jlloyd Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Went for a session yesterday at my favorite squid spot in Middle Harbour LB as I had a pass out from the , although it was low tide and not dusk the weather looked favorable and the water was not as cloudy as I thought it would be but still pretty messy. I used multiple jigs and had at least 20 hits but couldn't convert to squid on the wharf. All of my jigs were hit hard with damage done to them (on the sides) but away from the spikes. I have noticed the squid go very tentative during the cooler months and also after rain but I also noticed fresh squid ink on the wharf so maybe it is just my retrieving method or poor timing that is the cause at the moment. Regardless it was a beautiful time out after the Melbourne weather we have been getting and was further enhanced by the sight of two fairy penguins observed at the wharf trying to grab prawns a family had out to catch LJ (which are everywhere) even chasing my squid jigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King slayer Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 (edited) Hey Yakkaman, I have a warf in middle harbour i go to for squid sometimes and they have done this too me aswell. i'm guessing you're upstream of the spit and primarily chasing arrow's? I found it's the smaller ones that do this and two things increased my hook up: First if I could see the take then I'd feed some line out for a bit before a short strike which often inds then sliding back a bit into the barbs; and two when I get a hit, i wind in quite fast as they tend to get off if you're too slow. I don't treat calamari this way though. With them I retrieve a little slower once theyre hooked and allow the lunges a bit more, since the generally bigger tentacles and head seem to stay on better than arrows and with the extra weight they tend to carry I don't want to allow pulled tentacles. Dave Edited May 25, 2009 by King slayer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.dawg Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Alot of times i get hit hard but no hook up and multiple times my guess is cuttlefish. Cuttlefish are harder to hook coz they are small yet hit a squid jig like theres no 2morro. But as yakkaman said feed out more line if its squid you should get em face your rod tip down then strike slowly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prawn* Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 ive just started getting into the squid and have found same results when i retrieve slow i get alot more hits with little hook but i tend to try keeping tip down and when i feel a slight nudge on the jig i just flick the tip back towards my feet & seems 2 work well i had a squid session 2nght local jettie and got couple of nice squid bit small 2 eat but good for bait, give u another excuse to get out there and give it another crack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephi Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Nice to know the squid are there in MH... surprised you didn't hook up to a single one. Down in the Hacking, there's not that many after the heavy rains... Went yesterday morning before 6, and finished to about 1pm... I would be happy to get few hits to show that they're there... Got no more than 3 hits. Only had 2 hits from cuttlesfish on my jig. And one big hit on my spiked yakka I sent out. Water was quite murky and dirty... Surprisingly, fished Gymea baths, Lilli Pilli baths, Gunnamatta Bay baths... lol pretty crappy day for squid. All I do is, when you feel the hit, just wait a second or two for it to pulse for the second time... then strike. basically, strike straight after a pulse, as it's sucking up water to propel itself again. That should lowers its chances to suddenly shoot off, when it feels the strike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.dawg Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Nice to know the squid are there in MH... surprised you didn't hook up to a single one. Down in the Hacking, there's not that many after the heavy rains... Went yesterday morning before 6, and finished to about 1pm... I would be happy to get few hits to show that they're there... Got no more than 3 hits. Only had 2 hits from cuttlesfish on my jig. And one big hit on my spiked yakka I sent out. Water was quite murky and dirty... Surprisingly, fished Gymea baths, Lilli Pilli baths, Gunnamatta Bay baths... lol pretty crappy day for squid. All I do is, when you feel the hit, just wait a second or two for it to pulse for the second time... then strike. basically, strike straight after a pulse, as it's sucking up water to propel itself again. That should lowers its chances to suddenly shoot off, when it feels the strike. Zephi other than gunnamatta baths lilli pilli and gymea are really only sunset-night squid place. What i do is fiish lillipilli at sunset and move on to wally's whens its dark and really good to move your yakka n spike just like a real squid jig. Really improves results i caught a nice 2kg squid friday night in the wet stormmy weather on a yakka and a spike and 4 small cuttlefish and 4 small squid when i say small i mean SMALLLLLL!!!!!!!!! its no bigger than your thumb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephi Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Zephi other than gunnamatta baths lilli pilli and gymea are really only sunset-night squid place. What i do is fiish lillipilli at sunset and move on to wally's whens its dark and really good to move your yakka n spike just like a real squid jig. Really improves results i caught a nice 2kg squid friday night in the wet stormmy weather on a yakka and a spike and 4 small cuttlefish and 4 small squid when i say small i mean SMALLLLLL!!!!!!!!! its no bigger than your thumb Very nice info, although I've had huge hits at Lilli Pilli for a while now... But none have been hooked up so far. Those large and smart squid just always avoid those spikes. So do you know any areas which are good for daytime squidding? and those squid spike with a yakka on em... do you put em under a float? or just the simple cast and retrieve like a squid jig? I've always avoided Wally's because there are so many people there usually.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.dawg Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Very nice info, although I've had huge hits at Lilli Pilli for a while now... But none have been hooked up so far. Those large and smart squid just always avoid those spikes. So do you know any areas which are good for daytime squidding? and those squid spike with a yakka on em... do you put em under a float? or just the simple cast and retrieve like a squid jig? I've always avoided Wally's because there are so many people there usually.... Simple cast and retrieve i sometimes do lose alot yes they are very smart but after experimentations i hav down i found a special way to rig up that hooks up 95%+++ of these large squid if i ever do get to do a sesh with you i'll show ya. day time squid will be bass n flinders work along the rocks wif a squidjigs you'll be amazed the different type of ceph's u get there in one day. octopus cuttles n squid. Cuttle fish there are also squid large Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 try to use smaller jigs. size 1.8 is a good size for smaller squid in the harbour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlloyd Posted May 26, 2009 Author Share Posted May 26, 2009 Thanks for all the advice (and sympathy), I was catching the inkers regularly (6-10 a session) until the recent rains about 6 weeks ago, mostly southerns with the occasional arrow thrown in. I have a range of yamashitas fom 1.8 to 3.0 and tried most of the techniques mentioned above and on several occasions even had squid pieces on the jigs after hits. Of other interest I managed to catch a decent leatherjacket on a squid jig several months ago (I thought it was a squid on ecstacy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.dawg Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Thanks for all the advice (and sympathy), I was catching the inkers regularly (6-10 a session) until the recent rains about 6 weeks ago, mostly southerns with the occasional arrow thrown in. I have a range of yamashitas fom 1.8 to 3.0 and tried most of the techniques mentioned above and on several occasions even had squid pieces on the jigs after hits. Of other interest I managed to catch a decent leatherjacket on a squid jig several months ago (I thought it was a squid on ecstacy) yakka man i think you hav your drag too tight and you arnt lifting the rod slowly are you>??? dont just hook up like a fish or you'll rip the squids tentacles off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monch Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 20 hits in a session is pretty good I reckon...you must be presenting the jig at the right depth (sure your not striking on weed? ) If i was getting that many hits i would start to experiment with the timing and vigour of my striking, maybe try striking later like zephi said (although my experience is that squid sometimes drop the jig after a little while which is why i strike as soon as i feel the weight) I also agree with A.dawg, maybe your striking too hard and/or too much drag. Also, as squid always attack the neck area, if they are smaller squid they might not slide down properly into the jags when you strike. In regards to zephi, i find that squid during the daytime will like to hang in deeper water so they are not as exposed (like most other fish). When squidding at gymea bay baths at dusk/night i find that most of the squid venture up into the shallow water (ie less than 2m) which is why gymea fires up at night. I think daytime squidding can also be successful, (albeit, typically not as good) provided you put the jig into deeper water with preferably plenty of weed beds. So that means getting long casts from the wharf into deeper water and using slightly heavier jigs. I have gotten, and seen plently of other people get squid in the deeper water on the right side of gymea bay baths, they also tend to be bigger squid in the deeper water. If you are after smaller squid, inside the bath along the weed beds and dropoff is a good spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjuarez Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 (edited) I managed 1 squid in the harbour last night... and droppped 2 others at my feet... plenty around it seems... Not too bad for a 2 hour session during what is typically not prime time for squid... 2 things I noticed about this particular squid... Only had 1 long Arm/tentacle instead of 2 (any thoughts?) And when i was cleaning it... it had lots of little clear eggs inside, that would pop when you squash them. Do inkers go into spawning season? Anyway of knowing if they're carrying eggs prior to killing them? AJ Edited May 26, 2009 by throw me a fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard1 Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 (edited) whats really interesting is that i have never landed an arrow squid. always southern calamari. i want an arrow! 1 arm.. probably been jigged before. or list a fight with a fish..as for the eggs. .. i only find them in large squid. Edited May 26, 2009 by Richard1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donjuarez Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 whats really interesting is that i have never landed an arrow squid. always southern calamari. i want an arrow! 1 arm.. probably been jigged before. or list a fight with a fish..as for the eggs. .. i only find them in large squid. Apararently sotherns are better eating.. same.. only ever landed calamari's.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlloyd Posted May 27, 2009 Author Share Posted May 27, 2009 A.Dawg I generally run a 2-4 kg spin rod with 8 pound line on a reel that is a bit big (4000 penn), I amin the process of finding a smaller reel (say a 2000 Penn), when I lift the rod I first do it very softly to see if I have a strike then do a second harder lift to move the jig such that the squid thinks the jig is trying to ascape (as it was explained to me anyway), this worked over summer and caught plenty of squid (5-12 squid in a session). Since the rain and cooling weather the squid have changed tactics and definitely appear less aggressive. I also do agree that deeper water during the day holds the squid while shallower water holds the squid at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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