Catching squid offshore

[FatTuna]

Anyone know how to catch squid offshore? Techniques, jigs, etc?

I can catch them from the pier no problem but I have not yet mastered catching them in deep water.

Any input appreciated. Thanks.

[JANZ]

how deep we talking.  Should be the same as inshore just add more bottom weight.  The larger 3-4" jigs

always worked well for me in 40- 180' of water.  At night with some light you should be able to catch them

by the surface.  Just make believe your standing on the pier instead of on a boat.

[FatTuna]

how deep we talking.  Should be the same as inshore just add more bottom weight.  The larger 3-4" jigs

always worked well for me in 40- 180' of water.  At night with some light you should be able to catch them

by the surface.  Just make believe your standing on the pier instead of on a boat.

Around 200 feet. I got into them the other day but catching them was slow. Only got 4 for the day. They were all big though. Was using a 8 oz lead.

 

We were day time fishing and didn't have a light. I bought some larger jigs and we are going to try at night with a light.

 

Any tricks for getting them during the day? 

[Gilligan]

If you are drifting it shouldn't take so much lead which will deaden the feel of the squid pic-up. 2-3 oz should be plenty. I have only caught them at night offshore and it was mostly to have something to do at night. As Janz says the larger jigs should work well. I would suspect they hold near the bottom in daytime, you may have to bounce bottom with the sinker and use a heavier one like 5-6oz if you are drifting. If you are anchored up your 8oz will likely be necessary. They will come up the water column at night to lights, we only used a stern light which did not really shine down in the water that much because it was all we had and they did seem to come up to the to 40' in 180' of water. Had some great ink fights with those big 18" tubes offshore squids!!

[FatTuna]

We always anchor up.

 

We went out again today. Squid were back. Really difficult to catch them. Rigged up two Yozuris in tandem on fluorocarbon. Hooked only two squid. One dropped off. One we got and fished live. Caught a second in a hand net. It was latched on to the live squid. Ate it's head off. The second squid was pretty big. About 18". We fished the second squid live. It last most of the day but eventually it too was eaten by another squid. Also, had it's head eaten off. We were forced to use live mackerel for the rest of the day. Guy next to us got a 400lb fish. We caught a skunk. 

 

Might have to try going out the night before to catch squid.