Use a squid jig or when they show in lights at night, use dip net (better be quick). Put hook right through top of head and let it down. If fish are around it won't take too long for a bite.

 

Live squid offshore for chunking are tuna candy. First thing we check for on the boat before going out overnight is the long handled squid net. If the fish are around and you have live squid you can just about guarentee that line is going off.

Before you bring them little white bastards into the boat let them ink out in the water before you grab them or you got a mess on your hands in the boat. If you bring them on the boat have a bucket ready to drop them in so they can ink out in one bucket and then tranfer them over to a fresh bucker and they'll stay lively for a little while. If you dont have space for them you can only keep so many before they start to die off fast. As stated above best way to rig them up is on a circle hook through their 'head' about an inch down from the top. Tuna or Mr Sword if you are lucky can't resist when put down in front of them. No better bait out there when the squids are in the water and the tuna are snacking off them all night.

If you cant get them on a squid jig, try putting a little chunk of butter to get some scent on the jig and let it out and down past where the light shines.

Half our nights are spent playing and catching squid if they are around, they can make fools out of you if you dont have the technique down to catch them. They are fast M'fers.

If you are trolling squid you can buy the bigger frozen ones in the tackle shop but rigging them up is a little more complicated. They are a white marlin favorite dropped off a flat line to a lit up pointy guy.

Good luck and have fun catching them.

 

What hurler said

Also a live squid will catch anything. I have come in from an overnighter in the fall, stopped in the rips with a few live squid and slammed the stripers.

 

can you buy live squid?

Can you buy live squid? Or as the one post mentioned, they don't stay alive very long?? We fish out of the south jersey/townsends inlet area, so amy place to buy it from Philly south?


Thanks for all of the reply posts and great infrmation.......

 

we were fishing the hot dog about a mile west of the fleet last night, could not keep a butter in the water without a squid eating it. Used live squid for bait and nothing all night.

 

we were fishing the hot dog about a mile west of the fleet last night, could not keep a butter in the water without a squid eating it. Used live squid for bait and nothing all night.

Were you marking tuna fish?

 

we were fishing the hot dog about a mile west of the fleet last night, could not keep a butter in the water without a squid eating it. Used live squid for bait and nothing all night.

 

watch those buggers, they have sharp beaks, my buddy got chomped by a squid.. he cried of course

 

Squid will catch almost anything. Two week sago we were hooking nothing but dogs and skates out front until we snagged a squid on a flounder rig. Hooked it on the flounder rig as bait and brought up a keeper flounder right away. Nothing else all day.

How long will live squid last in a live well If you can net them at night?

 

When you fish Hot Dog or Hambone area, bring Yozuri squid jigs with you even you fish daytime. Many people think you can catch squid only at night, but squid sometimes stay on the bank daytime and you'll catch them.

 

Squid will catch almost anything. Two week sago we were hooking nothing but dogs and skates out front until we snagged a squid on a flounder rig. Hooked it on the flounder rig as bait and brought up a keeper flounder right away. Nothing else all day.

How long will live squid last in a live well If you can net them at night?

Long term I'm not too sure but in a live well they will last through the night no problem but a few things to watch out for - make sure they are all 'inked' out or that stuff gets to be a mess and eventually will turn your live well black, anything else in your live well is fair game and they will tear apart a few things while they are in there pissed at the world, they're easier to catch in the water then they are in the live well with a little net A good way to keep them lively is in a tied off 5 gallow bucket off to the side out of the way that has a bunch of holes in it with a top on so you don't have to worry about them inking out and making the boat a mess. When you need one, dip a small net in and they got no where to run from you. Oh yeah and those beaks if they get you do hurt and will rip a nice chunk of meat from whatever they get a hold of, they are no joke even them little 5-6" bastards you see. Usually the ones you get are all 6-9"

 

Don't put your hook in the head, you will most likely kill them. the mantle is where the hook should go.