Mono for squid
Submitted by randall df223 on Tue, 2012-06-05 15:16
Any recommendations on the best mono for squid. I am thinking I will tie the jig straight to the main line so I am chasing a good quality mono that has good 'invisibility' qualtities when submerged. eg: Would you use fluro carbon for a main line?
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Fish! HARD!
hlokk
Posts: 4293
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Whats the reason for wanting
Whats the reason for wanting to use mono instead of braid and a good length leader? Mono wont transmit your twitches as well if you're looking for control over your jig. A good long fluro leader will give good invisibility but your jig wont get spongy if you cast out a long distance.
Otherwise if you're super concerned for invisibility, 4lb fluro straight through and no clips....
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
The books / articles I have
The books / articles I have read lately say don't use braid for squid, and I can only assume that is because of their good sight. I have used both cheap mono and braid and whilst I have caught squid, I have never set the world on fire. I was thinking of going for a good quality mono, even fluro carbon tied straight to the jig with no clips, swivels or anything else. The other thing I was wondering, do underwater lights have any postive / negative effects?
Fish! HARD!
hlokk
Posts: 4293
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Sure its not one of those
Sure its not one of those books where they assume if you use braid you go straight to the jig. That coupled with some thick braid is certainly not going to increase your odds. However 3m of thin fluorocarbon and 4-8lb thin braid (joined with a good knot) is going to be pretty damn stealthy plus give you good control over a jig. However, if you dont need fine control over your jig and you absolutely need the best invisibility then spool up some good brand 4 or 6lb fluoro. Some brands (e.g. nitlon) just seem too thick. Anything over 6lb or so and i dont see the point of needing such extreme stealth. I tend to use a minimum 2m of leader, either 8 or 12lb from the boat most of the time though (could go lighter, but just what i tend to have on for mixed fishing).
Keep in mind, most egi guys incl the japanese will use braid with a decent length leader. As long as youve got 2m+ leader of a good quality thin fluoro under 10lb, if you're not catching squid, its probably technique or location. Unless you know the squid are there, the water is crystal clear and the squid are being very finicky (in which case you'll probably also want a good selection of small and medium sized expensive jigs).
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
AFN Fishing Guuide to Western
AFN Fishing Guuide to Western Australia - Kurt Blanksby, Frank Prokop and Ryan Thipthorp - p.115 recommends 6kg main line (mono not braid) tied straight to the jig for a boat rig.
Jan2012 Fishing Western Australia magazine (Lisa Hill) p12 recommends jig attached straight to 4 - 6 kg main line but doesn't stipulate mono or braid.
Fish! HARD!
hlokk
Posts: 4293
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Gotta consider the target
Gotta consider the target market of the book. When using braid, its probably to a rig or a swivel rather than a braid to mono leader knot? I havent come across many rigging books (or one liners rigs in species ID books) that mention tied on leaders or flurocarbon. More so a general guide for the average fisherman for a simple common way to do it. 4lb braid, biminis, gt knots, thin japanese flurocarbon are probably a little beyond most guides (fair enough for the most part, considering they're more advanced than most fishermen need).
6kg mono straight to the squid jig is going to be fine for nearly all circumstances. But then if you've got fluro, it is one step better. And 6kg is a good start for the squid where you can yank on the line to pull them aboard, but again, light fluoro is going to get you even more stealth (but less suited to the masses as you may want to just net the squid so you dont loose your $30 jig...). All depends how finesse/stealthy you want to get vs no-hassles-but-still-works options.
soupster51
Posts: 2724
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Squid
Braid with a quality 4-10lb fluro leader. The only way to go for me. I love being immediately connected as you are with braid.
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
danno
Posts: 1676
Date Joined: 12/07/09
For me braid is the pretty
For me braid is the pretty important if working your jigs. That with a 60odd cm fluro leader of 10lb down to a breaden snap is great for squidding. I use fluro green braid and haven't had squid shy away because of it.
If your night squidding lights can help if your on a boat, lb i wouldn't bother as you can find areas with lights on the water and moving around is key.
Aaron C
Posts: 25
Date Joined: 11/05/10
Mono for me, acts like a big
Mono for me, acts like a big shock absorber. Maxima all the way.
crasny1
Posts: 7008
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Interesting story
Fishing off dampier last friday night noticed a school of squid hanging around. Always have a jig ready, but forgot to change the leader from 15lb Mono to the light flouro leader.
Squid was very finicky, and changed jigs perhaps 6-8 times until it dawned that I had run out of light 6lb fluoro and needed some more. What I had onboard was 15lb Fluoro leader amongst others. Changed the Mono for fluoro (and yes braid) and wham. In no time had some very fresh black spurting critters onboard. Wings and head for bait, some squid sashimi and the rest as salt and pepper.
The leader it appears was the key, with the spotties the squid appeared to "see" Mono, but not so the fluoro. Leader lenght starts at about 3m, then with changes decrease to a minimum 1.5m, then I change/refresh the leader.
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
soupster51
Posts: 2724
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Interesting
Good info. I've never gone as long as three metres. Will change my way of thinking and see if catch rates improve.
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
danno
Posts: 1676
Date Joined: 12/07/09
IMO three meters is a bit
IMO three meters is a bit much for squidding, if your tying your jig on via loop knot then yes fair enough but if you can get some of the egi clips which weigh nothing and dont affect the action what so ever there is really only a need for around 60-70cm at most.
hlokk
Posts: 4293
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Length isnt just so you have
Length isnt just so you have enough to tie on enough jigs, it also means there isnt a braid coloured thing moving half a meter in front of your squid jig. So longer leader = more stealth by keeping the visible line away. I dont really ever use a leader less than 1.5m for any kind of fishing. Some people seem to like using half a meter though (depends on if you only cast with leader outside the tip too). Whatever you prefer I guess. Theres little "need" to do anything, but always good to do things that may improve your catch rate (even if you're going reasonable so far)
hlokk
Posts: 4293
Date Joined: 04/04/08
When they're on, they're on
When they're on, they're on though. At the Abrolhos recently, we were getting them on 100lb mono and 80lb braid direct to the jig with $2 jigs, in the bright spotlights :p. Certainly doesnt improve your chances, but sometimes they're just not fussy (or theres enough there that theres still a few greedy ones)
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Too true when they are on
Too true when they are on they are on.
I have actually only ever used shitty handlines with 30lb mono for all my squid fishing and i always seem to catch them no matter where i go or what time day or night i am fishing for them boat or land. Got used to this method growing up in Busselton and targeting the squid on handlines off the jetty. Also used to set out dead herring on 30lb handlines under a piece of styrofoam, squid grabs hold slowly bring the line in until squid drops off then throw in squid jig. Squid now only sees jig and BAM....... Squid for Dinner :) On a plus side too you would sometimes pick up a Bontio on the dead herring.
zak_fish
Posts: 85
Date Joined: 27/12/11
i used cheap pen mariner mono
i used cheap pen mariner mono 12lbs once squidding, mate was getting them quite regulary i then put on aprox 2m of 6lb fluro carbon braid worked a treat we bagged out in just under 2 hours. two weekends in a row.
Dhuvinile
Posts: 228
Date Joined: 13/05/12
i have caught squid using
i have caught squid using 20lb fins straight to the jig....
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
THanks for all the input,
THanks for all the input, guys, will be going out and putting into practice some time soon.
Fish! HARD!
499
Posts: 181
Date Joined: 07/12/08
on the weekend we were suing
on the weekend we were suing cheap nasty mashed up jarvis walker squid jigs, paternoster rig, rip the lead weight off the jig and we bagged out...i wouldnt be spending 20 on a jig but thats me,good luck....just cover lots of ground and patience