Shore fishing for Squid
This type of fishing has been popular for quite a few years in Malta; it has been quite a few years since we had a good season as we have just had. The techniques have changed a little but the basics are still the same. It is quite an easy technique but you have to put up with the cold nights & rain if you want to be successful.
To enable you to practice this kind of fishing you would need a soft tip & sensitive rod that is fit for 10-30 grams of lead. The soft tip will enable to cast the artificial lure as far as possible. These are usually the 2 section rods but it does not mean you can only use them.
With regards to the reel, this does not have to be a big reel as the artificial lure does not cast too far due to the lighter lead. Most important is to ensure that it has a minimum capacity of 100 mtrs of .20mm line, obviously the better quality of reel you have will make it easier to reel the squid in.
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Tight Lines
Peter Paul Azzopardi
In my opinion there is no need to use floro carbon line ‘low memory’ monofilament between 0.20mm & 0.25mm is good enough. Mentioned the ‘low memory’ Monofilament to avoid having the line taking shape of the spool. The other line that is also used is Braided Line & is classed as a very strong line , this is normally used on a technique called ‘Eging’ , this is not a technique that is used allot in Malta but it is producing good results too.
There is two popular types of artificial lures that are used most of the time. The way a squid lure & squid jig works is by imitating the likeness of a prawn right down to the way a prawn swims when it is retreating from danger. Using a lure to catch a squid starts with learning how to make it swim like a retreating prawn. When prawns swim normally they swim forward slowly. But when startled they retreat by swimming backwards in short bursts, with a halt in between. To replicate this action a squid lure or squid jig combines a factor of buoyancy with a counterweight, so you can swim it like a retreating prawn. The correct swimming action of a prawn retreating is burst, halt, and burst halt. The way you replicate this takes advantage of the balance between the slight buoyancy and slight weight of the lure. You jerk the lure forward a bit with your rod, then let it ‘halt’ then you jerk it forward a bit more, then let it halt…. then you just repeat this swimming action.
The lure does most of the work and you can see how the lure swims, drop it in the water where you can see it right next to you wherever you are fishing and practice the jerk then halt technique and you can watch it do it’s prawn like retreat.
The ‘Eging’ technique requires you to have a specific set up with A soft and sensitive tip rod, which will detect the slightest tap from squid while enabling the angler to impart various actions to the jig. Shallow spool reel capable of accommodating 130 – 150m of 0.6 to 0.8 braided lines would be ideal. 2500 sized reels. With this technique there is a better chance of replicating the swim like a retreating prawn.
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​Important note once a squid, cuttlefish or even Octopus is hooked, keep the line tight and do not lower or pump the rod. Keep the rod at an angle of approximately 80 degrees. Steadily retrieve the line and allow the rod tip to cushion any sudden movement of the squid in its attempt to flee. Same goes when taking it out of the waste do not be rough with it as it can easily come off the barbs or possibility of ripping it off from the lure.
