When do the squid show up?

[DoubleJ]

My kids can't wait to squid jig.  We have been seeing a large school of those thins silver fish (not sure what they are called) that the squid eat swimming just off the end of our dock.  Just not sure when the squid come through.

[jackmaster]

i know we start in the early part of november, sometimes it is great and sometimes it takes a couple weeks to start hitn them

[Heredoggydoggy]

Hey!  Whole new pastime--UNDERWATER GAME CAMERAS!    

[DoubleJ]

Hey!  Whole new pastime--UNDERWATER GAME CAMERAS!    

You are a genius!!!!!!!!!!!

[seth30]

Put up a sign for free beer, there will be a lot of squids showing up.  I recommend any where near Bremerton, Bangor, Everett, and Oak Harbor

[h20hunter]

I'm not even military and that is funny.

[MADMAX]

 

[magnanimous_j]

The squid are in the Sound all year around. They just school tighter and closer to shore as it gets darker and colder. Halloween to St. Patrick's Day you should be able to get at them from the docks.

Don't bother with the jigs from the major retailers, they don't work. If you don't know anyone that makes their own, SportCo in Fife has good ones.

[DoubleJ]

Sportco, check.

[wraithen]

There is a summer "run" of squid. They will be in soon actually. As for Jigs, if you are near the tacoma marina any time soon, hit up their store for squid candy. Those jigs work awesome. I have a bunch of coleman's, but I am still pissed at them. I had one separate in half and lost me an 8 dollar squid candy. I will give away my coleman ones now. I hate them forever. Squid is a blast but it's also crazy boring. When the school comes by and the buckets turn black and there's water shooting 10 feet over the dock everyone is happy. When the school is out, everyone is bored. Last year the season sucked. I'm hoping to do much better this year.

[DoubleJ]

A light on the dock helps, right?  and do you drop the jig down just out of sight?

[DoubleJ]

Any color of jig better than another?

[jackmaster]

i shouldnt be sayn this but since your all hunters, fishers and huntresses, the abc corner mart in des moines has the best squid jigs money can buy 

[HuntNFish]

I have fished for squid now for the last 5 years where I live, south sound area dock, and have the best catch numbers between Nov. - Jan. and as stated, the jigs at the local dept stores/ sports stores don't catch crap.  I get my jigs off S. Tac. Way at the Asian grocery store by HWY 512 and they work great.  The hooks are sharper and larger and brighter than the ones sold in dept. stores and they make all different sizes so you can fish with multiple jigs at a time.  Colors I use and have had luck with are ones that have pink/ red/ green, but if they glow they will work.  Also, a work light right off the dock helps to bring them in, but most pier lights will still attract them.  When I get home I will post up my setup and the jigs I use to give you an idea of what has worked for me.

[wraithen]

I bought a HF generator for just this purpose. I have a halogen work light I hang over the edge of the pier. I put on a corky, then swivel, then first jig, then tie a 1 1/2' leader on another jig with a snap swivel and run 2 at a time. 3 works sometimes but ensures more tangling. 4 is a nightmare. I drop the setup down until I find the bottom and reel in about 3-4 inches. That way I catch the scared ones at the bottom and the aggressive ones have a jig right at eye level. The ones on the top never take my jigs. Just pull up about 3-4 feet, let them go back down, either at natural speed or slower depending on whats working better. Always have a heavier jig under a lighter one. Color doesn't matter much but I have most luck with green and pink. The corkie is just because you need to know where your line is, esp if its combat fishing with the asians that make me feel bad about my skillz. When it's slow I will cast out and jig back in. I've brought in a few schools this way. Beer helps pass the time for the summer run. Nothing helps in the miserable winter run, just enjoy the suck