2017 North Shore Squid

[Gilligan]

Yep, I strike them. Not like a big bass or something, but I like to make sure that little spike or spikes are well in them. They sometimes use a very soft touch or pick-up and a quick short strike will often get them before they let go. Sometimes I get them in the side of the head rather than the tentacles. I feel a little bump or change in retrieve and I give my rod a short jerk. I see the jig go sideways and I give the rod a jerk. When the jig is going sideways sometimes my strike or jerk will go over my head as I quickly get the slack out and get the prong into the target. You mentioned missing hits in RI, and it could be as you thought, the jigs you were using had larger spikes further apart than the prawn type jigs, but maybe they were just hitting (or touching) lightly and a quick jerk rather than a soft lift would have nailed some of them. The loligo squids, (the ones with the two extra long "feeler" tentacles) are especially known for being light hitters since they will often just feel the jig with the two long tentacles rather than latch on with many tentacles as the ilex squids do. If you feel weight or even a small bump HIT' EM. The tentacles are quite tough and if you are using a light rod with a fairly soft tip you won't tear the hook out. Some folks may do otherwise but my main squidding buddies and I strike and often we are so enthusiastic we call out or even yell YEAH! or I'm on! just as if it were a big striper. Drives the other guys who are getting severely out-jigged nuts, but we have FUN. My buddy will bet anybody on the dock a buck that he'll catch the next squid and few will bet against him. Of course he'll also tell anybody who will listen that he is the luckiest guy to ever hold a fishing rod. Sometimes I think he may well be. We aren't always high hooks, and it drives us nuts when others out-jig us, but it isn't as often as it is the other way. Of course if I am killing them in the shadows and there is a crowd down the dock I never say a word and go about my business very quietly so as to not draw the crowd near me. It helps if you get in a situation where they aren't too deep and you can watch and study their pick-ups. When they are thick and hungry anybody with almost any jig, rod, and line will catch them, but when they are wary or finnicky it can take a little finesse to fill your bucket. Just "wiggling" the jig in front of them, very short slow jigs, sometimes just a veerrry slow retrieve up to the surface from the deep will elicit the hit.  It can be amazing to see how softly and quickly they will touch or feel the jig and let go, and if you don't strike fast they are gone. Best of luck to all of you!!