 squid in a session. All this talk of putting squid in a brine just seems like a waste of time to me. Fresh squid is the best squid. I've seen guys with squid caught hours before outfish guys who are using squid caught just the night before. If your gonna brine squid be prepared to do alot of them.

There is a Narragansett "sharpie", who doesn't frequent this forum, who last year caught a 39# and several others in the 30+ lb range, livelining squid. Not chunking it, but literally live lining them.

hell of a fisherman! :kewl:

This had been an excellent thread and I thank all who have contributed, however I have some more questions.

If I were to fish for them, say, in Vineyard Sound, what time would be best, April?, May?, and where?, in the rips, just drift through jigging my squid jig like I would for fluke?

at night.. later is better, under lights, in harbors

nothing better than squids,,,,, please don't tell anyone :)
VB

I buy a tote very year or two and they are great!!

I just never seem to be in the right place at the right time when they are here to catch ???

I want to find a good place and start catching my own. I use a ton of it Fluking and have caught many other fish with it, it is a great universal bait!!

When the squid are in, you'll have no problem getting a seasons worth in a few nights. I seperate the baiters from the flukin' squids as I catch them. I have'nt really used the boat in a few years so I usually keep the big ones for the table or I trade them to the Asian fellows for baiters. If you throw bait squid is great, but as the season goes on the smaller species rob you blind when using squid. Then you use the almighty pogie. Remember fresh is best. But there's always a place to get fresh squid if you know what I'm talking about.

when I used to fish squid ( store bought ) more often than now . I would hook em through the tentacles making sure to grab the bone . then slit open the tail so water will flow through it and not balloon up . the slit will also act as an attractor as it moves through the water . I also use squid in strips just like with flounder fishing .
Fresh squid not frozen ...... in a plastic food container use coarse kosher salt under and cover the squid to draw out water . drain any water found and add salt if needed . this will not only toughen the squid but it will last for sometime in the container in fridg ( no need to freeze .

squid doesn't work. nope. never. you're better off using last year's frozen mackeral. it's also banned in the bay state as of a minute ago; so don't bother.

I happened to go up to the fishing attic to put something away (gee that place needs to be cleaned up!) and I happen to come across the tackle box that had stored that squid plate I was telling you about. I found one of each size and even the cardboard package insert!

anyway, this is what it looks like:

Do all squid in New England just come and go in a short period or do some or some types hang through the entire bass season?


I know GOOGLE but thought I`d ask. Also do Stripers know that they shouldn`t be around if you use them out of their local season?

Supermarkets sometimes have better quality and better prices :hihi:

I've been away from the area for awhile, but we used to be able to jig squid most of the summer along the bulkhead in Sandwich.

I used to jig them in Onset harbor into July, too.

Supermarket squid is better quality than bait-shop frozen, but it's still a few days old at best. Ain't nuttin' like fresh caught squid, still dripping ink.

Yeah, you can get them all season but it can be spotty and thin some summer nights. Springtime they move into the harbors around the spawn. IMO the first half of May is the peak time to get them in the harbors. Also gets pretty good in the fall. (But still spring seems better IMO)Squid only live like a year or year and a half. They all die in about a month after they spawn. When they die they sink to the bottom. Hence if you are a fish, it is pretty normal to see a dead squid in the bottom in June or July.


If you can get fresh local squid in the supermarket that is great. Many times what you get is squid from CA that has been "washed" (all the ink and sometimes the internals removed) I would not buy this unless you plan to eat it yourself. Like mikeP said, fresh local is the ticket, you will see a difference in the attraction to this bait.
If it is a pain for you to get them yourself, talk your tackle shop dealer into purchasing a few totes of fresh from a dragger. Some shops do this and call them "ink squid" or local ink squid and sell them frozen in a box or bag to differentiate them from the boxed CA washed stuff.

Squid juice tends to make my hands itch a little, esp on a hot day while working for fluke. :huh: Don't get it in your eyes either.:eek5:

I too found super market squid to have the best color and firmness but I think it has more to do with how its processed, I'ld think its has long shelf life. After stocking up on squid last year and freezing it ASAP it was prime bait even months later. Its realy worth it to catch your own.

I feel bad for you guys that have to get your squid from the supermarket. The bait shops around here are the best option( in the spring and early summer) if you don't catch your own. The stuff in the market looks like the stuff I throw away after 15-20 minutes on the hook, all washed out and white. I know someone who does'nt even jig for squid except in the fall. He purchases it fresh daily from a fish market. Remember fresh frozen squid works best right behind fresh dead. There are alot of tricks with throwing bait, you just have to get out there and learn the hard way.

squid works. I have caught more fluke and scup than anything else on it, though.

squid rot quickly and the best stuff is squid at the grocery store or whole squid you caught your self wraped with news paper than put on ice or frozen ASAP.live squid can work good to,just run a hook though the mantel and they will swim along.the stuff at the bait shop is all ready decomposing most of the time when you get it.to rig it whole dead run the hook through the mantel like with live squid.