Squid In Pitwatter

[spic]

I've been fishing the Broken Bay area for quite a few years now and have never really mastered the art of catching squid. Tried a few times around West Head with no sucess. I always take my 2 sons and the times we have tried we have had 3 lures in the water all of different colours and drift with slow retrieves. I'm just not sure where to target them, are they right up close to shore or futher out. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated as with the Kings making a good show this year I'd like to give the Squid a good crack this year. I have a boat so I'm not limited to locations.

Many Thanks,

Spic

Edited November 27, 2006 by spic

[sk.]

I squided some new spots in Pittwater last Friday for some success

Wherever their are weed beds, have a few drifts.

I find fishing closer to shore, jetties etc more successful, as it is normally shallower, and I can better control the squid jig, getting it just above the bottom.

As for locations, all around Scotland Island, West Head, ocean side B'joey, Portugese beach, the basin... the spots are endless.

As mentioned find a spot, have a few drifts and if you have no luck move on. But moving on can mean only 10m. Slow retrieves with lots of pauses, and soon as you feel pressure, keep it on and wind the bastard on.

Good luck

[Martin]

Mate I hope the others will contribute and provide some locations and thank you SK for sharing. I also would not mind knowing some other potential locations in Pittwater to catch Squid (currently on the rare occasion I can get out for a fish)

I am no expert; however I have caught them in the following locations

Basin- at the back end where the moorings finish up, it shallows up and there is weed there. So you may be about 20 or 30 meters off the beach at 90 degrees is a starting point.

Mackerel Beach at the northern end. Look for the weed below your boat. On one of the moorings there is usually an old black hulled boat that looks as if it may have served as a small ferry in its younger days. Work from it back north to the shore line over the weed.

Around from Mackerel Beach to your north and before West Head are two small beaches, work the rock foreshores around either side and between the two beaches.

Scotland Island, (I have not tried it), however I would expect around the public wharf and tennis courts wharf would be likely spots, which are on the northern side of the Island.

This is what I am aware of and hopefully some other raiders may be kind enough to share, particularly our many kingfish champions of recent times.

Cheers

Martin

[namesay]

You'll find squid almost everywhere. Find a shore line with weed, rocks or better still mixture of sand and weed and you'll score. They can be more difficult to catch than the kingies!!! But water depth of 2-7 meters is ideal. Wind puts them off.

Places to try are scotland island, especially the northern side, mackeral beach, basin....there are also lots around on the eastern shore. Try all the boat sheds around the eastern shore...they can be found anywhere. ALl the bays and shore line will hold squid at one time or another. Cheers kelvin

[spic]

Many thanks for the tips guys!!!!!

I hoped onto Google Earth and Mackeral Beach looks like a prime possie. There is always the jetty to try as well.

Planning to wet a line this weekend and will plan an early start and see if I can boat a few of these morsels.

Again many thanks,

Spic

[Guest DV8]

Many thanks for the tips guys!!!!!

I hoped onto Google Earth and Mackeral Beach looks like a prime possie. There is always the jetty to try as well.

Planning to wet a line this weekend and will plan an early start and see if I can boat a few of these morsels.

Again many thanks,

Spic

Thanks particularly to Kelvin for sharing your sqidding secrets with all of us. I was lokking at the wharf at patomga the other day and i reckon althoughthe area is fairly heavily fished (commercially) I reckon it would hold squid particularly at night as it has about six big bright lights on it.

Any thoughts????

Davo

[Martin]

Many thanks for the tips guys!!!!!

I hoped onto Google Earth and Mackeral Beach looks like a prime possie. There is always the jetty to try as well.

Planning to wet a line this weekend and will plan an early start and see if I can boat a few of these morsels.

Again many thanks,

Spic

Let us know how go Spic and good luck

Cheers

Martin

[sk.]

Davo, one time up Patonga creek fishing for flatties, we were bringing squid up every cast. We only had log shank hooks, no squid jigs, otherwise we would of smashed em.

Havent fished the wharf, but I recon you would get some there

[James]

Thanks particularly to Kelvin for sharing your sqidding secrets with all of us. I was lokking at the wharf at patomga the other day and i reckon althoughthe area is fairly heavily fished (commercially) I reckon it would hold squid particularly at night as it has about six big bright lights on it.

Any thoughts????

Davo

it does mate top squid spot

[namesay]

Many thanks for the tips guys!!!!!

I hoped onto Google Earth and Mackeral Beach looks like a prime possie. There is always the jetty to try as well.

Planning to wet a line this weekend and will plan an early start and see if I can boat a few of these morsels.

Again many thanks,

Spic

Mackeral beach does look the goods BUT the pros work this beach regularly. They beach net this area and this is one of the reasons that squid can be scarce!!!! They pull up the weed, and take everything. This has gotta stop but it is allowed. Cheers Kelvin

[Guest DV8]

Mackeral beach does look the goods BUT the pros work this beach regularly. They beach net this area and this is one of the reasons that squid can be scarce!!!! They pull up the weed, and take everything. This has gotta stop but it is allowed. Cheers Kelvin

Yeah the pros do reduce populations of our fish, squid,crabs, etc. There are however pople out there that can't catch their own fish and rely on the pros to do it for them. I am all for commercial fishing, whaling or whatever - as long as it sustainable. Thats the problem!! What they are doing does not seem sustainable. Make no mistake about it though, we recreational fishermen do also impact on fish poulations and dectruction of marine habitat. Thats why i am all for the recreational fishing fee, more patrols, stricter bag limits, and stricter size limits. Unfortunately it takes scientific based, not anecdotal, evidence to put a stop to commercial fishing and who is going to put up the funding to do that. Not the current state government.

My bitch for the day

davo

[namesay]

I see your point as I too BUY prawns, oyster and other items of seafood. However, we do live on the biggest island there is. Why do we have to allow commercial fishing in metropolitan areas?There is the whole pacific ocean for them to fish in. A fish caught by a rec fisho is so much more valuable than one that has been dragged up the beach in a net.

If we don't have accessible fishing then all the associated industries will suffer. Imagine the boating industry if no one fished!!!

The dead by catch, the pure waste all for such little profit. I think most pros are very WILLING to be bought out. So let's use our brains and keep all the waterways around Sydney for rec fishers only. AND if you support this then becareful when you buy bait to ensure that you don't support unsustainable practices.Cheers Kelvin

Edited November 29, 2006 by namesay

[spic]

This becomes quite an emotional subject but I believe we should learn some lessons from the Europeans where they have realised that commercial fishing of estuaries is not sustainable and many countries have banned commercial fishing completly in their rivers. Our rivers are so precious as they are our nurseries/future stocks. Maybe it's just me but I always scratch my head when I see trawlers working in the Hawkesbury when the whole ocean is available to them.

[namesay]

This becomes quite an emotional subject but I believe we should learn some lessons from the Europeans where they have realised that commercial fishing of estuaries is not sustainable and many countries have banned commercial fishing completly in their rivers. Our rivers are so precious as they are our nurseries/future stocks. Maybe it's just me but I always scratch my head when I see trawlers working in the Hawkesbury when the whole ocean is available to them.

I was talking to one of my Irish patients about fishing. He was shocked to learn from me that we allow commercial fishing in our estuarys!!!! Even the Irish have woken up!! The estuary systems are where a lot of the fish breed, they are haven for children to fish and are the life line for the rest of our oceans. They have to be looked after!

So if you buy hawkesbury river prawns you are supporting something that is not sustainable in the long term. We have the power to choose and now with our license fees have the funds to buy out the commercial fishermen! .... got a bit carried away...good luck with squidding. 445F and I got a few really nice sized squid yesterday . They even pulled drag. Also got a few bait sized ones in pittwater... got our kings as well. CheersKelvin

[Guest DV8]

I was talking to one of my Irish patients about fishing. He was shocked to learn from me that we allow commercial fishing in our estuarys!!!! Even the Irish have woken up!! The estuary systems are where a lot of the fish breed, they are haven for children to fish and are the life line for the rest of our oceans. They have to be looked after!

So if you buy hawkesbury river prawns you are supporting something that is not sustainable in the long term. We have the power to choose and now with our license fees have the funds to buy out the commercial fishermen! .... got a bit carried away...good luck with squidding. 445F and I got a few really nice sized squid yesterday . They even pulled drag. Also got a few bait sized ones in pittwater... got our kings as well. CheersKelvin

It blows me out more when I see commercial fishing in tuggerah lakes. From what I can work out most of the pros were amply compensated for their loss of income when their licenses were bought out by DPI. There were a few noise makers and I reckon it was the ones who were doing illegal things like exceeding bag limits and selling on the black market. Up the recreational fishing fee I reckon, and buy out more pros. we are already seeing a dramatic improvement in fish populations. DPI are currently recruiting for officers so anyone who reckons they can address the criteria go for it. Check out jobs nsw.

Davo