Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: navy83 on January 12, 2014, 05:28:40 PM

Title: Anyone heard anything on Squid Fishing in the Northern Puget Sound?
Post by: navy83 on January 12, 2014, 05:28:40 PM: Does anyone know if the squid are being caught in the Northern Puget Sound (Bellingham, Mount Vernon etc) area? If so does anyone have any tips on catching them? I have never gone fishing for them but would like to try and everyone I have talked with so far has told me that the winter is the best time. Thanks for any input
Title: Re: Anyone heard anything on Squid Fishing in the Northern Puget Sound?
Post by: lokidog on January 12, 2014, 07:08:17 PM: Might be tough to catch squid in Mount Vernon, unless they are freshwater ones. :dunno: :chuckle: I've never heard of much action up this way. I wish I could find some here in the islands. Everett is about as far north as I have heard squid being caught. I'll check with a buddy to see what he has heard recently.
Title: Re: Anyone heard anything on Squid Fishing in the Northern Puget Sound?
Post by: navy83 on January 14, 2014, 07:25:26 AM: well i know there arent freshwater ones to my knowledge, my point is that high in the sound since the fishing regs talk about the pier in bellingham and I didnt know if that was any real option worth going out in the rain and cold at night
Title: Re: Anyone heard anything on Squid Fishing in the Northern Puget Sound?
Post by: johng on January 14, 2014, 08:40:03 AM: Hi,

Well I am no squid fishing guru but I would offer you these tips-

Try to fish the incoming tide- although they can be caught at other times this seems to be the best in my experience.

You can bring a flashlight to "charge up" your jigs so they glow better in the dark.

Try different depths but a couple cranks off the bottom seem to be the best.

Try different colors... squid are weird... I don't see how big of a brain they can really have but some nights they like orange, others green. :dunno:

Most squidders are very, very nice folks... so if you don't have a generator and lights you can just politely ask to fish next to a guy who does and they will most likely say no problem.

Oh, and dress WARM!!!!

Have fun,
jg
Title: Re: Anyone heard anything on Squid Fishing in the Northern Puget Sound?
Post by: magnanimous_j on January 14, 2014, 09:12:46 AM: Find a public fishing pier. http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/piers/ (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/piers/)

Finding good jigs can be tough. The fat plastic ones from Big 5 don't work AT ALL. The ones that do well are usually thin, made of lead and are painted with a sparkly, glow in the dark paint and the hooks are more squared off, rather than looking like a V. I usually use 2, spaced about a foot apart. You can have up to 4, but more than 2 has a tenancy to get tangled up. For me anyway.

I'd take a picture of mine, but they were stolen by an octopus last week. True story.

If the pier has electrical outlets, get a shop lite from an auto parts store for like 20 bucks. point it at the water in the most focused beam it can make. Don't worry about fishing right in the light. I usually like to do it right outside the light. Squid have huge eyes and I like the jigs to be just visible, but not so illuminated that they can see the hooks and line.

Fishing the incoming tide seems to work best, but it's not vital. Cloudy weather seems to work best, but it's not vital.

I like to go almost to the bottom and give it a couple cranks every few jigs. When they aren't schooled up, they can be at any depth. So it's good to vary. When they are schooled up, they will be at ALL the depths, and then its a matter of how many you can get before they move on.

Happy hunting. You've got a good 2 months left in the season.
Title: Re: Anyone heard anything on Squid Fishing in the Northern Puget Sound?
Post by: Da stump on January 14, 2014, 12:41:47 PM: I have done well off of the Demoines Marina fishing pier, and off of the pier in Kingston.
:tup:
Title: Re: Anyone heard anything on Squid Fishing in the Northern Puget Sound?
Post by: navy83 on January 14, 2014, 07:00:28 PM: Thanks for some great ideas and insight everyone. I am currently stationed in Oak Harbor so making it to seattle poses a challenge most of the time. I have looked at the piers in the regs I just havent heard anything of people catching anything.. Is there anything else that might be of interest for me to know?
Title: Re: Anyone heard anything on Squid Fishing in the Northern Puget Sound?
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on January 14, 2014, 07:05:18 PM: Pick up a inexpensive camera flash to charge the glow paint. Very effective!!