Squidding at Malabar/La Perouse

[SydneyIsSkyBlue]

Hey guys, 

Went out to see if I could nab some squid this morning at Malabar (next to the ocean pools off the rocks there) and then swung around to Bare Island later in the morning. Changed jig colours numerous times, changed the retrieval method etc. but all to no avail.

I'm pretty new to squidding and still haven't managed to land a squid despite 3 trips now and was just wondering if anyone has had some experience in these areas/are they still successful spots for those who have tried using a squid jig when land based there? 

I'm fairly confident I have my technique right and each time I've gone it has been mid morning to noon (which I'm guessing isn't prime time for squid), any suggestions on how I can maybe land my first Southern calamari?

Thanks ?

Edited July 18, 2018 by SydneyIsSkyBlue

[Rob81]

They've gone a bit quiet at those two areas in the last few weeks.

If any were caught, it wasn't much from what I'm seeing reported (at most 1 or 2 per session).

If they're not there, any technique wont work really.

[DerekD]

Hi SSIB,

If I am seriously chasing squid for a weekend's fishing then I will hit up to about 5 landbased spots till I have success. You mentioned Bare island - did you also work along the nearby shores (watch out it can get a little shallow so you risk snagging up jigs).

Work an area properly by fanning out your casts. Change jigs (maybe both a size and colour change) and then work the area again. Then change location and repeat the excercise. BTW I am assuming you have your own transport so location changes are not overly difficult.

Over time you'll find areas which pay off slightly more consistently. My experience has been that squid move about. Any reponses you get to your question about one spot holding more squid than another won't necessarily help you. I'll keep pointing out that 15 minutes can make all the difference. It also works in your favour - I've even had squid swim past me while fishing soft plastics and then find out how well I can (or can't) switch to a squid jig under pressure and then cast in the direction they were heading - usually I do get them.

General wisdom is that from 10am till 2pm they head into deeper water. I don't worry about that and work on the theory that while I have a jig in the water I have a chance.

In one of my previous columns I have mentioned that I find I catch more in summer but they are bigger in winter. It is a numbers and time game.

Regards,

Derek

 

Edited July 18, 2018 by DerekD

[SydneyIsSkyBlue]

27 minutes ago, DerekD said:

Hi SSIB,

If I am seriously chasing squid for a weekend's fishing then I will hit up to about 5 landbased spots till I have success. You mentioned Bare island - did you also work along the nearby shores (watch out it can get a little shallow so you risk snagging up jigs).

Work an area properly by fanning out your casts. Change jigs (maybe both a size and colour change) and then work the area again. Then change location and repeat the excercise. BTW I am assuming you have your own transport so location changes are not overly difficult.

Over time you'll find areas which pay off slightly more consistently. My experience has been that squid move about. Any reponses you get to your question about one spot holding more squid than another won't nec thessarily help you. I'll keep pointing out that 15 minutes can make all the difference. It also works in your favour - I've even had squid swim past me while fishing soft plastics and then find out how well I can (or can't) switch to a squid jig under pressure and then cast in the direction they were heading - usually I do get them.

General wisdom is that from 10am till 2pm they head into deeper water. I don't worry about that and work on the theory that while I have a jig in the water I have a chance.

In one of my previous columns I have mentioned that I find I catch more in summer but they are bigger in winter. It is a numbers and time game.

Regards,

Derek

 

Thanks for the response Derek  

Yep, also tried along the rocks further around Bare Island towards La Perouse and thinking about also trying the rocks at Congwong Beach next time around.

It sounds like I have the general concepts down pat (fanning casts and working an area, technique etc.), it's now just a case of turning up at the right time. Will actually be heading out for an afternoon/sunset session on Friday so will see how it goes.

One other thing I feel I have pinpointed is the jig colour and type. I had a look at the various Yamashita videos on Youtube this afternoon and from what I seem to understand; the rainbow, silver and gold foils are the better jigs to be using in heavy sunlight - whereas today I was using the Shimano Sephia Egixile BB jigs in a 2.5 (I later realised these jigs actually glow and may not be reflecting the sunlight to get the squids attention). I'm currently in the process of sorting out my jig arsenal with new colours and sizes to see what works.

[SydneyIsSkyBlue]

On 7/18/2018 at 4:53 PM, Rob81 said:

They've gone a bit quiet at those two areas in the last few weeks.

If any were caught, it wasn't much from what I'm seeing reported (at most 1 or 2 per session).

If they're not there, any technique wont work really.

Thanks mate!

Had another go today with absolutely no luck at all and another victim to the dreaded snag.

Got out to Malabar around the peak of high tide at 8am this morning and then went around to Congwong beach and Bare island - all nothing. Around midday, ended up heading down to Gymea Bay baths and was given hope when I saw squid ink splattered all over the jetty (again, no luck).

I know it's a matter of timing, but I'm starting to get a bit disheartened to be honest but maybe that's a reflection on me wanting to get things to work quickly.

Is there anywhere that people would be happy to recommend where squid may be hovering during the day?

[DerekD]

Firstly don't despair. There are times I feel like I have lost my mojo then it all comes good. They are just harder work at this time of year. If I had to head out this evening to get squid I'd be trying up to five or six spots and spending 15 to 30 minutes at each depending on how much ground I needed to cover.

BTW my squid jigs are also glow in the dark and the quickest way to recharge them is with a UV torch. They really stand out at dusk and later and the visibility in the water is a slight advantage.

Giving you locations will help in that it gives you somewhere else to try but just cause they were there the day before doesn't necessarily mean they will be there at the time you start fishing. 15 minutes seriously can make a difference. I do have spots which give me a higher success ratio but they are also not fished that heavily by others.

[SydneyIsSkyBlue]

On 7/27/2018 at 9:48 PM, DerekD said:

Firstly don't despair. There are times I feel like I have lost my mojo then it all comes good. They are just harder work at this time of year. If I had to head out this evening to get squid I'd be trying up to five or six spots and spending 15 to 30 minutes at each depending on how much ground I needed to cover.

BTW my squid jigs are also glow in the dark and the quickest way to recharge them is with a UV torch. They really stand out at dusk and later and the visibility in the water is a slight advantage.

Giving you locations will help in that it gives you somewhere else to try but just cause they were there the day before doesn't necessarily mean they will be there at the time you start fishing. 15 minutes seriously can make a difference. I do have spots which give me a higher success ratio but they are also not fished that heavily by others.

Thanks for always having some advice @DerekD - appreciate it! 

Are there certain times during the day time which should be targeted? (I've read 2 hours after high tide)

[DerekD]

15 hours ago, SydneyIsSkyBlue said:

Thanks for always having some advice @DerekD - appreciate it! 

Are there certain times during the day time which should be targeted? (I've read 2 hours after high tide)

I've caught them all hours of the day but I generally do better early morning and dusk. Not necessarily a fair indicator though. For example, if I am heading out for a day's fishing then the first thing I do is target squid wherever I am. If I get enough I generally don't bother for the rest of the day. I also go for a fish after work a few days a week hence I get a few here and there on dusk. I'd probably need to chase squid from dawn to dusk for a whole year to start getting a valid data set. I'd be willing to do it but I'd need financial sponsorship. ?

If you ever get to fish with me one of the ways to get under my skin is to mention tides and fishing. It is not that they don't play a role but so many people have seen fishing programs advising fishing so many hours either side of low or high tide that it becomes a mantra. The WHOLE harbour does not fire up every time we reach a low or a high tide. If that was the case I'd only need to head down to the water at those times. I do pay attention to the tides as it lets me get into certain areas I like to fish. Really think about why a tide might have an effect in the area you are fishing. For example, you might get a back eddy at a particular rock wall where bait fish then get trapped. Another example would be where the water flow is so fast fish probably won't waste the energy trying to hold postion while waiting for food - Spit bridge is a location which comes to mind.

Most of what you will hear can be taken as guidelines and not hard and fast rules. Just keep going out there and giving it a shot. If you still struggle my earlier offer still stands if you can get to the North shore and then we can check your technique and hopefully put you on some squid too.

I also work in the Matraville area so could meet up after work but I don't have the benefit of local knowledge here. I have caught them in Botany Bay but that was from the kayak.

Edited July 30, 2018 by DerekD

[Nolongeramember]

Definitely early morning would be the best time from my experience. I mean from first light. Once the sun comes up higher things go quiet.

[nutsaboutfishing]

23 hours ago, SydneyIsSkyBlue said:

Thanks for always having some advice @DerekD - appreciate it! 

Are there certain times during the day time which should be targeted? (I've read 2 hours after high tide)

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