'Rookie squidder' needs help

[Davey231]

My squid lures are in the mail - am I too late? Any chance of getting some squid off the Jerusalem, RI town pier (entrance to the big salt pond)?  How about during the daylight hours?  Thanks. (Or how about the CT shore - fished here all my life and never heard of anybody squidding from piers.)       

[Gilligan]

 I don't know about RI other than the Newport area, but squid are caught from the commercial docks in Stonington. Daylight squidding is possible at times, but in general night from well lit piers or docks is best. I prefer a light trout rod with 4 lb test line and smaller jigs like the Yamashita Naory in sizes 1.5 and 1.8 or Martineti Prawn in 1.5 or 2.0. I also don't know if it's too late although I doubt it. My buddies were still getting squid fairly easily on the Vinyard two days ago. They will be gone soon though so you ought to find where they're hitting them near you and go jig a bunch. If you find where others are squidding just do what they do and you'll get the jigging business down in short order. I'm sure there are probably some folks still fishing them in Newport/Goat Island and in Stonington. Look on the Newport 2014 thread for info there, and maybe ask the guys on the CT thread what they know. Good luck, but squid fishing is addictive and fun.

[algreenjr]

I was hitting good from Jamestown during the day on Thursday from my kayak, but i was very close to shore. I spent most of my time within 50 feet of the cliffs and very close to the beach. i will be making one more trip for squid and tatoug on Saturday if weather holds out. Just a fyi the squid will be back before the fluke show up in the spring. Better to have fresh squid for fluke so try getting the hang of squidding and enjoy the taste of fresh squid. Good luck out there

[BillG]

Last year, people were still squidding in December. As long as the water temperature is up where it is now, they will be around. From what I have come to learn, it is far, far easier to have a kayak or small outboard and a fish finder. You go into a harbor, look for the squid, drop your jigs and load up. Squidding from shore requires that you wait in a spot for the squid to happen past the spot you are jigging. I've been out with my jig in the water on the GI causeway and people on either end are pulling up squid with every cast and the people around me are looking both directions with envy. One reason the GI causeway is so popular is that it provides an ideal pass through for the squid and the people jigging for them, so there is a better chance that they will, in fact, pass through and get caught on jigs. People set up with lights, which attracts the bait and then the passing through squid hang around for a meal which improves the odds even better. I had hoped to get out one more time for squidding and/or fishing, however, 20 degree below normal nighttime temperatures have kept me in bed watching TV instead. In any case, if it's too late this year, next year will probably start in 5 months, so it's only a short wait.