It’s Squid Season! Here’s Our Guide On How To Catch Them
Jigging for squid can sometimes be a hit or miss, unless you know where to go, when to go, and have the right kind of gear. In this week’s article, we’ll cover all of that and get you fully prepared to catch your first squid.
What Types Of Squid Can I Catch?
In the PNW (Pacific Northwest) the most common species of squid to catch are Market Squid, which are a little less than a foot in size and are attracted to light just like most other squid species. This is the species that we’ll be referring to in this post as other species aren’t typically caught in this region.
Market Squid
When And Where To Catch Them
To become successful at squid jigging, it's crucial to grasp the behavior of these fascinating cephalopods to understand the best times to go after them. Squid are migrational, meaning that they travel to and from the PNW during certain times to breed and spawn. The guide below, published by the Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife outlines their usual migratory patterns in different parts of Washington.
Squid are usually first seen in Neah Bay in Late May.
Squid are present at City Pier in Port Angeles and the surrounding area from late June to the end of August.
Squid appear near the Edmonds waterfront starting around September.
Squid show up next in Elliot Bay and the surrounding Seattle shoreline.
Squid arrive in Des Moines and Tacoma in late November and December.
Squid are likely to be found throughout South Puget Sound in December and January.
From this guide, we see that squid can pretty much be caught year-round with the best times to go being the colder months. The most success I’ve had has been at the Les Davis Pier in Tacoma on the Puget Sound, specifically during the months of late November and early December. Another guide that I came across is a chart that shows a whole bunch of popular jigging piers/docks and what commodities you can expect to find there.
Choosing the Right Gear
Selecting the appropriate gear is paramount for catching as many squid as you can. Important things to consider getting if you don’t already have, would be a quality rod and reel, a good lighting setup, and fluorescent jigs. I found everything you’ll need to get started, on Amazon, which I’ll include the links to down below.
Rod and Reel: when it comes to squid jigging, your rod and reel combo isn’t a huge factor in whether you’ll catch them or not, but it will help with the jigging technique. I recommend a good quality 6-7.5 foot, fast action, spinning rod rated for 4-8 pound test. I’ve had most of my success with just a good old Ugly Stik GX2, which I prefer because of how flexible and strong it is.
This is my exact setup minus the jig
Its a simple 6’6” medium weight rod with 8lb fluorocarbon line
Lighting: As we covered earlier, squid are attracted to light. Which means that you’ll need something bright enough to penetrate through the water and shine light on your jig so that they can see it at night. The light that I use is actually a headlamp made by Olight, it’s 2500 lumens which is brighter than most handheld flashlights and I’ve caught noticeably more squid while using it. There’s actually been a couple of times where other people on the pier have come up and asked me where I got it, so I’ll link it down below
Jigs: Last but not least, we have the most important piece of gear, the jig. When it comes to choosing a squid jig, everyone has their own preferences and opinions. I’m going to try and simplify the process of choosing the right one by recommending the ones that have worked best for me. The two jig types that I’ve had the most luck with are those that are shaped like a shrimp and the chunkier rain-drop-looking ones. I’ll link a couple of my favorites down below. If you’re just starting out, I recommend getting all 5 of them and just rotate using each one every 10 minutes until you get a catch. After that, if you aren’t getting any luck, it could be the weather or tide affecting you. The most favorable conditions for squid are during high tide on a rainy or cloudy night.
The Jigging Technique
When it comes to doing anything for the first time, there’s always going to be a learning stage involved, and this is that stage. To start off, Experiment with different jigging motions, such as a steady retrieve, short jerk, or erratic movements. Steady retrieve is when you let your jig sink all the way to the bottom and slowly reel it in while trying to keep it from dragging on the bottom, this works best in areas with a sandy bottom so that you don’t get snagged. Short jerk is a technique where you, again, let the jig sink to the bottom but this time give it 3 jerks, reel in the slack, and repeat. The last method, erratic movements, works best under perfect conditions, and it’s where you cast your jig as far as you can, let it sink to the bottom, and jerk and reel it all the way back in. Patience is a big factor when it comes to jigging but once you get that first catch you’ll get the hang of it.
Conclusion
Squid jigging in the Pacific Northwest is an exhilarating pursuit that combines skill, knowledge, and a dash of patience. Armed with the right gear, and knowledge that you now have of the proper techniques and how these squid actually operate, you're ready to embark on an adventure like no other. So, gear up, head to one of the spots we mentioned, and get ready to experience the thrill of squid jigging in the breathtaking waters of Washington. Happy jigging!