Sea Ranger Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Hi All My son (15) and I would like to try some land based squid fishing around Sydney this Saturday if the weather is ok. We can drive or take public transport if needed we just don't know where to go. We are rank beginners and never caught a squid before. We've been watching youtube so think we are ready to have a go. Is this time a year doable for squid? Cheers Bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deekay87 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Best time of the year mate. Balmain wharf is a good spot also north sydney wharf. I think night produces better Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deekay87 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Just make sure u work the bottom. If u dont get caught up every now and then ur not near the bottom and what u imagine is a slow retrive halve it thats the speed u should be reeling in. Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 (edited) I find my squid are bigger in Winter and I catch more in summer. Technique is more important than location. Squid are fairly mobile so you can go back to the same spot the next day and get nothing. 15 minutes could be all the difference between getting some and thinking they are not around. Don't spend hours working the same area. Work an area then move along.My go to is a Yamashita 2.2 in pink and white on a 4lb braid bream finesse style outfit with 8lb fluoro leader. I have one in a natural colour but in general I prefer jigs that stand out a bit. Will go up to a size 2.5 on that same gear. I look for weed and sand and then work the edges of the weed. I have slow sinking to fast sinking jigs (There is a Yamashita range with three different coloured eyes relating to three different sinking speed (blue - slow, black - standard and pink - fast). The standard or fast sinking I use to cover distance and drop offs and the slow I use to work over the weed beds. I use three types of retrieves. A slow lift and then a pause to let it get down to the bottom. A double flick and pause to let it get down to the bottom. A short triple flick which imparts a darting motion to the jig and then pause to let it slowly settle. If I am over weed beds I count down so that I still stay just above the weed. As a general rule fish the squid jig as close to the bottom without constantly getting snagged. If it is a sandy bottom then I will let it hit the bottom. If weedy then fish above the weeds. Squid have good eyes and can swim quickly so the reason I use the quick flicks is to get their attention. The reason I use the pauses is to give them the chance to grab the jig if they are feeling a little hesitant or cautious (I have actually seen them doing this). When they are hesitant or if I see the jig is being pulled away I use a 30cm (rod tip travel) flick to set the jig and then let the natural flex of the rod absorb the shock.If I am in a snaggy area I use my larger snapper rod with 10 to 14lb braid and 20lb to 30lb leader as I can pull the lure clear of the snags. I will usually use a size 3 or 3.5 for the extra casting distance too.A smaller lure is more likely to get picked on and the 2.2 is the best compromise I have found between size and casting distance. Most jigs drop at about 3 seconds per meter. So if the water is 10m deep then count down to at least 30 seconds and maybe a little more to be sure. After each lift count down for at least 4 seconds to make sure it reaches the bottom.Fan your casts out in an area. If you don't get anything change size and/or colour and do it again. If you don't get anything then they are either not there or not playing = same end result so change locations and then try again. If I am fishing from a boat I will cast towards the shore and then more or less bounce it down (without snagging up) and away from the drop at the shore edge. Put the time in as catching them will get easier. I have glow in the dark ones I hit with a torch which are easier for the squid to spot at dawn and dusk. If and when you hook one cast the second rod to the same spot or cast back to the same spot once you have taken the squid off. I find southern calamari travel in 2s or 3s and arrow squid in larger schools. When bringing a squid in watch behind it as other squid will usually follow it in. Once you have some squid you can put them down as whole baits but I prefer to strip them. Run your hand behind the upper side of the head and into the hood and break the join with your finger. Pull the head out. Either a whole bait or cut in half lengthwise for two baits. The two wings can be separated from the body by working the join with your fingernails. Minimum of two baits there but I slice them in strips to get more. Find the feather inside the top of the hood and pinch out with fingernails and throw away. I run a knife along where it was and open the whole hood out so I can cut long strips. If you want to keep squid for eating they are prepared more or less the same way but you don't open up the hood and you clean the inside and outside of the hood. If you want to keep them for fishing buy a packet of sandwich sized ziplock bags and drop them in there and do not wash them in freshwater. Freeze them in the bag for your next fishing outing. I find they keep quite well and I can also use them whole when chasing jewfish. Edited June 25, 2016 by DerekD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Great tips Derek. I've been having a hard time chasing them at deeper locations like the wharf at Nth Sydney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Ranger Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Gee whiz, Great replies everyone. Depending on the weather we might give Balmain wharf a go. Is there reasonable parking in the area? Bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 The parking is pretty good at Balmain at the bottom of Darling road but when I was there a few weeks back they were doing road works right near the wharf. There are a couple of places on the Balmain peninsula where you can get down to the water so have a look at the map beforehand to give yourself more than one option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Ranger Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 Any comments on Balmoral Wharf? I've been googling and at least some times it seems pretty good to at least give it a go and have some reasonable parking in the area Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekD Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Hi again. I grew up in that area so know it pretty well. There is a lot of paid parking in the the Balmoral area and the ones that aren't paid parking are usually time limited. I have caught a few squid from the Balmoral wharf. The area has a bit of ribbon weed so if you fish the bottom then you are likely to snag up reasonably frequently. Not enough to lose jigs but often enough to be annoying. The biggest catch with that wharf is a lot of other people fish it with set lines so you have to work between or around their lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike89 Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 Any comments on Balmoral Wharf? I've been googling and at least some times it seems pretty good to at least give it a go and have some reasonable parking in the area Thank you I fish Balmoral Wharf pretty regularly and can tell you there are plenty of squid around there if you catch the right time. Casting off to the side or back towards the beach over the weed beds there will get you some results. Caught my PB just the other day there, 40-something cali. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMG Posted September 24, 2016 Share Posted September 24, 2016 (edited) hey Bear I have been going to Bundeena wharf a bit lately. The squid there are big,like as long as your arm but they tend to like live bait,yellowtail/poddy mullet. lol they are a pest when your live baiting,they will also take a whole pilchard rigged up on a bobby cork. They eat the back of the heads first,instantly killing the live bait. They tend to let go as soon as they hit the surface unless hooked or have half swallowed the bait being greedy. Edited September 24, 2016 by D.G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Ranger Posted September 25, 2016 Author Share Posted September 25, 2016 hey Bear I have been going to Bundeena wharf a bit lately. The squid there are big,like as long as your arm but they tend to like live bait,yellowtail/poddy mullet. lol they are a pest when your live baiting,they will also take a whole pilchard rigged up on a bobby cork. They eat the back of the heads first,instantly killing the live bait. They tend to let go as soon as they hit the surface unless hooked or have half swallowed the bait being greedy. Is that the wharf the Ferry docks at? Bear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMG Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 yes at night time only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now