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Squid at last. Yarmouth Pier IOW

Ianpick

Ianpick

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The weather has been rubbish recently, well weeks of it actually, as I have been trying to catch my first ever squid. Loads and loads of preparation but few opportunities to actually try.
This afternoon I decided I had a window of about an hour and a half to get to Yarmouth Pier and give it a go. My research suggests the last hour of the flood is the prime time.
High tide was at about 8.30pm so leaving the house at 5.20 wasn't the best scenario but with the England game kicking off at 7, I thought sod it, give it a shot.
It's around 20 minutes to get to the end of the pier from home, including the walk, so an hour fishing.
Squid fishing doesn't need a lot of kit and if you prepare well before you go it's a matter of arrive and fish.
This is exactly what happened, park, walk down the pier, clip on a rig, drop it over the side, shine a headtorch on the water where the line goes in and jig it up and down and hope. The water was only around 8' deep at this stage in the tide so I was able to lift from bottom to surface and cover the whole depth.
It didn't take long before the rod went heavy, squid on fantastic.
Timing is everything, keep it tight or the squid will be able to slip off the jig, which is exactly what happened, I got it to the surface and relaxed as I thought it was in the bag. Dropped the tip and it was off, idiot.
Ten minutes later , weight again. This time I lifted and pulled the squid clear of the water, then retrieved a little line before lifting it over the rail and dropped it in my bucket.
My first ever squid, not huge but job done and lots learned.
It was very cold so after a few more minutes I decided enough was enough and walked off back to the carpark.
I got back home 2 minutes before kick off.
Changes to be made, including taking gloves as it was very cold, but hopefully a few more before they disappear. I love battered salt and pepper squid.
 
Nice report Ian. As far as eating Squid goes, you can have my share! Anything Slimy with Suckers puts me right off!
 
They are a lot slimier straight out of the sea than they are as frozen bait. I've just cleaned it ready for cooking.
The skin was still active, changing colour when rubbed, 16 hours after I had dispatched it.
Out again tonight with a few changes if the weather is good.
 
Ianpick said:
They are a lot slimier straight out of the sea than they are as frozen bait. I've just cleaned it ready for cooking.
The skin was still active, changing colour when rubbed, 16 hours after I had dispatched it.
Out again tonight with a few changes if the weather is good.
Click to expand...

Troy on Youtube said exactly the same about Squid changing colour long after they are dead - he put up a Squid catch & cook video over the weekend!

 
I went out again last night. This time for the last two hours of the flood.
At first it was not quite as cold as the previous night and I had my gloves.
The sea was calmer than Sunday but it was windier with some rain.
Over the course of two hours it became colder, wetter, windier and the sea much rougher.
6 anglers trying, bright lights hanging off the pier and multiple jig rigs. I saw 1 squid landed and another was lost.

The sea definitely needs to be nice and calm for decent numbers of squid. I assume they stay out in deeper water when it's rough rather than get bashed around and become cod food.
They will be here, I'm told, until January then they disappear returning for a short time in April/May when they can be caught during the day.
The quest continues, time tide and weather permitting.
 
Congratulations on your first squid, once you start catching they become a bit of an obsession while they are around.

A few things I have found over the last couple of years fishing for squid is that if you are not catching, you are not necessarily doing anything wrong, they are either not there or higher or lower in the water. State of the tide doesn't seem to matter as long as it is dusk or dawn. You can catch all day when they are in.

I have had good success when the sea is choppy as long as it is clear, you just have to change the rig you use.

Also you don't have to fish in the light or even near the light, if they are in the area you will catch them.
 
KaiH said:
Also you don't have to fish in the light or even near the light, if they are in the area you will catch them.
Click to expand...
I had a long discussion with someone who has fished for them for many years and as he rightly said they live in deep dark water most of the time and have very big eyes. You don't need a light to catch.
The light may bring in bait fish which might be an advantage.
 
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