Baiting Presentation - Squid

Squid make a great bait and are easy to catch. As they are active hunters feeding on small fish, shrimp and prawns, they can be caught using a range of baits. They can also be caught at night using a bright light and a scoop net.

The best way to catch a squid is with a prawn-shaped squid jig. These life-like lures are cast out and allowed to sink and then pulsed back gently towards the angler. When a Squid seizes the jig, it is impaled on the jig's multi-spiked tail.

Squid spikes are also useful. These are spikes on which a small bait fish like a my Ruff or Pilchard is impaled. The spike is driven through the bait fish from the head to the tail. The end of the spike is then attached to the line. This is then cast out and moved or bobbed slowly. When the added weight of a Squid is felt, a swift jerk will usually sink the rosette of sharpened barbs around the head of the bait and into the Squid.

Once caught, do not expose the Squid to fresh water, as this will cause the outer skin of fine black dots to break up and rupture, leaving you with a rather tatty bait. Place the Squid in a heavy plastic bag with some salt water, then place the bag in an esky with ice. Once home, simply drain the sea water off and freeze the bait.

Squid - Small

Step 1 Lay your Squid out and construct a rig that is roughly the size of the bait.	Step 2 Place the top hook as shown.
Step 3 Place the bottom hook on the tough piece of mantle between the head and the body, then back into the head.	Step 4 The finished bait.

Squid - Large

Step 1 Select a hook that is appropriate to the size of the bait and the species being targeted.	Step 2 Pass the hook through the top of the Squid and pull through.
Step 3 The hook is then passed through the tough mantle between the head and the body, and then through the head.	Step 4 Finish with a half hitch at the top of the hook to stop the bait from sliding down the hook.

Squid - Ganged

Squid also works very well when used on dual ganged hooks.