08-01-2007, 12:09 PM
Hi Jon
Sounds like you are having a ripe old time of it. By way of introduction, I completed a Masters degree on chokka squid (previously Loligo vulgaris reynaudii, now L. reynaudii) in South Africa so got to learn a bit about the little critters. As you know, jigging in South Africa is via hand jig with a heavy lead jig on the bottom and one or two plastic "floaters" higher up the line. You seem to have been doing everything right. There have been a lot of papers written on the dynamics of the fishing aggregations (SA fishers target spawning aggregations of squid) and a good link to info is here [url="http://www.oceanafrica.com/publications/"]http://www.oceanafrica.com/publications/[/url]. You are quite right that the squid will move away from dirty water and in SA, fishers often look for deeper spawning squid by using drogues or parachutes to drift over deeper reefs. Another question: have you made use of a sounder to look for aggregations? Chokka typically formed a mushroom shaped signature on the sounder or else a plume from the bottom towards the surface. Any other specific questions shoot them my way and I may be able to help. Graham Pierce at the University of Aberdeen is probably quite a good contact to talk to as is Peter Boyle.
Regards
Len
Sounds like you are having a ripe old time of it. By way of introduction, I completed a Masters degree on chokka squid (previously Loligo vulgaris reynaudii, now L. reynaudii) in South Africa so got to learn a bit about the little critters. As you know, jigging in South Africa is via hand jig with a heavy lead jig on the bottom and one or two plastic "floaters" higher up the line. You seem to have been doing everything right. There have been a lot of papers written on the dynamics of the fishing aggregations (SA fishers target spawning aggregations of squid) and a good link to info is here [url="http://www.oceanafrica.com/publications/"]http://www.oceanafrica.com/publications/[/url]. You are quite right that the squid will move away from dirty water and in SA, fishers often look for deeper spawning squid by using drogues or parachutes to drift over deeper reefs. Another question: have you made use of a sounder to look for aggregations? Chokka typically formed a mushroom shaped signature on the sounder or else a plume from the bottom towards the surface. Any other specific questions shoot them my way and I may be able to help. Graham Pierce at the University of Aberdeen is probably quite a good contact to talk to as is Peter Boyle.
Regards
Len