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FishBurglar

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Hello JRT,

 

This is some of the older Slip'n'Slide data I made up from little pieces from his squid information back over 6 to 7 years ago.    Hope it makes enough information to be able to give you a little more help on your project.

 

HillTop / Chuck

( still learning from my summer stroke issues so will try to help the best I can.  after 4 months have finally started working this week for a few hours per week )

 

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slip n slide Posted June 22 2014 - 8:05 PM ( TOPIC: squd )

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I've gotten some PMs asking about my squid pattern and fishing the squid bite so I'll go
ahead and make a post of it.I'm no expert but I will report on what I've learned.


I went to the Cape for the 1st time in 2012 and on the calm evenings fishing Harding
beach I saw "arrows" and wakes across the waters surface as well as tentacles sticking
out of the water as bait was being grabbed...and larger wakes behind the smaller ones
that turned into washtub swirls.I had no squid flies and no-one I saw that week was
fishing squid flies.I vowed to myself I'd return properly armed the following year.

 

I returned w/ several of the pink foam squid in the above pic and had some of the most
amazing fishing I'd had for stripes,even compared to Montauk blitz fishing.The first one I
threw out got bit by a blue that took off w/ it so I put a bite tippet on and had a fish on
almost every cast for the whole morning and left them biting.I fished all up and down the
Cape that trip and it worked everywhere I used it as the squid were abundant.

 

This year,the water was cold when I arrived and the squid were not in
evidence.Finally,after a sunny day,they arrived one evening and it was on.But,I did'nt
know it.Was still figuring out what makes it happen.The next AM I was on a favorite flat
trying all the usual stuff I would fish but nothing but follows.And from some decent teen-
sized fish too.but no takes.This went on for a couple hours till I thought,"what've I got to
lose trying the squid again" even though it was bright and sunny on a dropping tide.First
cast w/ the squid was a short rollcast to straighten out the line to prepare for a cast and I
was'nt prepared for what happened: a very large bass came outta seemingly nowhere
,took the squid fly w/ an explosion akin to a bowling ball being dropped from a good
height and it snapped my 20lb tippet like thread.Whoa! What the...? Tied on another
fly,repeated the short rollcast and same thing again;snapped off.I was dumbfounded.I've
been flyfishing for 46 yrs and have caught some very nice fish on some rather light
tippets(salmon into the 40's on 8lb tippet,for instance) so I have some experience under
my belt.These fish were taking on a short line w/ little give and they would hit so hard and
suddenly I did'nt have time to react.OK,so score is two broke off and now I'm tying a
3rd squid on,and,would'nt ya know it,10' off the tip w/ nothing but leader out the same
thing happened again! Jeez! Now my hands are trembling as I retie and I refigure my
strategy and make a 40' cast(more line out to cushion the strike) and on the 2nd strip I'm
fast to about a 12lb bass.I land it,cast out again and now I'm into a big blue that tugs
thrice before severing my 26lb 7x7 wire.Retie and same thing:blue,fly gone.Bit through
the wire.Another fly,another blue,but only 10 lbs so I manage to land it w/o getting bit
off.I've only brought so many flies w/ me and I need to get some stronger wire.Leave 'em
there till I'm better prepared.Took the one blue I landed and grilled him for
lunch...yummy! Never grilled 'em before and I'll do that again for sure(bled him right
away).


In the evening I'm back at the flat and I've invited Mr Oliver along for the fun.I get to the
bay before he does and on my second cast one of the biggest bass I've ever seen has the
fly in his jaw and is racing out into the bay.Approx 100 yds of line out the tip 2x and now
I've got him on the flooded flat and working it in,giving no quarter.That's when the bass
goes to rubbing it's face in the sand to dislodge the squid.4' of water on that flat and
when it stood on it's head it's wrist and spade-sized tail were waving above the surface.It
kept doing that as I pulled hard from a low angle to tip it over but the hook dropped.Dang
it!I'd bumped up to 30lb tippet given the mornings events and upgraded the bite tippet to
36lb titanium.Mike gets there in time to find me retying my roughed up leader,probably
babbling like a fool about what I'd just lost.We fish to the blues we could see cruising(very
subtle presence...as Mike said,looks more like a zephyr wisping across the water).Spot the
fish,cast, a couple tugs and fish on Mikes rod.We miss/lose several more before darks
settles.We head out onto the flat and both have some hookups but not like the morning
and we vow to return the next AM.Well,we did,but the squid and fish did'nt.The wind
shifted overnight and chilled the water 10 deg and drove the fish and squid off.

 

Several days of cool rainy weather put the squid off and then it was a stiff onshore breeze
that brought in a bunch of mung.No squid.

 

Later in the week,after a sunny day that warmed the flats it was a repeat of the
frustrating AM but I'm prepared and lose no fish to line breaks but did lose some that
simply pulled out.No trophies,just fish to 36" that outing.


My conclusions about fishing squid:they don't like cold water,ie, no less than 55,but prefer
warmer to about 65 which they don't like either and move offshore.


A calm evening w/ no wind and w/ clean water w/ no weeds/debris.Typically these
conditions are brought about by a sunny day w/ moderate(under 15 mph)winds from the
S,SW or W that warms the water and blows it onshore.More windspeed and the water will
dirty w/ weeds.If the wind is blowing SW find a NE corner as that's where the warm water
will blow to and the squid will gather there.N,NE,E and NW winds don't bring warmth and
there's probably not going to be an inshore bite on those winds.


Don't fish light.The fish want these suckers and they hit like freight trains.No less than
30lb tippet and at least that on wire in case you get into some of the big blues that
frequent the bays in spring.


If there were squid around the nt before the fish will still be looking for them the next
AM,even if it's bright and sunny.


A flat that floods at least 3-4' of water if you're fishing them in the AM,can be shallower if
it's evening as they will come very shallow.Mike and I were standing almost waist deep in
the dark and the squid and fish were feeding behind us...shoulda stood shallower although
we both hooked up as it was.Even after the tide runs out,cast along the edges of the
deeper water just off the flat,they will be waiting.


A topwater pattern is very effective whether AM or PM.The foam squid in the pic above is
very good for that.

 

Rabbit strips make for great squid imitations.I thought the blues would sever the
overhanging strip but they just swallowed the whole dang thing!

 

When the squid finally show inshore,so do the bigger fish,which I suspect have been
following them along the coast.First part of the week mostly smaller fish till
the squid arrived.

 

Don't tie a fly w/ a bunch of long hackles as the tentacles are rather short.Only the two
longer tentacles along the side are distinguishable from the other 8 tentacles which are
held tightly together as they swim.The fly does not need to be the same size as
the squid but should represent the squidin profile and a fly of 4 1/2"-6" is most easily cast
while still maintaining some semblance of scale.

 

Colors are varied depending on the squids mood.Orange,burnt orange,dk red,brick
red,brownish,wine are squid that have been harassed or chased.Otherwise,the squid are a
tannish,peachy or pink tinged.I've never seen one all pink but the fish love that color on
an imitation.Females w/ eggs have a peachy orange cast to the body as the color of the
eggs can be seen through their translucent bodies.I like to use peach estaz grande for
imitating the females but also use pink or clear NON-pearlescent estaz grande to tie the
rabbit strip over.I don't use any flash materials on the squid flies but will use some glow-
in-the-dark flashabou for evening fishing.


My current fav hook for tying their imitations is the Owner 5103,which is a 3x heavy,black
nickel finish worm hook,most typically from 3/0-5/0.The foam fly has a 7/16 or 3/8"
popper cylinder w/ a 45deg angle cut on the front w/ the colored foam wrapped around
it.I make a tube of the thinner foam,gluing it edge-to-edge to make the tube before
slipping it over the popper cylinder using CA to hold it.Push it on in one smooth,steady
motion.Stop or hesitate and it will lock up.A bit of overhang on the front,about 1/4" helps
w/ throwing water as you strip the fly.Long,consecutive pulls or a steady two hand
retrieve work best but an occasional pause sometimes convinces a shy biter.A V-notch at
the bottom of the front overhang keeps the hook eye open and a similar notch at the back
lets the fly be lil bit longer w/o blocking the gap.

 

slip n slide Posted January 18 2015 - 2:49 PM ( TOPIC: When and where to fish squid flies? )

 

You don't usually see them.They're a very stealth/under the radar appearance but
predictable if you know what to look for.

 

The bluefish follow them closely on their migration northward and if the big blues have
arrived the squid are likely there also.In my experience, that's around the time the water
hits 55deg. 60 is even better for the squid to come close to shore to feed and to where we
can capitalize on their presence.

 

An evening after a good sunny day on a bayside flat on a rising tide as darkness falls is
ideal.Look for bait before you decide where to fish as no bait=no squid=no
bass/blues/trout.

 

The squid will move in right at sunset and get active once it's dark.If you're in knee deep
water you may be too deep if that's where the baitfish are.They like mostly smaller
stuff,under 3".

 

I've also found them feeding(and bass on them) on baitfish along sandy beaches where
there are cocklebeds mixed in.I'd also suggest looking on google earth along the shores of
RB for cockle beds and concentrate your efforts in those areas of beach as they typically
hold more bait/squid/bass than the open,sandy stretches.I've made a couple posts here
about my observations and experiences w/ squid if you do a search,lotta info in there I'd
rather not have to re-type that you might find useful.

 

Not a big fan of feathered squid patterns(couple/fly at most to suggest the two longer
tentacles)) cuz the fish are'nt so much about them either it seems.The rabbit strip is
especially effective and a super simple squid is a rabbitstrip muddler w/ the head made w/
the long,fluffy hair at the base of the bucktail.Don't make the "tentacles" too long,they're
actually pretty short.


The floater pictured is wicked deadly when the squid are in.I've had faster fishing than a
montauk blitz on what seemd like otherwise dead water w/ the lil squidley there in the
pic.

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slip n slide Posted January 19 2015 - 11:29 AM ( TOPIC: When and where to fish squid flies? )
Quote:
Originally Posted by lisurfer49


cheers man going to give that a shot. In inlets, if thr currents running will the squid still hang around?

 

In my inshore experience I have never found them in moving water.Calm water is
requisite for them to come close to shore.Wave action and debris,either one will keep
them from coming in.

 

When I fish the Cape in late May-early June I typically find them inside of or toward the
back of inlets,usually near or on flats.A calm,windless/waveless nt after a sunny day is
ideal.I've also seen them regularly on the beaches of the SS of the Cape on calm nights.

 

If fish were feeding on them the nt before they will bite well into the next AM
on squid patterns.


I hear they find them in the rips off the Cape.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by KironaFly

Bottom line they are always around in some form but the spring time is a great time to try out your new flies.

 

Yeah,not so much.They don't come inshore, where they can incite a bite ,except for when
the water is 55-65 deg(both spring and fall).They'll be elsewhere if inshore temps and
conditions are not ideal.


I don't fish a squid as a general searching/fishing pattern,more likely some type of
streamer, as it's not a particularly hot fly unless they've been feeding on them.Does'nt
matter how nice a fly you tied;no squid bite, no bite on squid flies is what I've found.

 

Currently have aphasia.    Aphasia is a result of my head stroke causing a bleed.   Happened in my Maine vacation in July (2021).   Lucky me less than 1% of people get stroke aphasia.  :(      I'm making project but have been told this is easily 5 months to 1 year for this to improve.   Until then hope you don't mind making sense with what I text.   HT

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