squid

[paulthespark]

was just wondering ,and after a few years sea angling i have decided that the best all round general bait for me is the humble squid ,[calarmari] its cheap. available all year round ,you can store boxes of them in the freezer it stays on the hook. you can use it in the winter whole ,head and all for cod whiting ect or in the summer months using some small strips ,float fishing for mackerel or on the bottom for flatties in fact i don't know of any type of fish that won't take it as a bait, does anyone agree/disagree with me.

[codseeker]

good bait and also can be refrozen for another session

[johnf]

Never had much luck with it Paul. Apart from tipping off with freshly caught stuff. Mussel would be my top "freezer" bait

[kela66]

i was wondering is it just the colour that makes it a popular bait ? surely it does not give off that much of a strong scent , every time i rebait when using it for tipping off it comes back the same as it went out , i always replace it but it looks like you could use the same bit again and again . also if you use it whole how long can you leave it out ? im assuming most anglers change baits every 20mins or so but a whole squid looks like it could last for hour's

[paulthespark]

i always change it every 15 to 20 mins ,but you are right it never deteriates no matter how long you leave it out ,about the smell it gives of ,who knows what a fish is attracted to in any given smell ,i'm sure they can smell things we just can't

[t0mb0la]

squid is an excellent bait, i like to cut a long strip and use it to tip lug or rag over pennel hooks, leaving a little flap on the end to attract attention, and sometimes it dosen't even thaw out fully, totally refreezable.
mussel is also an excellent bait and its cheap as you like fresh!

[mick dunn]

When i caught my big cod i had a cocktail of ragworm threaded up the line-then half a razer lashed on the hook and a big triangle of squid tipping off the hook.I always have some now.
I mentioned to my mate about the scent of squid and he said a funny thing-have you smelt your clothes/cloths after wiping your hands from using it-it stinks.
I also re-bait after at least 20 mins-fish find your food by the scent in unclear waters.

[pondlife]

suppliers

sometimes the lug supply can be hit and miss. im always looking for some back up bait. squid sounds like the ideal gap filler. where is the best place to come by a box of calamari for the freezer.

[Lowrider]

I find the fishmongers down the fish quay the best place.
Plus there are always some good buys for the pan

[5150]

sometimes the lug supply can be hit and miss. im always looking for some back up bait. squid sounds like the ideal gap filler. where is the best place to come by a box of calamari for the freezer.

Fishmongers as Lowrider says or most Chinese supermarkets usually keep it in their freezers.

[PaulGH]

Squid I find a very hit and miss bait, sometimes putting it on the hook brings on the bites other times having it on the hook guarantees no bites.

I've had a 2 hook flapper rig on 1 with maky or rag the other with maky or rag + squid and had the one with squid completely ignored which the other doesn't last 30 seconds before it gets nailed. but on the flip side I've had squid be the boyo especially for coalies.

Pretty much all or nothing kinda bait for me.

[fishers]

squid

agree a cheap and cheerfull sea bait especially for cod fishing on a boat.

[casper71]

You can get three boxes of squid for £5 at joe's fishnet in byker.

[Deans]

when you have a decent session, say when the sea is dying and those big cod are about ive noticed that a whole calamari, better still with a bit worm will catch the biggest cod of the brace. all my biggest fish have come from big squid baits, including a 14lb cod from steetly and a 10lb cod from craster. however if the going gets tough you cannot beat fresh blacks tipped with king silver rag. others might say fresh peeler but i disagree

[treeboa]

one my fav baits, small squid, use the head with it stuffed with mussel on a pennel rig