Squidding

[sled]

  I am wondering also.

[helzbelz888]

caught 5 little ones last night... its been slow in des moines this year.... good excuse to get out of the house after work though...

[pjb3]

I'm thinking of going out crabbing on my boat and try some squidding. My idea is hang a light overboard and jig. Anyone done this or are they only in the real shallows like piers? I have no clue

[wraithen]

That's how the commercial boats do it in california. It works. The problem is these guys swim around in the sound basically in a big circle looking for food. As long as you are in their path or anywhere near it they will come. Just make sure there's enough light to get the bait fish showing up. When they start rolling into a ball and freaking out it's usually because the squid are near. The movement of the jig though is probably the most important part. Once you can see a school and play with them a little you will see what I'm talking about. Tiny variations make the difference between a black bucket and an empty one.

[magnanimous_j]

I'm thinking of going out crabbing on my boat and try some squidding. My idea is hang a light overboard and jig. Anyone done this or are they only in the real shallows like piers? I have no clue

You can catch them in any depth of water, time of year, day or night. Pier fishing just is more efficient because they are in greater concentration. But if you are already going to be crabbing anyway, couldn't hurt to try. It doesn't take a lot of them to make a good meal

[pjb3]

went this eve (Sat) for a few hours, lots of people but only a handful of squid. Nice out this eve though

[PolarBear]

When I still owned my shellfish business the squid would beach themselves while we were picking oysters in the middle of the night.  They seemed to love our lanterns and all the stuff we stirred up on the beach as the tide came in.  We would gather up a bunch and use them for bottomfish, halibut and lincod bait.

[pjb3]

When I still owned my shellfish business the squid would beach themselves while we were picking oysters in the middle of the night.  They seemed to love our lanterns and all the stuff we stirred up on the beach as the tide came in.  We would gather up a bunch and use them for bottomfish, halibut and lincod bait.

where was that?

[PolarBear]

Totten inlet, Shelton.

[redadams]

teds sport center just got a new small  1 1\4 in and a 2 in glow in the dark squid jig in saturday morning . here a picture of the ones i got

[lokidog]

Totten inlet, Shelton.

Wish I knew that years ago, I used to live on Totten Inlet and even had a dock on the property.   

[PolarBear]

Yeah, we use to have a hell of a smelt run as well as coho and kings.  Which side of Totten were you?  I grew up at Kamilche Point and used squid and smelt to catch all kinds of other fish.

[deadyote]

I went out last night to les davis peir in Tacoma and caught 5 in about 2 hours.  This was my first time trying it and I'm hooked.  There weren't many people out there.  Two guys who didn't catch anyting and a group of 6 Asian people who had the set up.  They had a generator, halogen light, full buckets, and also closed mouths.  They weren't in the mood to chat AT ALL, which is ok.  So, because I don't know the squidding etiquete, I didn't know if I could hug my lantern light up to theirs or not, so I stayed a little bit away from them.  They were catching a ton of them.  I just tried to watch how they were fishing and do the same thing.  I had a blast and am going to head out again. 

[gotshot]

I think I will be heading there in the next couple nights. What time were you there. I have a small honda gen and dual halogen lights. I have filled a bucket or two in my day but has been awhile.

[magnanimous_j]

I went out last night to les davis peir in Tacoma and caught 5 in about 2 hours.  This was my first time trying it and I'm hooked.  There weren't many people out there.  Two guys who didn't catch anyting and a group of 6 Asian people who had the set up.  They had a generator, halogen light, full buckets, and also closed mouths.  They weren't in the mood to chat AT ALL, which is ok.  So, because I don't know the squidding etiquete, I didn't know if I could hug my lantern light up to theirs or not, so I stayed a little bit away from them.  They were catching a ton of them.  I just tried to watch how they were fishing and do the same thing.  I had a blast and am going to head out again.

That's where I got started too. From what I remember, the pier has electrical outlets so all you need is a 20 dollar shop light from Home Depot.

Squidding etiquette isn't a whole lot other than don't crowd someone to get into their light.  But I found the best place to put the line is was not in the dead center of the light, but the edge. I think the squid can see the line if the light is right on it.