Squid have invaded the area and the local shop keeps selling out of squid jigs. Gotten a few myself on a sabiki, when targeting macks... Even the unexperienced have been loading up on them. So being a novice at squiding myself, let's hear your techniques, set ups, including how to keep after catching for both food or bait, how to clean, and how to best avoid getting covered with ink. Thanks.

All I use for a setup is a hi/low style rig. Small sinker on the bottom and 2 dropper loops above. The newer style jigs work alot better than the old fashioned type. The other type of rig I see is just a jig on the end of the line. As far as the ink- keep the boat wet w/ the washdown. Have fun ross
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It has been an all out squidfest here in Glosta for the past three weeks. I joined in the fun having never before targeted squid and have learned a lot. Must have over 500 in the last two weeks alone and have made lotsa friends giving it away, gained a few pounds eating it and will soon be trying to use it as striper bait.

There is a guy in town here who is getting supplies on ebay and making squid jigs which he sells for $5 each. He has probably mafe well over $700 so far as the local shops are out and his jigs work well. He simply puts a couple glow-in-the-dark beads on awire with a squidly hook. The smaller jigs are working best as the squid sizes are running from 2 inches up to about 15. I have also used one of the slow-sinking yo-zuri jigs with good success. Most just let it drop with a little occassional jigging motion and they jump on. I just watched what everyone was doing and caught on easily. Squid are more stupid than mackerel!

I have ruined a couple of T-shirts so far with squid ink. I found if you let them ink-out before pulling them outta the water it can save you from being blasted. the fricken things are great weapons just in case someone decides to get too close to you on the pier. Just point it at them and say "oops, sorry bout that". After the third time they generally get up and move! The Asian folks are very good at catching them and they have some huge families. It is like an Asian city in some spots with men, women and small children lined up elbow-to-elbow!

I you-tubed a few videos on how to clean them and found one that worked well. Getting good at it now and can clean a couple per minute but it is time-consuming. I have found that if you refrigerate them for an hour or two or overnight they are much easier to handle/clean.

Not going to try to live-line one but I talked to a guy who gave me this tip when using them for bait: Insert a small strip of styrofoam into the whole squid so it floats and then let if drift out in some current. Guy said he catches stripers all the time using this technique so I am gonna try it, nothing to lose, right? Squid are wicked fast when being chased by stripers as I witnessed under a local bridge one early morning- Huge splashed and then squid rocketing over the surface.

Spin

small strip of styrofoam

A small cork float up ahead that will get the squid to a neutral buoyancy works well and if lost will eventually degrade. Styrofoam is forever, and if a bass swallows it and you release it , it can't pass it and the fish dies. I wouldn't use styrofoam.

Spin, maybe I've run into up there in the past couple nights. I've been hitting the beach by the fisherman statue and last night hit the fish pier. Maybe we'll cross paths sometime this week. You're right about the Asians, they know what they're doing. I was at the state fish pier last night with about 40 of them, all having a good time. Crazy to watch them carting many 5 gallon buckets full to the top.

Sunday off the Vineyard I had 2 large squid hit a 4oz jig intended for black sea bass and the next drift I had a 6lb tog hit the same jig, both in 80 feet of water. Later that morning over at a favorite fluke spot, I put those two fresh squid to good use and it was a delicious mixed bag last night.

What was odd for June was the real lack of striper action, we boated a couple on jigs and plastic, but I've not seen the usual June schools on top slurping krill anywhere this month.

Smelly jelly. Don't leave home without it.

A small cork float up ahead that will get the squid to a neutral buoyancy works well and if lost will eventually degrade. Styrofoam is forever, and if a bass swallows it and you release it , it can't pass it and the fish dies. I wouldn't use styrofoam.

Good points and thanks. Glad I did not do this yet.

have a ton load of brand new jigs for sale.

Ross, instead of hooking them and bringing them right into the boat. Hook them bring them right to the surface and hold them above for water few a few seconds, they will ink and it's a bit less messy. Also if you want to ink the person next to you, reel up as fast as you can. Grab the squid at its mid point and aim at the guy next to you :)
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Thanks all for the replies. Going to try ink stained gangway and dock tonight. Found the youtube on how to clean. So will put into bucket of seawater, then drain and ice them to bring home. How do you unhook them? Thanks.

Thanks all for the replies. Going to try ink stained gangway and dock tonight. Found the youtube on how to clean. So will put into bucket of seawater, then drain and ice them to bring home. How do you unhook them? Thanks.

Grab the jig and flip it upside down over your bucket. No barbs on the squid jigs.

Grab the jig and flip it upside down over your bucket. No barbs on the squid jigs.

Some guys add a 6-8" piece of mono below the jig. Grab that to turn the jig upside down to release the squid into the bucket.

I took the biggest squid I had over to the river near my house just before dark last night. It floated without cork (or styrofoam). I ripped it through the current a few times with nothing to show. Then I got it close to the edge of the flow and it sank down a bit. A couple of twitches and it got spotted by 4 large bass. They came over and played tag with it, picking it up and dropping it, swirling around frantically for a minute and then moved away. One never got the whole squid into its mouth so I could attempt to set the hook (which I had in the tail-end of the squid). Very cool to see and I will be experimenting further at slack tide late this afternoon. :uhuh:

Ross, if you really can't find squid jigs give me a call and I'll send you what I have. I only use them when I go to the derby.

For calamari clean the tube by flipping them inside out. And cut your rings the same way, cut the rings with them flipped inside out the rings hold their shape better.
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Some guys add a 6-8" piece of mono below the jig. Grab that to turn the jig upside down to release the squid into the bucket.

I took the biggest squid I had over to the river near my house just before dark last night. It floated without cork (or styrofoam). I ripped it through the current a few times with nothing to show. Then I got it close to the edge of the flow and it sank down a bit. A couple of twitches and it got spotted by 4 large bass. They came over and played tag with it, picking it up and dropping it, swirling around frantically for a minute and then moved away. One never got the whole squid into its mouth so I could attempt to set the hook (which I had in the tail-end of the squid). Very cool to see and I will be experimenting further at slack tide late this afternoon. :uhuh:

Big squid = a quick hit.
Medium squid = hook-up

Some info on Cleaning....with Pictures

How to Clean Squid Recipe - Step by step recipe instructions. (http://homecooking.about.com/od/seafood/ss/cleansquidsbs.htm)

I caught my first squid since I was a kid on Saturday jigging for macks

When we were kids we used to catch them under the lights all summer in Green Harbor.

Haven't seen them in 25 years.

Cape cod bay is awesome this year.

Also if you want to ink the person next to you, reel up as fast as you can. Grab the squid at its mid point and aim at the guy next to you :)
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That will be TDF tonight.....

Great... I always wanted to get the Star Treatment.....didn't mean the Porn Star Treatment :doh:

http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/0810/squid-porn-demotivational-poster-1224886853.jpg

We have had a banner year SINCE APRIL 17th! It has been amazing.

One guy had a 27" squid one night, the largest I have seen... Lots of 18"+ squid. they have been generally pretty big this year, my only hope is that they got a chance to spawn before the squid boats daily limits were taken off. (frankly, I think there should be NO comm fishing until they spawn) I stopped going but it is a ton of fun. Everything eats squid...even other squid!!!

I never catch anything squiding they just swim away from the jig.:/

We had a blast tonight! Good fun and I came home with three dozen that will be frozen for cod and striper bait. Two micks got good pointers from three Greeks on our dock. The other dock had 27 anglers on it.... Thanks for making the trip, Kevin.

No Problem...it was a Blast (No Pun Intended).....got a couple dozen for my belly. Going to Stir-fry some up tonight....maybe a little Kung Pao action in the Wok.

Are you catching them? Meeting a buddy in Glo. around 8:30 tonight. Too early?

You should be fine...bring a lantern

Are you catching them? Meeting a buddy in Glo. around 8:30 tonight. Too early?

I caught a ccouple dozen at high noon today. Def not just a night game. Had bass exploding on them this morning as well in the river. Very cool to see...

Fried calamari num num !

Made a Stir Fry last night with it...:drool:

There's nothing I enjoy filming more than squid.

There's nothing I enjoy filming more than squid.

Why is that Mike? Are they
camera friendly? Do they attach themselves to your dive gear?

spinncognito, they have personality. They are awesome hunters and fierce little creatures. Everything in the ocean likes to eat them, but if juvenile fluke or sea bass are around and a squid can snatch 'em, they are going down.

Grabbed a bunch on the Piscataqua River earlier...I guess they ARE Everywhere