2017 Rhode Island Squid Report

[squidman890]

 Personally, I think thin mono sinks faster than braid of similar diameter. I don't know any "pro" squidders who use braid for squid although most folks I know and myself use braid for general fishing with the exception being giant tuna fishing. My current reel is a Daiwa Procyon 1500 SH, a rather expensive reel, but I use my same outfit for pickerel and other fish. Any small reel will work. Shad are great fun on 4lb. I fished bluefish for years from a boat and only used 8lb tournament line, caught many over 16lbs. Never underestimate the ability to catch big fish on light line. I often fish day or night by casting out, and retrieving with short jerks, staying on top if that's where the squid are, or letting it sink when they are deeper. Sometimes I just fish vertically if the squid are right beneath me. Like all fishing you have to adapt to the occasion, there are no set rules. The bottom is not your friend when jigging squid, and usually they will rise off the bottom when they see your jig, sometimes even following almost to the surface before they hit, sometimes grabbing it as soon as they see it. I don't remember what brand of 4lb flouro I have on my spool now, it is two years old, and I an an impulse buyer. I am sure it is all good. Losing jigs is a matter of fact when one gets desperate and ventures too close to the bottom, but I only lose one a year or so in thirty days of jigging. Smaller is definitely better, I like 3" total length or smaller. See my thread "Merry Christmas to all squidders" for a good site for jigs. They sell my favorite Yamashita Naory Range Hunter 1.8B (60mm) for under 7 bucks, (the hologaphic clear/white and the orange are real killers), and they have many decent smaller jigs for under five bucks each. Regarding glow, I usually don't "charge" my jigs up, occasionally, but not often, and I often fish lit docks, but even in the dark I usually refrain from making them glow brightly. I have outfished others with brightly glowing jigs with one that had no glow capabilities. I think size, color, and action is way more important than glow. If you order from WaveInn, remember to keep your jigs size 2.0 or smaller, I like 1.8 or smaller, and that equates to about 60mm or smaller.

 

 I have used a stick with no reel and eight feet of thin mono and outjigged others with reels and rods, don't fret about reel brand or cost. A small sensitive rod, THIN line, and good jigs equal success, and of course practice. Often just the right "twitch" on the rod makes all the difference. Use your wrist rather than your arm in most situations. Using thicker line due to fear of losing jigs is counterproductive, like all lures action is paramount, and when you have a tiny jig on, the thicker line will just not suffice. I also think the tiny snap (no swivel) I use contributes to good jig action. The guys on the dock with seven foot rods and over ten pound test are seldom going to do as well as a guy rigged as I do. There are times they come in thick and hungry and hit anything on any rig, but that isn't the norm. The rod I use is graphite, and I originally built it for trout and pickerel, go small and kill'em all!! Try to go where others are squidding and closely watch the high hooks, their jig techniques, and their rigs.

 

 Personally, I think thin mono sinks faster than braid of similar diameter. I don't know any "pro" squidders who use braid for squid although most folks I know and myself use braid for general fishing with the exception being giant tuna fishing. My current reel is a Daiwa Procyon 1500 SH, a rather expensive reel, but I use my same outfit for pickerel and other fish. Any small reel will work. Shad are great fun on 4lb. I fished bluefish for years from a boat and only used 8lb tournament line, caught many over 16lbs. Never underestimate the ability to catch big fish on light line. I often fish day or night by casting out, and retrieving with short jerks, staying on top if that's where the squid are, or letting it sink when they are deeper. Sometimes I just fish vertically if the squid are right beneath me. Like all fishing you have to adapt to the occasion, there are no set rules. The bottom is not your friend when jigging squid, and usually they will rise off the bottom when they see your jig, sometimes even following almost to the surface before they hit, sometimes grabbing it as soon as they see it. I don't remember what brand of 4lb flouro I have on my spool now, it is two years old, and I an an impulse buyer. I am sure it is all good. Losing jigs is a matter of fact when one gets desperate and ventures too close to the bottom, but I only lose one a year or so in thirty days of jigging. Smaller is definitely better, I like 3" total length or smaller. See my thread "Merry Christmas to all squidders" for a good site for jigs. They sell my favorite Yamashita Naory Range Hunter 1.8B (60mm) for under 7 bucks, (the hologaphic clear/white and the orange are real killers), and they have many decent smaller jigs for under five bucks each. Regarding glow, I usually don't "charge" my jigs up, occasionally, but not often, and I often fish lit docks, but even in the dark I usually refrain from making them glow brightly. I have outfished others with brightly glowing jigs with one that had no glow capabilities. I think size, color, and action is way more important than glow. If you order from WaveInn, remember to keep your jigs size 2.0 or smaller, I like 1.8 or smaller, and that equates to about 60mm or smaller.

 

 I have used a stick with no reel and eight feet of thin mono and outjigged others with reels and rods, don't fret about reel brand or cost. A small sensitive rod, THIN line, and good jigs equal success, and of course practice. Often just the right "twitch" on the rod makes all the difference. Use your wrist rather than your arm in most situations. Using thicker line due to fear of losing jigs is counterproductive, like all lures action is paramount, and when you have a tiny jig on, the thicker line will just not suffice. I also think the tiny snap (no swivel) I use contributes to good jig action. The guys on the dock with seven foot rods and over ten pound test are seldom going to do as well as a guy rigged as I do. There are times they come in thick and hungry and hit anything on any rig, but that isn't the norm. The rod I use is graphite, and I originally built it for trout and pickerel, go small and kill'em all!! Try to go where others are squidding and closely watch the high hooks, their jig techniques, and their rigs.

 

 Personally, I think thin mono sinks faster than braid of similar diameter. I don't know any "pro" squidders who use braid for squid although most folks I know and myself use braid for general fishing with the exception being giant tuna fishing. My current reel is a Daiwa Procyon 1500 SH, a rather expensive reel, but I use my same outfit for pickerel and other fish. Any small reel will work. Shad are great fun on 4lb. I fished bluefish for years from a boat and only used 8lb tournament line, caught many over 16lbs. Never underestimate the ability to catch big fish on light line. I often fish day or night by casting out, and retrieving with short jerks, staying on top if that's where the squid are, or letting it sink when they are deeper. Sometimes I just fish vertically if the squid are right beneath me. Like all fishing you have to adapt to the occasion, there are no set rules. The bottom is not your friend when jigging squid, and usually they will rise off the bottom when they see your jig, sometimes even following almost to the surface before they hit, sometimes grabbing it as soon as they see it. I don't remember what brand of 4lb flouro I have on my spool now, it is two years old, and I an an impulse buyer. I am sure it is all good. Losing jigs is a matter of fact when one gets desperate and ventures too close to the bottom, but I only lose one a year or so in thirty days of jigging. Smaller is definitely better, I like 3" total length or smaller. See my thread "Merry Christmas to all squidders" for a good site for jigs. They sell my favorite Yamashita Naory Range Hunter 1.8B (60mm) for under 7 bucks, (the hologaphic clear/white and the orange are real killers), and they have many decent smaller jigs for under five bucks each. Regarding glow, I usually don't "charge" my jigs up, occasionally, but not often, and I often fish lit docks, but even in the dark I usually refrain from making them glow brightly. I have outfished others with brightly glowing jigs with one that had no glow capabilities. I think size, color, and action is way more important than glow. If you order from WaveInn, remember to keep your jigs size 2.0 or smaller, I like 1.8 or smaller, and that equates to about 60mm or smaller.

 

 I have used a stick with no reel and eight feet of thin mono and outjigged others with reels and rods, don't fret about reel brand or cost. A small sensitive rod, THIN line, and good jigs equal success, and of course practice. Often just the right "twitch" on the rod makes all the difference. Use your wrist rather than your arm in most situations. Using thicker line due to fear of losing jigs is counterproductive, like all lures action is paramount, and when you have a tiny jig on, the thicker line will just not suffice. I also think the tiny snap (no swivel) I use contributes to good jig action. The guys on the dock with seven foot rods and over ten pound test are seldom going to do as well as a guy rigged as I do. There are times they come in thick and hungry and hit anything on any rig, but that isn't the norm. The rod I use is graphite, and I originally built it for trout and pickerel, go small and kill'em all!! Try to go where others are squidding and closely watch the high hooks, their jig techniques, and their rigs.

most of us actually jig vertically with drop loop and sinker on the bottom because many people use their light to concentrate the squid at one spot. The way you play with your jig is very similar to those Japanese squid fishing technique.

One of my friend will visit Japan at one week and I will ask her to get me some small jigs!!

 

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B004...VRQENFRJN5

 

This is the Japanese site of Amazon, that is how I get my Yamashita jig if any one is interesting at buying jigs and they have different brands of jig if you search.

 

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/ another website you can buy jig

 

Both of these site are eligible for global shipping .

 

Actually there are many different kinds of features of jig at the market, such as long casting model or floppy fin jig etc. but their size is just a little big for squid in the America

 

And thank you so much with all the helpful information.  I will switch my gear to your set up and give it a try!!!