Squid Rigging

[adanac]

This is a shot in the dark but I've always thought it was strange that since Opal Squid make up for a decent portion of a salmons diet in our waters that rigging fresh squid is not a common practice for either trolling or mooching. Im looking to give it a try this up coming season and i was looking to see if anyone has any insight on how to rig them for best results, and if you have how squid has worked for you?

Adanac

 

[Lipripper]

I remember when Washington was shut down there was a guy that came up and was mooching with them off Otter.. He got a few fish the day I was watching. Seemed to work well but have not tried it myself

 

[hambone]

I've wondered about squid as bait before too... especially after seeing a fresh squid in the belly of a spring. In that occasion, the cuddle hoochie that was used happened to match up almost perfectly in both size and colour (http://nikka.ca/store/product/17717/SMW72R-CUTTLEFISH-5-PKG/). This made me think that over the years the hoochie has proved itself to be good enough and that fussing with squid (which i'm guessing is more unpleasant than baitfish) is rarely ever done. If you can rig one up to be trolled, its gotta work!!

 

[Seafever]

I think the Americans in Puget Sound/Washington Area use these all the time.......

They use them when they come up here too...

Maybe check some of the Washington fish forums....

Can't be that difficult...squid don't roll and they don't wiggle.

Couple of tandem hooks should do. As long as the line is coming straight out of the front of the head somehow.

 

[IronNoggin]

Used these:

in the Triple Glow with Red Flake version to great success a couple years back. 5" size. Don't leave home without them now. Likely can find in a few local shops or have them ordered in. Here's the link: http://www.b2squid.com/soft-plastic-squid-bodies.php

Ran these at 3.5 - 4 feet behind a blade. Make the blade a Glow version, drop it to the mud, and it works very well on halibut! For that application put a little foam ball between the body and the hook, and dose liberally with X-10 or your favorite butt juice.

Cheers,
Nog

 

[searun]

Hey Nog, they work great for Chins up top too. Foam is a good way to trick them out - introduces smell but also buoyancy to improve action. Do same with the turd.

 

[FishBC.org]

I saw fresh squid in Springs this year, and I had a coho I released, puke one up on the deck. Might be worth a shot.

 

[searun]

For sure, there are times the fish are on em big time and there is a knack to properly fishing them. Billy Van B is about the best there is.

 

[Tsquared]

I rigged up a few live ones about 10 years back fishing off Beale. There was a big run of squid in and we accidently snagged a few on our trolling gear. I jigged a few up, ran a tandem triple hook setup with a 4 oz weight 6 ft up the line. i hooked one tine through the triangular fin and the second hook through one side of the "nose". Worked like a hot damn--since then I've always carried a squid jig in my tackle box but have never had a chance to repeat the experience. One thing was interesting--all the springs we caught on the live squid were white.
T2

 

[tubber]

I rigged up a few live ones about 10 years back fishing off Beale. There was a big run of squid in and we accidently snagged a few on our trolling gear. I jigged a few up, ran a tandem triple hook setup with a 4 oz weight 6 ft up the line. i hooked one tine through the triangular fin and the second hook through one side of the "nose". Worked like a hot damn--since then I've always carried a squid jig in my tackle box but have never had a chance to repeat the experience. One thing was interesting--all the springs we caught on the live squid were white.
T2

Bcoutdoors had a squid mooching article 8 or so years ago. They were fishing the rockpiles near UKee.(

 

[Aces]

Some of the best fishing for big Chinooks i've ever hadwas mooching live squid with 3 oz weights during a squid spawn

 

[hambone]

Is the only way to get live squid to catch it yourself?........... Do many marinas sell live herring anymore??

 

[hooktender68]

There were a pile around Nootka about ten years back as well. The salmon were stuffed with them and for awhile all we needed to use was white hootchies. At night we started catching the squid off the dock, brining them in a course salt solution. I took the wire off my anchovy special teasers (clear) and pinned in the fresh squid. They worked and caught chinook, but seemed no more and no less fish than choveies.

 

[pescador]

You can jig for them off piers like Sidney government wharf or in Brentwood Bay certain times of the year. About 10 years ago i remember seeing huge schools are immature squid in Sannich Inlet. Use a Japanese lure that can be bought at Trotac. Always fish at sundown, an hour before into darkness.

 

[Steelhead S2]

I've rigged 18 inchers with very large trebels to fish very large lings, very successfully I might add. Like the idea of using them for springers. Also keen to find an inshore place around CR to jig for them. I remember some Quadra kids talking about getting them at the dock, but that was back in high school.