Squid Report

[magnanimous_j]

Went down to Pier 86 last night for a couple hours and got about a dozen. They seem to be all pretty good size right now. Hitting pretty consistently on either green or red.

How's everyone else doing. 

[syoungs]

whats the chance that someone who has NEVER fished squid, could make the trip from the eastside, and actually catch some in one night?

Ive been wanting to try it, but don't have any idea if itd be worth the drive or not, especially when steelhead are in the river 20 min away!

[CP]

A retired friend of mine tells me that he limits every night.  He gives me all I want so I haven't had to lose any sleep over them.

He goes mid week, late after the crowds go home but my work schedule doesn't allow me to join him.

[magnanimous_j]

whats the chance that someone who has NEVER fished squid, could make the trip from the eastside, and actually catch some in one night?

Ive been wanting to try it, but don't have any idea if itd be worth the drive or not, especially when steelhead are in the river 20 min away!

The learning curve for squidding is lower than a lot of other types of fishing, so on that I'd say your odds are pretty good. A lot of it comes down to the day though, which is hard to plan for. If the water is muddy, forget it. I don't even bother going if there has been a hard rain in the last couple days. If the schools of blackmouth or seals decide to hang out with you that day, it's 10x harder.

I used to be adamant about fishing the incoming tide, but I don't think that anymore. While they do get a little lazy on high or slack tides, they're always around and I've had some of my best runs a couple hours before low tide. Last night I was fishing the outgoing tide and it was producing steadily.

Using the right jigs is absolutely essential. As a disclaimer, I only fish 2 or 3 docks, so it might be different elsewhere, but virtually everyone down there uses these ones. They come in a lot of colors, but red has been a consistent producer for me. I use a 6' medium light action rod with a $35 trout reel and 4lb test. Some guys like the longer, lighter rods, but I think the stouter rod makes setting the hook easier, even at the expense of sensitivity.

These are some squid I caught last year, but it's a good indicator of what a respectable couple hours looks like.

Hope that helps

[Fl0und3rz]

Thanks for the tips. 

What would be a good time to observe people doing their thing to get a hint about how to fish them?

I might not make it into Seattle for it, but there are local piers I could try within about ten minutes or so from my house.

[wadu1]

Thanks for the tips. 

What would be a good time to observe people doing their thing to get a hint about how to fish them?

I might not make it into Seattle for it, but there are local piers I could try within about ten minutes or so from my house.

Jeff, try watching at the Dash Point dock after dark. In the past I like to jig them with my daughter or run over to the Les Davis pier. Very simple use a rod as noted above, and when you feel like you snagged a wet sock reel them in.

[magnanimous_j]

Thanks for the tips. 

What would be a good time to observe people doing their thing to get a hint about how to fish them?

I might not make it into Seattle for it, but there are local piers I could try within about ten minutes or so from my house.

You don't have to go to Seattle. I go because there are 3 docks within a 3 mile drive. I got my start on Les Davis Pier in Tacoma (which at the time at least, had power outlets), and I hear good things about Edmonds and Des Moines. I'm sure there are good docks on the west side of the sound too, but I'm rarely over there so I don't know about them.

On a productive dock, you should be able to go anytime between late September and late March after sundown to find squidders. It's a pretty social scene down there and in my experience, they are very friendly to newbies. It might be a wive's tale, but most people believe that the more jigs in the water and the more lights, the more attractive the dock is to passing schools of squid. I've been chastised for leaving in the middle of the run, even though I had a limit.

[Fl0und3rz]

Good to know on the dates, too.  I'll have to keep my oldest up after dark some weekend and go check it out. 

[jmscon]

After day light savings ends its dark at dinner time, go right after.

I have a friend who cleans up every year in Elliot Bay. Limits almost every time!

Basically any place that has a pier, in Puget Sound, has some lights or an outlet that you can plug your own light into should produce.

[pjb3]

Anyone fish north of Everett? I'm in Stanwood and would like to find something up here

[Roundhead]

Anyone fish north of Everett? I'm in Stanwood and would like to find something up here

Go to WDFW website and look up public pier. All piers in puget sound will have squid. You just got to know when they're in.

[pjb3]

Anyone fish north of Everett? I'm in Stanwood and would like to find something up here

Go to WDFW website and look up public pier. All piers in puget sound will have squid. You just got to know when they're in.

Hmmm, even small ones in coves?

[funkster]

Anyone been out lately? Any luck?

[Roundhead]

Anyone fish north of Everett? I'm in Stanwood and would like to find something up here

Go to WDFW website and look up public pier. All piers in puget sound will have squid. You just got to know when they're in.

Hmmm, even small ones in coves?

Yep and you got to have lights.

[michaelcx38]

Wadu mentioned it, but dash point pier has always been a constant haven after 6 this time of year. Highly recommend getting out there

[Trapper John]

I've been crabbing the last few days at Edmond's pier.  By 4:00 in the afternoon the squid fisherman start to show up.  Last night by 5:00 there were at least 125 people on the pier and still coming.  One guy told me that the night before there was no room to stand and fish,  elbow to elbow.  He said that it took about an hour before someone would leave  so he could step forward to jig, he said he got four squid.   

So I would say the squid are in real good at Edmond's Pier but you have got to get there early ................ real early or wait for a spot to fish.
JC   

[WAcoueshunter]

Anyone been out lately?  Squid still around?  My kid wants to go this week while he's on vacation.   

[SpringerFan]

Buddies were out a week ago at the wheel.....they both did well. Just shy of 10 lbs.

Heard the per at Edmonds is still producing  but  not as well.

[WAcoueshunter]

Buddies were out a week ago at the wheel.....they both did well. Just shy of 10 lbs.

Heard the per at Edmonds is still producing  but  not as well.

Thanks!  Just needed to know if it's worth the shot.  I have it in my mind that it tapers off around now, but haven't gone in 20 years.  My kid is 7, pretty sure he'd be stoked just to catch a few. 

[sled]

From what I've seen is that seacrest park in west Seattle has been doing real well.

[huntnphool]

Still catching them at the dash point dock.

[WAcoueshunter]

Success!  We timed things just right, it was really slow before we arrived, but 5 minutes after we got there it went wide open for about 30 minutes.  Then a sea lion showed up and everything turned off.  Stuck it out for a little over an hour and wound up with 35.  Thanks all for the help!

[acnewman55]

Well I'm doing something wrong.

This is my first year going for squid, and I'm a dock in Seattle surrounded by other squiders with their lights and all and everyone is filling up their buckets and I'm only catching one or two.

My first issue is I'm using an 11-foot steelhead rod.  Which is nice for getting my line out away from the dock a bit, but I don't think it's sensitive enough to pick up the subtle tickling of the jig that these slimy *censored*s do.

Other than that, I'm missing something else in the jigging action.  I try to mimic those around me but I'm missing something.

Do the squid most often grab the jig when it is completely still?

[Thenewguy]

Get a lite rod, lite line and keep your jig charged (sunlight or flashlight). I get hits when it's still, right near the bottom most often. Good luck

[SpringerFan]

I use a lightweight Ugly stick and 30 pound braid. Two jigs. Big one on the bottom.

You may not be getting deep enough. Watch what they do after they cast.

[sled]

Success!  We timed things just right, it was really slow before we arrived, but 5 minutes after we got there it went wide open for about 30 minutes.  Then a sea lion showed up and everything turned off.  Stuck it out for a little over an hour and wound up with 35.  Thanks all for the help!

what dock did you fish?

[kingpin]

Any recent reports at all? My brother and I would like to give it a try if they are still around.