Top 5 tips to improve your squid fishing techniques

There are a number of squid species, but the ones of most interest to fishers and seafood fanciers are the southern and northern calamari, the tiger or ‘bigfin’ squid, and the Gould’s or arrow squid.

All of these squid live for just a year or so but are active predators throughout their short lives. They use their sensitive eyes to hunt small fish, prawns and even fellow members of their tribe.

Once upon a time, squid was caught by skewering whole fish such as yellowtail, slimy mackerel, garfish, mullet, pilchards or small whiting on a metal spike with a multi-pronged “jag” at the bottom end.

This rig was either suspended under a float or retrieved slowly until a squid grabbed it. That method still works but is rarely practised these days.

There are easier ways.

The advent of chin-weighted, prawn-shaped jigs transformed recreational squid fishing, and spawned an entire genre of specialist techniques, even leading to the emergence of squid-catching tournaments and dedicated squidding gear and accessories.

Whether you take things that seriously, or prefer to throw one beaten-up old jig in the bottom of your tackle box “just in case”, there are a few very simple things you can do to dramatically improve your chances of finding and catching squid, wherever and whenever you fish for them.

Here are my top five tips.

1. Use the right gear

That means modern, prawn-style squid jigs (ideally with a woven cloth covering) in at least a couple of colours, matched to balanced spinning tackle that will easily cast those jigs long distances.

2. Pick the right locations

Inshore areas over broken reef, sand and weed beds, ideally with some “structural elements” in the form of pinnacles, boulders, bridge supports, jetty pylons, navigation buoys, boat moorings and the like.

3. Work your jigs correctly

Usually, this means slowly, with lots of lifts and drops and stops and starts, but sometimes a quick rip or sweep of the rod can trigger a hesitant squid. Also, if there’s wave action, you can try suspending your jig under a bobby cork-style float.

4. Try a change-up

If the squid suddenly stop grabbing your previously successful jig, change it. Try a different size or weight, a different colour, or change all three, and also vary your retrieve. Find out what’s pushing their buttons.

5. Fish early and late

The so-called “change of light” periods at dawn and dusk are prime times to target squid. Their well-developed eyes tend to adapt faster to changing light levels than those of their prey, giving them a distinct hunting advantage at these times of day. Dull conditions also tend to make squid less wary and more likely to bite.

Regardless of whether you regard them as a prime bait source or tonight’s dinner, squid are abundant, fun to catch, and have saved many a blank outing chasing other targets that wouldn’t play the game.

Make sure you’re always equipped and prepared to take advantage of these fascinating cephalopods!

Steve ‘Starlo’ Starling is one of Australia’s best-known and most respected fishing communicators.