How to catch your first squid

By Robert Thornton

Squid as a target species offer just about everything an angler could want; they are readily widely available and abundant around the country, they’re aggressive, offer sight fishing opportunities, they look cool, and best of all… they taste great!

Though not dubbed one of the “bread-and-butter species” (species like bream, whiting and gar are traditionally included), I certainly think of them as such. Aside from being abundant and renowned table fare, they also teach their captors important lessons in the basics of fishing.

So, in this blog, we’ll dive into the cephalopod world and arm you with the knowledge and confidence you need to bag your first squid.

WHAT’S THE STORY, CALAMARI?

Squid of one species or other can be found literally around our entire coastline, including all the offshore islands. In fact, it’s a similar story around the world, with this incredible family of cephalopods present in every ocean on earth.

In Australia though, anglers are most likely to come across one of three species, namely southern calamari, arrow squid, and bigfin reef squid (or tiger squid). Southern calamari inhabit the coastal and offshore waters along the southern half of the continent and Tasmania. Tiger squid are basically the northern counterpart to the southerns, inhabiting similar coastal and offshore ground in the tropics. Arrow squid, a smaller and sleeker species, exist in the temperate waters more-or-less in between the southerns’ and tigers’ range, with a preference for deeper water.

These three different species actually have a lot in common, and in certain parts of the country (such as my home waters of Moreton Bay in Queensland) it’s not uncommon to catch more than one species in a session. These similarities mean that once you learn how to catch squid in one area, it’s easy to transpose those skills to other parts of the country.

Squid fish best when it’s warmer in the south and cooler in the north, but are fairly available all year.

FINDING SQUID

Squid spend part of their lives inshore and part (usually the second part) offshore. In this blog we’ll focus on the inshore areas that are easily accessible for beginners.

To find squid in any part of the country, in my opinion you really want two or more of these three things; very clear water, structure, and bait.

Clear water is important because squid are sight hunters that use stealth, not speed or strength. This is why clean, oceanic water is preferable for squid fishing. They will sometimes venture into estuaries and coastal lagoons, but only if the water is exceptionally clear.

Structure is another part of the puzzle. Structure for squid could be coral, rocks, shale, seagrass, kelp, manmade retaining walls, bridges, mangroves, dead timber… or any number of other things. Squid like structure for several reasons. Firstly, it provides them with somewhere to sit out of the current, as like everything else, squid don’t like to waste energy unnecessarily. Secondly, it tends to attract or harbour the sorts of forage they like, such as baitfish, prawns and crabs. Lastly, it provides them with cover from danger, either as something to camouflage with or to physically use as cover. Squid are predators, but they are also hunted by birds of prey, seals, dolphins, sharks and large fish. I’m sure if you were a succulent, soft-bodied piece of seafood mooching around in gin clear water… you’d want somewhere to hide as well!

The presence of bait is another good sign there are squid around, but in my view it is the least important of the three ingredients. Like I said though, any two of these three ingredients make an area worth trying, and if you can find all three, you’ve likely found a winner!

While a boat or kayak is useful for accessing productive water, it’s by no means necessary. In fact, one of the great things about squid is how accessible they are for land-based anglers.

In the southern states, public piers and jetties makes great vantages for chasing southern calamari, offering access to the relatively deep water that these squid prefer. Manmade breakwalls around ports, river mouths and harbours are also great land-based spots, and such structures can be found all around the country. For the more intrepid angler, the ocean rocks can be excellent places to chase larger squid land-based, however caution should always be taken when rock fishing.

If your area doesn’t have any of these natural or manmade wonders, you should still be able to find productive areas if you remember; clear water, structure and bait – find at least two of them.

HOW TO CATCH SQUID

There are many ways to catch squid, and I’m going to breakdown a few of the simpler methods I know. All of these can be comfortably done with a light 1-3 or 2-4kg spin rod combo – something most anglers already own.

Bait fishing 

Squid will readily take baits and will sometimes even attempt to steal baits intended for fish. To specifically target them though, you’ll need a few things.

First up, you’ll need what’s known as a squid jag, or spike. A jag or spike is usually made from several pieces of wire bound together, with a tow point on one end, and each piece of wire turned out and sharpened to form ‘prongs’ on the other end. Dead baits such as pilchard or prawn are then skewered onto the main part of the spike, and sometimes held in place with bait twine.

From here, most anglers will suspend the baited spike under a highly buoyant and brightly coloured float, setting the bait around a metre or two below. When a squid jumps on, instead of pulling the float under, more often than not they will gently drag the float around. Detecting a bite can sometimes take a bit of experience, but if you think there’s something there just lift your rod gently to set the prongs.

This is a great method for beginners, and also as a “set-and-forget” rig that can be put in the rod holder while you actively fish with something else.

It’s worth noting that this method works with a normal squid jig too! Even if you don’t impart any action into the jig, the gentle action of the waves on the float is often enough bring the jig to life! Any of Daiwa’s Emeraldas Nude jigs are ideal for suspending below a float.

Luring

Squid jigs catch the most squid in the bottom half of the water column, so always give it plenty of time to sink. When retrieving, some anglers employ a constant retrieve, keeping it nice and slow. I personally prefer to work the jig with a few twitches and hops, before letting it sink back into the strike zone. I find this method gives squid a chance to see the jig from afar as it darts up in the water column, before allowing them time to mosey over and eat it as it glides back toward the bottom.

Because of their tendency to sneak up on prey, I always like to lift my jig out of the water slowly, checking to see if any squid have followed it back to my feet. If so, holding the jig still for a few seconds is often enough for them to commit.

In the boat, you have the luxury of being able to access more water, but the principles remain the same. Most of the time you will be casting your jigs to wherever you think the squid might be, however dropping jigs on Paternoster rigs can sometimes be productive in deeper water.

For general prospecting, the new Emeraldas LC-Laser Impact series of jigs are great, as they are designed for long casts and are highly visible in both low light and at night.

If you’re feeling really lazy, you can even just throw a jig out and put the rod in the holder, letting the boat impart action as it rocks with the waves.

SQUID GEAR?

Squid specific gear has become more available as squidding gains popularity. Squid specific reels are generally shallow spool spin reels with silky smooth drags like the Emeraldas X, while squid rods tend to be long with a slow taper to absorb the lunges and avoid pulling the prongs out of the squid. The Emeraldas Xrods are a great option for more serious squidders.

As I’ve stated though, any light spin combo you’d be happy using for bream, whiting, flathead or bass, will be fine. Squid specific gear is nice to have – I own some myself – but isn’t make or break.

SUCKERED IN

It’s not hard to see why they are such a popular target for anglers around the country, they just tick all the boxes – the only thing they don’t do is jump! I’m certainly looking forward to chasing some squid this winter!