fishkenstein
06-11-2007, 06:41 PM
I always wanted to try fishing giant squid, but most of the time they are too far from me; either up north or down in Long Beach area. When I first notice the squid actions are occur in Oxnard, I got to take this unique opportunity. I called the Captain hook and reserved two spot on Sunday twilight, I know there are squids on 3/4 or full day trips; but the landing guy said there is more chance to nail these big guys at night.
Meet up with my buddy Raymond (matador1238) at my house 3:30pm and get to the landing around 5pm. Our boat is Island Spirit. It had been a while we go out with Captain Hook landing again, and we noticed that they change the owner; Mr. Hook is not there anymore. Whenever I fish something new, I usually like to overload myself at the first time, bring as much crap as I could; although I know I might not need it; but this time I just forget to bring everything (grow stick, flashlight, a special squid jig I bought in Hong Kong…etc) as I planned before. Thanks for Ray rushing me...
The boat had about 30 anglers; I was expecting less because it was a Sunday night; but we still have enough space to fish, so we are not complaining. There are 90% people on the boat are using Ahi Giant Squid jigs; and half of them attach a small L.E.D. Strobe Lights at the end. These jigs are about 2’ long and weight 22oz; the jig cost $20 and the light cost $10. We were so temped to buy one, since we saw everyone are using them, but ray say just try what we had first since this is our first time, so what the hell. I had two cheaper Strike Master Squid Catcher, it is just a normal grow in the dark sinker with some squid hook at the end; and Ray use a unweighted squid jig attach a 12oz sinker at the bottom; we both use 40# topshot and braided line backing. I brought my Okuma 15 2-speed reel and Ray uses his favor Saltist 30 high speed reel.
The ride was about 45 min to the fish zone, I am all exciting, but Ray just give me a “whatever� look on his face (I hate that :x ). Like many of my fishing trip, the beginning was start very slow, the first stop only one guy coughs a small squid; the second stop was about 500 feet deep, my reel almost ran out of line. The deck hand told me just drop the jig all the way down to the bottom and wind it up slowly, no special skill required :P my hand feel tired already just to wind up a heavy jig from 500 feet down. I was king of depress, because I was expecting it will be WFO just like the report say. So, I wind up my jig and want to try something different, I rig two of my Strike Master jig together and make it longer and heavier, put it up near the boat light to charge up the grow in the dark part. And then drop it down about 350ft, after may be 2min, Squid ON! I got hit, my rod feel pretty heavy. The strike is not strong at all; it fell like end of sudden your jig hooking a big rock whiles you winding up. Since it is 300-400 down below, it is a bit workout to wind up that big guy, I keep waiting to see my topshot showup, but it just take forever, I am grad I brought my 2-speed reel, it really help. The squid didn’t fight much until it got close to the surface, I set my reel at 15lb on strike, but it still pull hard, so I need to push the leveler all the way; it did pull my rod pretty hard, and I had a fun time to bring him up. After I landed my squid the fishing seem to getting wide open, almost every one get hit; people screaming all over the boat, they know it is about the time. Ray got one too 10min after me, while I was taking a break from the first squid, I became the camera man and video his catch. I was joking to him say he goner have a hard time to winding that thing up since he have a high speed reel, but he said the reel perform pretty good; so I guess the 6.4:1 gearing did a great job.
The fishing seem pretty good the rest of the night until 9pm and then getting slow again until the end. However, almost every one of us has at lest 3 squid taken home. I got 3 and Ray got 2, he say he lost a big one while his line was tango with the other guy. We know we can catch more if we keep on fishing, but our hand were extremely worn-out, so we took a long break every time we cough one; and we don’t want to over bring squids home more then we can eat. But It is still enjoyable to sit down and relax, watching people bring big squid on the boat. One of the deck hand told me it was just only a “slow night� so I can’t imagine how they did on the other night, which must be crazy. The squid cleaning was $5 per squid, it was ok for me, cos I only got 3, plus the crew and captain are very nice and helpful, so we don’t mind to pay that and tips them. Overall it was fun unique trip for me, but Ray doesn’t seem to like it that much, cos he said he misses that big strong strike and the hookset feeling from the normal fishing. But for me, I like it a lot, as long as something out there pulling my rod hard at night, while my wife is sleeping at home. :lol:
Ahi Giant Squid jigs
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6400.jpg
Getting ready on the boat..
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6401b.JPG
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6402b.JPG
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6403.JPG
My first squid on boat.... but where is my squid...Thanks Ray..great pic :cry:
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6404.JPG
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6405.JPG
Some guy catch this squid with a grow in the dark iron
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6407.JPG
Last squid on the boat, sorry for the quality, but the guy just keep moving :P
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6408.jpg
More photo..
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6409b.jpg
Ray's squid
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6410.jpg
Mine..
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6411.jpg
Video
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmflHVPv9v0:a1229]http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6412.jpg[/url:a1229]
Meet up with my buddy Raymond (matador1238) at my house 3:30pm and get to the landing around 5pm. Our boat is Island Spirit. It had been a while we go out with Captain Hook landing again, and we noticed that they change the owner; Mr. Hook is not there anymore. Whenever I fish something new, I usually like to overload myself at the first time, bring as much crap as I could; although I know I might not need it; but this time I just forget to bring everything (grow stick, flashlight, a special squid jig I bought in Hong Kong…etc) as I planned before. Thanks for Ray rushing me...
The boat had about 30 anglers; I was expecting less because it was a Sunday night; but we still have enough space to fish, so we are not complaining. There are 90% people on the boat are using Ahi Giant Squid jigs; and half of them attach a small L.E.D. Strobe Lights at the end. These jigs are about 2’ long and weight 22oz; the jig cost $20 and the light cost $10. We were so temped to buy one, since we saw everyone are using them, but ray say just try what we had first since this is our first time, so what the hell. I had two cheaper Strike Master Squid Catcher, it is just a normal grow in the dark sinker with some squid hook at the end; and Ray use a unweighted squid jig attach a 12oz sinker at the bottom; we both use 40# topshot and braided line backing. I brought my Okuma 15 2-speed reel and Ray uses his favor Saltist 30 high speed reel.
The ride was about 45 min to the fish zone, I am all exciting, but Ray just give me a “whatever� look on his face (I hate that :x ). Like many of my fishing trip, the beginning was start very slow, the first stop only one guy coughs a small squid; the second stop was about 500 feet deep, my reel almost ran out of line. The deck hand told me just drop the jig all the way down to the bottom and wind it up slowly, no special skill required :P my hand feel tired already just to wind up a heavy jig from 500 feet down. I was king of depress, because I was expecting it will be WFO just like the report say. So, I wind up my jig and want to try something different, I rig two of my Strike Master jig together and make it longer and heavier, put it up near the boat light to charge up the grow in the dark part. And then drop it down about 350ft, after may be 2min, Squid ON! I got hit, my rod feel pretty heavy. The strike is not strong at all; it fell like end of sudden your jig hooking a big rock whiles you winding up. Since it is 300-400 down below, it is a bit workout to wind up that big guy, I keep waiting to see my topshot showup, but it just take forever, I am grad I brought my 2-speed reel, it really help. The squid didn’t fight much until it got close to the surface, I set my reel at 15lb on strike, but it still pull hard, so I need to push the leveler all the way; it did pull my rod pretty hard, and I had a fun time to bring him up. After I landed my squid the fishing seem to getting wide open, almost every one get hit; people screaming all over the boat, they know it is about the time. Ray got one too 10min after me, while I was taking a break from the first squid, I became the camera man and video his catch. I was joking to him say he goner have a hard time to winding that thing up since he have a high speed reel, but he said the reel perform pretty good; so I guess the 6.4:1 gearing did a great job.
The fishing seem pretty good the rest of the night until 9pm and then getting slow again until the end. However, almost every one of us has at lest 3 squid taken home. I got 3 and Ray got 2, he say he lost a big one while his line was tango with the other guy. We know we can catch more if we keep on fishing, but our hand were extremely worn-out, so we took a long break every time we cough one; and we don’t want to over bring squids home more then we can eat. But It is still enjoyable to sit down and relax, watching people bring big squid on the boat. One of the deck hand told me it was just only a “slow night� so I can’t imagine how they did on the other night, which must be crazy. The squid cleaning was $5 per squid, it was ok for me, cos I only got 3, plus the crew and captain are very nice and helpful, so we don’t mind to pay that and tips them. Overall it was fun unique trip for me, but Ray doesn’t seem to like it that much, cos he said he misses that big strong strike and the hookset feeling from the normal fishing. But for me, I like it a lot, as long as something out there pulling my rod hard at night, while my wife is sleeping at home. :lol:
Ahi Giant Squid jigs
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6400.jpg
Getting ready on the boat..
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6401b.JPG
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6402b.JPG
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6403.JPG
My first squid on boat.... but where is my squid...Thanks Ray..great pic :cry:
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6404.JPG
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6405.JPG
Some guy catch this squid with a grow in the dark iron
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6407.JPG
Last squid on the boat, sorry for the quality, but the guy just keep moving :P
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6408.jpg
More photo..
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6409b.jpg
Ray's squid
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6410.jpg
Mine..
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6411.jpg
Video
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmflHVPv9v0:a1229]http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/IMG_6412.jpg[/url:a1229]