Squid Fishing Basics
by Stephanie Dupuis
Permanently etched in my mind is the image of fishermen jigging,
shoulder to shoulder at
night, looking into the
water as if they saw
something I could not.
Fishermen oohed and
ahhed as they pulled
squirts out of the water
and dropped them into
buckets full of black,
foamy water.
My
college roommate and I
had gotten restless and
bored while home on
winter break. So, we
drove to a local beach
with some friends to
hang out. I had never
seen a fishing pier so
crowded, day or night -
ever. What would make so
many people come out, in
the dark, cold weather?
Squid. That's what the
people were here for.
This was my first
exposure to squid
fishing, and it was
impressionable. Today I
close my eyes, and I can
still see the
silhouettes of fishermen
jigging their rods, up
and down with their
buckets behind them.
Squid fishermen catch
squid along all the
coastal waters of the
world. In the United
States, people squid
fish all along our
saltwater coasts. Squid
are everywhere. Squid
fishing is the silent
fishery. While squid
make up only 3% of the
global fishery catch,
squid is the third most
valuable fish on the
market (squid is behind
Tuna and shrimp). Squid
happens to be a staple
in many diets around the
world. When you have an
expensive fish to buy,
and one that is in
demand (because it's
yummy!), you will often
find people fishing for
it. Isn't the same true
for salmon, tuna, and
shellfish? One
difference, though.
There are plenty of
squid in the ocean.
Squid are a resilient
species. Most squid
species live only 12 to
18 months, and they
reproduce fast. Many
female squid can lay up
to 100,000 eggs! A fast
reproduction cycle helps
squid be resilient to
fishing pressure.
However, like all
animals, squid are still
susceptible to pollution
and oceanic changes.
Squid are fascinating
animals. When squid
fishing, you can see the
squid stretch out their
arms when they approach
your squid jig to see
what it is. When your
light is in the water at
night, nothing seems to
be going on. In an
instant, a school of 100
plus squid turn on a
dime and attack your
jig. Like a school of
sea ghosts, these
animals change color to
a pale glow, and float
mysteriously through the
water. But, the most fun
I have is when I catch
squid (sometimes two or
three at a time!), and
they squirt a mantel
full of ink at you like
a fire hose!
 If I had
kids, I would take my
kids squid fishing. I'd
take my kids squid
fishing because there
are plenty of squid to
catch. These are fun
creatures for kids to
see as their colors
pulsate and they squirt
ink - it'll make most
people laugh out loud
the first time they see
a squid out of water.
Squid are easily
accessible; just go to
your nearest salt water
pier. Most of all, squid
are easy to catch. Just
move the squid rod up
and down until it feels
like you have a 10-pound
weight on the end - you
have a squid. I've
caught over 100 squid in
one outing - got my
10-pound limit in only a
few hours. This happens
more often than you'd
expect.
Squid fishing
is a very inexpensive
sport. All you need is a
fishing rod and two to
three squid jigs (check
your local regulations
for tackle rules and
catch limits). Squid
fishermen use both
spinning rods and fly
rods with a spinning
reel to squid fish. A
fly rod is used for
squid fishing frequently
because it is
lightweight (for hours
of jigging), and the fly
reel seat prevents your
fishing handle from
banging against the
pier. Juicy Jigs™ Tackle
Company sells a fishing
rod just for squid
fishing called the Juicy
Jigger™. This
squid-specific rod has a
fly reel seat (to
prevent the handle from
banging against the
pier), very lightweight
(lighter than any
inexpensive fly rod you
can buy around town),
has a white tip on the
rod for seeing squid
strikes, and spinning
rod eyelets for using
monofilament line. This
is the only rod for
squid fishing of its
kind and it is more
affordable than buying
an inexpensive fly rod
or spinning rod. Ed's
Surplus in Lynnwood,
Kitsap Sports in
Silverdale, and Bay
Street Outfitters in
Port Orchard currently
sell the Juicy Jigger™
as well as several other
stores in the Puget
Sound and New England
region. You can also
purchase it online at
www.juicyjigs.com.
The best squid jigs tend
to be slender and have
reflective qualities. It
is important that the
squid jig glows in the
dark. Squid are very
attracted to glow in the
dark qualities. Popular
colors for squid jigs
seem to be all glow
(always popular),
green/glow, and
pink/glow. Colors can
change from pier to pier
and night to night. It's
good to own a wide
selection of squid jig
colors. Other popular
colors can be
orange/glue, blue/glue
and chartreuse/glue.
Squid fishing is a
relaxing, affordable
outdoor activity. Go
with a friend or take
your kids. Give it a
try! Once you catch your
squid, if you need
cleaning and cooking
instructions, go to
www.JuicyJigs.com,
www.piscatorialpursuits.com,
and www.steelheader.net
all have squid fishing
information. Before you
know it, you will have
gourmet fair on your
dinner table!
About the Author
Stephanie Dupuis is a Northwest native,
born and raised in the
Seattle, WA area with
over 20 years fishing
experience in Washington
State. She now resides
in Bremerton, WA where
squid fishing is popular
and productive.
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