Where to hook squid on a two hook rig when downrigging?

[Bracey]

Just looking to confirm how it is best to rig squid for downrigging. Caught my first live squid the other day, 2 calamari and 2 cuttlefish. I use a 5/0 mustad live bait hook rigged with a sliding snell as the tow hook and a 1/0 treble tied with a uni knot.

Squid have an topside and a bottom. So do I pin the squid at the top of the hood from the underneath with the tow hook, so that the barb is out the top of the squid with the treble pinned somewhere near the head on the bottom side? Is that how it will be now towed, with the squid topside facing up? I missed a rat the other day when he just took the head and left all the hood and missed the treble hooks. I felt I might have had the treble to high, is it better pinned on one of the tentacles?

Are cuttlefish good bait rigged whole and live? Do you rig the cuttlefish any differently. When I went to put the tow hook in it went straight through the hard backbone that they have. Little bugger made a mess of my boat with all the ink he put out.

Thanks for any input. Bart

[onearmedfisho]

Yeah mate your spot on with the squid. Just through the bottom of the hood with the second hook.... A big fish will destroy the whole thing!

[Day's Fishin]

Mate cuttlefish are not a good bait! The candles however are a top snapper bait.

Regards Jeff

[Bracey]

Mate cuttlefish are not a good bait! The candles however are a top snapper bait.

Regards Jeff

G'day Jeff

When you say candles do you mean the longer tentacles. The 'squid' that I thought was a cuttlefish had short tentacles and they were all the same length. The calamari had 2 that were longer than the others. Maybe I have mis identified it.

Are they still no good for bait when thrown out whole?

Cheers, Bart

[Day's Fishin]

When you catch a cuttlefish they let down 2 long legs/feelers that's their candles. When you find dead cuttlefish floating around you will usually find that the snapper are on the bite. Whole small cuttlefish are good snapper bait.

Regards Jeff

[Bracey]

Thanks Jeff

Cheers, Bart

[ginko]

Just watch out handling live cuttlefish - they're angry as and are keen to bite, and they're also bloody good shots with the ink! I've not used them as live bait, but cut into strips and used within a day or two (kept cool the whole time) they work a treat for practically any fish that swim. Like squid, useless once the flesh becomes opaque.

With squid, its a good idea to get the two hook through just the end of the quill so that it is much harder for it to pull out. Otherwise, the tow hook can rip out, the squid goes side-on in the water, and then you loose the whole thing an you'll be towing around a pair of hooks. I prefer circle hooks, both front and back. Anything that's eating a squid will take the whole thing, except maybe chopper tailor which are a bit useless to catch anyway.