How to Choose a Squid Rod

By Chris Dixon

I’ve always been an avid squid angler from using bait as a kid to now jigs, but I've never really taken it too seriously. Always happy to just catch a feed every now and then but lately I’ve been putting more time and effort into it.

I even went as far as picking up a rod specifically for my squid fishing. With most of my egi angling done from a jetty or rocks having a rod suited to this style of angling has improved my catch rate a lot and made the experience more enjoyable.

So, what sets a squid rod apart from a regular rod? While I had no dramas casting a jig or catching on my lighter lure rods a squidding rod will have a dual taper in the blank to allow the rod to soak up the lunges. The softer mid-section of the rod stops jigs from ripping out as a squid, while the firmer tip lets the rod punch jigs out on long casts needed to reach the weed banks where they like to hunt.

Squid rods are also generally longer at 7’9”- 8’6” which is another bonus. The combination of longer casts, a blank that can soak up lunges from big squid and the ease of working a jig makes them a stand out when you spend a bit of time chasing them.

Personally, I went all out and bought a 2020 Emeraldas MX 86ML, stepping straight up to a top of the line rod really made a huge difference to my angling with better catches and a lot more ease in doing it. The Emeraldas doesn’t fold when doing large lifts with heavier jigs and I have much more control over the action I can put into the jig.

Being in better contact with the jig I can also detect slack line bites better when a squid eats the jig on the fall. While it doesn’t seem like a lot the difference is very noticeable and I’m amazed and how I’ve managed all this time without a rod suited to one of my favourite winter targets. 

While you don’t need to step up to that level there is a lot of options to suit you which will all improve your squid game. Starting with the TD Black Squirt (RRP $199) then moving up to the famous Emeraldas range with the V and MX models covering any application you need. If you’re thinking about taking your squidding to the next level do yourself a favour and check out an egi rod.