How to cut up a Squid

[Slawman]

Hi all, I am wondering if I can have some advice on how others cut Squid into baits for Kingfish?

In particular how do others put gut or head on the hook? What is the best way to get the gut to stay on?

Cut the hood into strips or tubes?  How big?  ie.  how many baits would you get out of a 1kg (20cm hood) Squid?

[mrsswordfisherman]

While you wait for some answers do a search on Fr - there is a lot of info on the forum. 

Good luck

[PaddyT]

Hood into strips, gut only lasts one bite , i just put it as a blob on the hook, head with tenticles is a good bait too, if its a big head just split it, kings dont muck around they just inhale the bait.Same with jewies.

[Slawman]

Thanks Paddy & Mrs Swordfisherman.

I found the search on this occasion was not fruitful so I thought something with this title would make it easier for a search in the future perhaps.

I have read a lot of information but mostly vague (to me) I get the squid has guts, a head and a hood but exactly how to present and cut is info that would be really helpful.  Maybe there are no specific techniques to be aware of.

I have personally found that tubes are good guts and all for snapper and kingies but know many prefer the specific cuts mentioned above.

 

[PaddyT]

Ok all i do is this- slice up the tube, cut out the head and guts from the open tube and if its a small squid use that as a bait- just hook once through the top of the head- bigger squid i will cleave the head in half or 1/4's and seperate the guts and use that. I then pull the skin and wings off the tube and slice the tube from top to bottom in finger width strips- i hook these once through the top and let them waft down to look as natural as possible- i also burst the inksack and try to get that on everything

[61 crusher]

Depending on there size & what I’m trying to catch, if there large hoods cut into thin triangles & score the base into short strips like tentacles gives something for the pickers to play with, if bottom bouncing, cut off the head & cut the hoods into about 10 to 15mm rings & put the hook through with the guts attached 

[DerekD]

Hi Slawman,

Some of my responses to this question earlier:

 

Once you have some squid if you plan to use them as bait you can put them down as whole baits but I prefer to strip them. Run your hand behind the upper side of the head and into the hood and break the join with your finger. Pull the head out. Either a whole bait or cut in half lengthwise for two baits. The two wings can be separated from the body by working the join with your fingernails. Minimum of two baits there but I slice them in strips to get more. Find the feather inside the top of the hood and pinch out with fingernails and throw away. I run a knife along where it was and open the whole hood out so I can cut long strips. If you want to keep squid for eating they are prepared more or less the same way but you don't open up the hood and you clean the inside and outside of the hood. If you want to keep them for fishing buy a packet of sandwich sized ziplock bags and drop them in there and do not wash them in freshwater. Freeze them in the bag for your next fishing outing. I find they keep quite well and I can also use them whole when chasing jewfish.

BTW - I leave the gut on the head and it should come out whole if you strip the squid the way I mention in the previous responses. The head is meaty enough it will stay on the hook (5/0 or 6/0 circle is what I prefer to use).

Regards,

Derek

 

[Slawman]

Thanks Derek,  I was actually trying to find your posts as I could recall reading it and thinking at the time what great info.   

I remember reading some information from an experienced Sydney operator about how he puts the guts on a hook so they stay on but cannot for the life of me find that info.  I cannot work out how he did this as all the guts just seem to be soft and similar in consistency whenever I have used guts....I cannot even tell if they make it to the bottom still on the hook.

Edited June 12, 2019 by Slawman

[Fishn50]

With 20cm hooded squid, i would get around 6-7 baits from it. 

First i slice the head off. Its gets a 7/0 Big Red through it about 10mm deep.

I then slit the hood lengthways from where the top of the head was and avoid slicing the guts, ink etc. Once open i put 2 fingers underneath the the meat that the guts sit on and pull it upwards getting it all in one piece. This is the first bait to go down (with the same 7/0). Just hook it 5mm down through the meat that holding it all together. Remember Kings dont pick the take baits in one hit!  Once the ink sack is broken by a king it keeps all the others around very interested in finding more squid. It can really turn a gentle bit into a hot bite.

Then with the open hood i cut triangle shapes (same as 61 crusher) and cut around 5 slits, starting 15mm down from the top point of the triangle all the way to the bottom of the triangle. This which makes moving fingers in the water, which kings are super attracted to. The hook is put through the top point of the triangle once only 5-10mm down. 

I would get 4-5 triangle baits from the hood using this method. 

The wings i like to send down on their own pinned once from near the top edge and also 5-6 cuts down to make "fingers"

I learnt this method on a charter over 20 years ago from someone i consider to be Sydney Harbours best king fisherman, who still guides now.