Rigging Squid - How To

[Special_K_III]

My hook-up ratio has been very good, but the other day I went 0 for 2 which got me thinking... (yeah, it happens once in a while)

I use a small sinker, measure where it will be at the top of the squid's head, then mash it down some to hold it against the leader. Run the squid back through and then I stich the top of the squid around the mantle and sinker. I take the hook and run it through the head of the squid.

Has anyone left the hook exposed? Maybe stich the hook to the head, but leave the point exposed? I'm thinking that after the sword takes the bait the mantle shreds and comes off the sinker and rips off from the stiching. It then slides down and covers up the hook helping to cause missed hook-up's. These big squids have such thick skin that the hook is not able to penetrate the squid skin and stick into the sword.

I've reeled in the bait and find that what remains of my squid has slide down and is covering up my hook. I've only swordfished on my own so I haven't seen how anyone else does it. I've caught 9 fish in total. Thanks Guys...

[Captain Joe McGivern]

all i do is run the hook through the head and take the leader out the mantle..twist some wire on to the leader to hold the squid,and keep it from sliding. i used to sew the head. but honestly it never made a difference in my ratios.

[Threesenough]

Don't know how much it matters but when using a circle hook I have been sewing it to the head. With a J hook I had been just hooking it through the head.

I have been using a float in the mantle instead of a sinker. Going to try the sinker sometime but I have been having real good luck with the float and hate to change something that is working.

[Mike]

I used to use the method that joe uses, but now I use the tag end method, its easier to demonstrate than explain. I'll going to be working on a small demonstration of how to rig your squid with Swordslasher very very soon and it will be part of the rigging section. We may also go into rigging a dead bait such as a mackeral or bonita.

I used to sew the heads on so that they don't wack them off, but I have gotten lazy and also use a tad bit smaller squid so they just inhale them.

Look for our illustrations to come out in the next couple of weeks... If you would like to contribute your way of rigging, send me some pictures as you go and we will get it up on the site.

Thanks,
Mike

[Threesenough]

Would really be interested in knowing a good way to rig a bonita or other dead fish. Had a couple bonita that did not survive the trip out the other night. Guessed at a way to rig one and sent it out. To my amazement it actually hooked up. Unfortunately we pulled the hook.

[Mike]

I will get the bonita rig up that... the best advice to give you and some of the guys might not agree but I remove the backbone, snip the fins, and sew the mouth shut. When I remove the backbone I stich my hook in when I sew it back up. The sword most likely will eat it head first so it ensure a good hookset. A guy that won a tournament last year had a small wahoo rigged like this... Works good.

[Litetackleredneck]

Wheni rig a squid i usually just stick the hook through the head, no sewing required. I dont use anything to keep the tip inplace (such as sinkr, float etc.) I just run waxed thread around the mono at the tip. 2 overhand knots, two half iches over the mono, and finish off with two more tight overhands. I have had only one squid slide down.

[Special_K_III]

Thanks. I'll look forward to the illustrations.

[kwol]

Another possible way to rig a dead bait will only work if you are drift fishing. say the mak is 12 inches. insert the hook about 3-4 inches behind the gill plates, push it all the way through to the other side. then take the hook and insert it into the skin with the hook point pointed forward. this insertion should be directly ahead of the mono running through the mak. after inserting the hook the second time, run it just under the skin behind the pelvic fins. at this point exit the skin with the hook exposed, and slide the eye down flush with the mak by pulling the mono tight. this creates a teeter totter effect on the bait which is deadly against swords. I went out this past week on an over night charter and i hooked up two swords for my customers. first one was lost to a hook pull and the second one was lost to the biggest mako i have ever seen. good fishing guys.

[hannaman]

Kwol, I don't get it but it sounds like a good idea. Do you have a picture of the rig or a drawing?

[ReelIntubaiter]

Originally Posted by Mike

Look for our illustrations to come out in the next couple of weeks... If you would like to contribute your way of rigging, send me some pictures as you go and we will get it up on the site.

Thanks,
Mike

Hi Mike, I'm new to this Swordfishing stuff. On my first trip I was extremely frustrated since we went 1 for 5. I just couldn't comprehend how we were pulling the hooks on these fish after 10 to 20 minutes of battle. The only one we landed was foul hooked on the pectoral fin. We used a light drag (about 12 lbs). I then experimented with a double hook rig on the last two trips. The first fish we hooked was on for an hour before the hook pulled. The last trip we went 1 for 1 with a solid hookup. I'll try to insert the photos of the rig and the mouth of our last fish. I hope I'll post the photos correctly. Let me know if anyone has any comments. Thanks, Al.

[ReelIntubaiter]

Having trouble posting the photos. I need help Mike.

[Captain Joe McGivern]

i like live bait. Does that make me a live bait googan? :?:

[FinalPoint]

You love squid too, Joe, don't deny it.

[Mike]

ReelIntubaiter - Post all your swordfishing related pictures here to avoid that annoying watermark on your pictures...

Once the pictures are up in the gallery, right-click on them and grab the link and the surround it in the [img][/img] brackets

examples [img]picture url address goes here[/img]

Mike

[Mike]

Ok, back to the topic. LTredneck.. please keep your comments outside of threads that are covering an important topic. We don't need the negative vibe here.

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Here is a rigging method I found:



Bridle Rig A Squid
By Andy Hahn

The "quick and dirty" squid rig involves squeezing an egg sinker on the leader a few inches above the hook, then threading the leader through the squid's body. The sinker acts as a stopper to hold the squid in place, and the hook is hidden in its head. This method works well when rigging small squid for dolphin, but Pumo advises using a crimp to stop the sinker because squeezing the lead (some folks just smack it with a hammer) can damage monofilament and cost you a fish.

Taking time to bridle-rig squid results in a more natural presentation, whether the bait's trolled, pitched or -- for broadbills -- drifted deep. Pumo notes that more light-tackle anglers have been using this soft-bodied, boneless bait because "you can rig squid on smaller hooks and still hook billfish solidly." Several key points to properly rigging squid:
* Keep the head from tearing off by sewing it to the mantle.
* Make all stitches through the mantle's toughest part, along a line in the middle of the back.
* Bridle length must allow the squid to hang naturally straight (too short and the leader bends, too long and the squid bunches up on the hook).
* Hook, leader and bridle should be centered so the squid trolls without spinning. Store squid in very cold brine solution because contact with fresh water causes discoloration.

Step 1
Begin by inserting the hook in the valve in the squid's head and pushing the hook point out the beak. This method is better than simply spiking the head on the hook, which leaves too much meat in the hook gap and could interfere in hook setting. It also provides consistent entry and exit points when rigging and keeps the hook centered.
Step 2
Slide a single-barrel crimp far up the leader (to be used later for attaching bridle), pierce the mantle's apex and push the leader into the tail and out under the mantle at the head. Crimp the hook to the leader with a double-barrel crimp, then pull slack through the mantle and out the tail.

Step 3
Sew the head to keep it from tearing off while trolling. Use a 20-inch piece of floss and begin stitching from inside the squid, passing the needle out through the tough part of the mantle (along the center of the back) about 1 1/2 inches from the head. Cross over about half an inch and push the needle back inside and out under the mantle by the head. Then stitch through the head just behind the eyes.

Step 4
Tighten the box stitch so the size of the loop holds the head in a natural position. A loose loop lets the head flop about and eventually tear off; a tight loop pulls the head inside the mantle and looks unnatural. Tie off with a double-overhand knot (running the tag ends through the loop twice) to anchor the loop, followed by several single overhands.

Step 5
Squeeze the single-barrel crimp onto the leader about 2 inches above the point of the tail, then use a 2-foot piece of floss to make a bridle. Begin stitching about an inch down from the point of the tail, running the needle perpendicular to the leader and taking care not to pass floss under the leader. Leave about 10 inches of tag where floss enters the squid. Move about 1 1/2 inches toward the head and make another stitch through the body. Run the needle through once more beside the first stitch to complete a box, leaving long tags on both sides. This box stitch distributes the load over the squid's tail when trolled.

Step 6
Complete the bridle by pulling the tag ends snugly enough to keep the squid from bunching up on the hook, yet loose enough to let the bait hang straight without bending the leader. Anchor each tag end with a half-hitch (photo 6), then tie several overhands on either side of the leader and lock them with a double-overhand knot.

[Mike]

And another:

[hannaman]

Mike, That 2nd example is deadly. I'm on it. If I can just get them to eat tonight.

[ReelIntubaiter]

Fellow Swordfisherman:
I'm including some Squid rigging photos which I modified from a FS article late last year. It's a "no-stitch" squid rig.
Step 1- A 9/0 owner hook is crimped on to a 250lb mono leader. A second crimp is placed above the hook with a bead and small float inserted onto the leader.


Step2- A sharpened 1/8" brass rod is inserted under the mantle through the apex


Step 3- The mono leader is threaded through the brass rod.


Step 4- The brass rod is removed leaving the leader threaded through the squid


Step 5 - The float rig in pulled through the squid until it reaches the apex


Despite this method I've had 3 squids that were hit and "bunched up" on the hook. I added a second hook (see prior post) to help avoid the bunching problem. I didn't realize that there was a controversy regarding the use of a "stinger hook". The only time in the past that I have used a stinger hook is kingfishing when the strikes were consistently "short". The main reason I used a second hook near the squid apex was to prevent the squid from "bunching up". I don't believe a second hook will increase the mortality of released swords. Maybe I'm wrong.
Any feedback on this rig? I'd like to see how the more seasoned veterans rig their squids. Al

[ReelIntubaiter]

This is the correct step 5 photo.

I forgot to mention that I insert the hook through the funnel on the head with the point exiting near the beak. This appears to leave the hook more exposed for a better hookset.