Squidding 2016

[fishing magician]

Been seeing a few other posts that squidding is starting to get decent. I've been out to Edmonds twice so far this year and only gotten a total of 12 squid between the 2 times out. I am pretty sure the biggest part of my problem is light. So far I've kind of just been going off other people's and the pier's light but because of seeing that I'm not nearly as successful as people with their own lights I would like to purchase\create my own good light source. Any ideas for something that's relatively cheap or easy to put together? Also the main technique I have been doing is 3 jigs on one line and just vertical jigging. Do you guys find it more productive to use 2 jigs and give it a small 'cast' instead of the vertical jigging? That's what I've seen most people do anyways. Edmonds is the only area I've ever been out to so it makes me wonder?... are your guys in Seattle doing better at like Pier 86 or the one close to the Wheel, pier 62 I think it is? Sorry to ask so many questions, just trying to get a chance at these tasty little guys and feel free to post any pictures and\or reports here also! Thanks in advance, hope to see you out there!

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

My suggestions:

- don't worry too much about lighting. You can continue to do what you are doing (stand near people with lights), or jig where there is no light. I often catch them in the dark if I have to.

- use 2 jigs or 1 jig. 3 jigs is too heavy. you can better attract squid and/or detect bites with less jigs on the line

- The primary factors: it's the motion of your jigging action; sometimes the color of the jig; and often the location (a few feet can make a difference)

[Gonefishing]

3 will work if you have the small light jigs but I agree less is better. I usually use only 2. 1 is always weighted a bit more than the other. Don't worry about the light. I actually did very very well at the Edmonds Pier last Sunday night and had no real light in the area. If you are at Edmonds at the right time you have likely seen Ray or Red (he is the guy that sells jigs on the dock he makes - also available at Teds in Lynnwood). He can tell you what you are doing wrong but will also say don't be afraid to change colors. He really believes in his jigs and now so do I.

As I said earlier I caught 50+ in a little over an hour and no real light or was on the edge of the lights the entire time I tried. And I will throw the same advice I gave others. Watch what everybody else is doing and mimic it if you can.

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

Another piece of advice. The squid are spawning now, laying eggs on the bottom.

If you see one person out catching everyone else around him, it's not necessarily because he is using better jigs or techniques than the others. He could likely have positioned himself on the dock right over the spawning bed. The spawning bed could just be a narrow strip and he is the only person able to cast into it. Others next to him are outside of the spawning bed/strip.

This is the case at one spot I know. My buddy and I were the only ones consistently catching them last night at the spot. I've also been on the other people's shoes--it drove me nuts one night at pier 86. I was right next to a guy who was at the right spot. He was out jigging me and everyone else 20 to 1. We were all using the same gear, technique, depth etc

If you start pulling up squid eggs from the sea floor, stay at that spot! Try to grab the exact same spot each time you go back. A few feet can make a big difference.

[racfish]

When I jig the bottom I put a small weight at the very bottom on 2# test line. Let the weight hit and get stuck to know where the bottom is. You can lose lots of jigs bottom jigging.

[Freshwater206]

Edmonds is a good squidding spot and there are plenty of people with lights, no need to bring your own, just try to setup near one of them. Observe the people that are consistently catching what depth are they at, see how far they pitch out the jig and countdown till they engage their reel, also copy their jigging action. I personally like running 1 jig, I think its less troublesome, less tangles which = more time with jig in the water and you have more sensitivity to feel them hit the lure. And for me I feel more confident with the squid candy jigs they sell at doug's boats and guns in woodinville I think they work the best.

[Ronaldius]

Jumbo squid are in Tacoma now at les Davis. It can be hit and miss though

[fishing magician]

Thanks for your help everyone! I went out to Pier 86 a week ago and got 38. Tried just two jigs this time and had many doubles and even a triple. They were all jumbos as well. A really nice school came through and even though most people did better than us I was still very happy with being relatively new to it all.