South Coast A night to remember...

[Bluemicky]

You are red hot this year ?

 

[bananas]

They are massive, well done on hanging in there till the end for them.

 

[Trampster]

Another fabulous report & photos Si - well done! I never knew Squid got that big! ????

 

[Leginfisher]

Some excellent size squid there, wonder how big the one that got away was!

 

[Chalton]

Wow

 

[J Richards]

Well done mate. Some cracking squid there, i’ve still had a go for them yet, even though its 15 mins from my door lol.
I’ve heard a few lumps have come out this year, fingers crossed they stay a while.

 

[Mr Fish]

I’d like to try squidding but I’d only keep them for bait and my logic says driving to the south coast for the equivalent of a box of squid isn’t very economical lol.

Will definitely try if I’m already down that way though. Or perhaps look at Ilfracombe pier some time, although I hate the place.

 

[chesilpete]

Cracking Krakens

 

[Tatunka joe]

Hi all, as mentioned in my Bream report, the main reason I headed down South from my local reefs, was to try for a Squid, not just any squid but hopefully one of the monsters that occasionally show at Weymouth around now.

A good mate of mine had a lovely 3lber out the start of last week, which was just the encouragement I needed to plan a trip, weather was good, so down I went heading for where my mate had his and I'd also had my current PB.

I arrived early and setup on my preferred spot, wind was a bit more than I wanted, but not too bad and all looked good, water was pretty clear as well.
Other anglers started to arrive and it began to get busy. They were however all going 100y+ away which suited me just fine... Nothing worse that lights in your eyes all night, and I'm sure the squid share my views on this!!

Anyway out went a jig and I started fishing. Nothing, not a single tap ?

Not how I'd planned things tbh.... I'd imagined loads of squid by this point! ?

I kept changing jigs, depth, speed, tried alsorts but alas no squid. I was now starting to wonder if the rest of the squidders knew something I didn't..... We're they catching?.... Too far away to see unfortunately, so I messaged a couple of mates to see if they were down there or had any advice.
Neither knew anyone fishing, but both said try a different spot a couple of miles away. ?
Now the lad in the local tackle shop had also mentioned the same spot and I had almost gone there, but having never fished it before I stuck with plan A.

Back at the van I was thinking of going over to the other squidders, when 2 lads came over asking how I got on and how no one had caught a single squid further along..... Decision made I was straight off to plan B.

It was pretty busy on spot two, and looked just as slow, most seemed to be blanking, until I spoke to a couple of lads that had about 13 squid including a massive one around 4lb!!....wow I'd never seen a squid so big..... It was Huge!!! ?

These lads were very helpful, and I enjoyed chatting for a bit until they started to pack and I slotted in to their spot.
Out went my jig, full of hope again, but the squid had buggered off and I only saw one small one caught in the next 3 hrs!

By now most of the squidders had left and I'd moved spots a number of times ever hopeful of that first bite.

It was now getting late and I was the only one left hunting squid, with a few lads using bait.
One young lad was bagging up on pout etc when he had a lovely leopard spotted gobbie.... Arrrrh. I wanted one ?. Never had one, and so wished I'd brought the rag I had in the van!! View attachment 18421i was tempted to go get it, but it was a squid trip, so I stuck with the jigs.

Just 3 or 4 of us left now and I'd just about had enough and about to pack, when the jig snagged the bottom.... Nooooo..... Not now?. Typical.

I started to pull with greater force to hopefully pull out of whatever it was, when it started to pull back..... Wow it stripped line and kept going!!!.... Wow

I managed to stop it after about 20y of taking line, but hadn't gained any back when disaster.... It came off ?..... Quickly I let the jig just drop...... Maybe, just maybe..... I slowly tightened the line and BANG.... It was back on!!!

Stripping line again, what a squid this was... Amazing power on the LRF rod.

NO...... off again.... Arrrrrrrh. This time it was gone for good..... I was gutted, and could only wonder how big it was.... I hate that feeling.

I decided then to stay and give it another half hour or so.... 15 mins went by, when BANG I was in again!.... "Please stay on".. I was saying in my head ?
This one was also stripping line, but nothing like the earlier one. It would take 5-10y then I'd gain a bit before it went again. Slowly I was gaining more and winning the battle, then after a bit of back and forth at the net it was in.
I felt great.... It was a monster.... Later on I weighed it dry at 4lb 8oz. Wow super happy with that ?View attachment 18422
Buzzing now out went the jig again, not really caring if I caught anymore, just going through the motions, when a few casts later BANG in again!..... Line was peeling off the reel again.... No way, another one!

A very similar fight to the previous one except that when I put the torch on there was a 2nd even bigger squid attacking the one I'd hooked!!!.... Crazy or what.... It stayed there a fair way in before it sunk to the depths and I landed another beauty.

This one was bigger again... 4lb10 it weighed later, and a bit longer with a mantle of 53.5cm.

What a way to end the night. View attachment 18424
Still clutching it's last meal as well... These things are proper hardcore! View attachment 18425
What a crazy half hour.
BANG in again, another nice one, then another..... All big squid.

4 now for around 15lb+.... Crazy! View attachment 18426

I carried on for another hr, but they had gone, I was knackered, so called it a night at 2am.

Back at the van I was still buzzing, nights like that just don't come along very often.

I kept thinking, if I had given up with the others how dissapointed I would have been..... Such a fine line between failure and success in this game.

Cheers Si.

You Cephalopod slaying mother f@@ker stunning catch’s Si ???

 

[Si-fly]

You Cephalopod slaying mother f@@ker stunning catch’s Si ???

If you want a try Tat.... They make great dog bait bud ?????

 

[Tatunka joe]

If you want a try Tat.... They make great dog bait bud ?????

Had my pb Huss on a fresh one last week bey but I do love dogfish ?

 

[Espadon jim]

Hi all, as mentioned in my Bream report, the main reason I headed down South from my local reefs, was to try for a Squid, not just any squid but hopefully one of the monsters that occasionally show at Weymouth around now.

A good mate of mine had a lovely 3lber out the start of last week, which was just the encouragement I needed to plan a trip, weather was good, so down I went heading for where my mate had his and I'd also had my current PB.

I arrived early and setup on my preferred spot, wind was a bit more than I wanted, but not too bad and all looked good, water was pretty clear as well.
Other anglers started to arrive and it began to get busy. They were however all going 100y+ away which suited me just fine... Nothing worse that lights in your eyes all night, and I'm sure the squid share my views on this!!

Anyway out went a jig and I started fishing. Nothing, not a single tap ?

Not how I'd planned things tbh.... I'd imagined loads of squid by this point! ?

I kept changing jigs, depth, speed, tried alsorts but alas no squid. I was now starting to wonder if the rest of the squidders knew something I didn't..... We're they catching?.... Too far away to see unfortunately, so I messaged a couple of mates to see if they were down there or had any advice.
Neither knew anyone fishing, but both said try a different spot a couple of miles away. ?
Now the lad in the local tackle shop had also mentioned the same spot and I had almost gone there, but having never fished it before I stuck with plan A.

Back at the van I was thinking of going over to the other squidders, when 2 lads came over asking how I got on and how no one had caught a single squid further along..... Decision made I was straight off to plan B.

It was pretty busy on spot two, and looked just as slow, most seemed to be blanking, until I spoke to a couple of lads that had about 13 squid including a massive one around 4lb!!....wow I'd never seen a squid so big..... It was Huge!!! ?

These lads were very helpful, and I enjoyed chatting for a bit until they started to pack and I slotted in to their spot.
Out went my jig, full of hope again, but the squid had buggered off and I only saw one small one caught in the next 3 hrs!

By now most of the squidders had left and I'd moved spots a number of times ever hopeful of that first bite.

It was now getting late and I was the only one left hunting squid, with a few lads using bait.
One young lad was bagging up on pout etc when he had a lovely leopard spotted gobbie.... Arrrrh. I wanted one ?. Never had one, and so wished I'd brought the rag I had in the van!! View attachment 18421i was tempted to go get it, but it was a squid trip, so I stuck with the jigs.

Just 3 or 4 of us left now and I'd just about had enough and about to pack, when the jig snagged the bottom.... Nooooo..... Not now?. Typical.

I started to pull with greater force to hopefully pull out of whatever it was, when it started to pull back..... Wow it stripped line and kept going!!!.... Wow

I managed to stop it after about 20y of taking line, but hadn't gained any back when disaster.... It came off ?..... Quickly I let the jig just drop...... Maybe, just maybe..... I slowly tightened the line and BANG.... It was back on!!!

Stripping line again, what a squid this was... Amazing power on the LRF rod.

NO...... off again.... Arrrrrrrh. This time it was gone for good..... I was gutted, and could only wonder how big it was.... I hate that feeling.

I decided then to stay and give it another half hour or so.... 15 mins went by, when BANG I was in again!.... "Please stay on".. I was saying in my head ?
This one was also stripping line, but nothing like the earlier one. It would take 5-10y then I'd gain a bit before it went again. Slowly I was gaining more and winning the battle, then after a bit of back and forth at the net it was in.
I felt great.... It was a monster.... Later on I weighed it dry at 4lb 8oz. Wow super happy with that ?View attachment 18422
Buzzing now out went the jig again, not really caring if I caught anymore, just going through the motions, when a few casts later BANG in again!..... Line was peeling off the reel again.... No way, another one!

A very similar fight to the previous one except that when I put the torch on there was a 2nd even bigger squid attacking the one I'd hooked!!!.... Crazy or what.... It stayed there a fair way in before it sunk to the depths and I landed another beauty.

This one was bigger again... 4lb10 it weighed later, and a bit longer with a mantle of 53.5cm.

What a way to end the night. View attachment 18424
Still clutching it's last meal as well... These things are proper hardcore! View attachment 18425
What a crazy half hour.
BANG in again, another nice one, then another..... All big squid.

4 now for around 15lb+.... Crazy! View attachment 18426

I carried on for another hr, but they had gone, I was knackered, so called it a night at 2am.

Back at the van I was still buzzing, nights like that just don't come along very often.

I kept thinking, if I had given up with the others how dissapointed I would have been..... Such a fine line between failure and success in this game.

Cheers Si.

Wow super result well done
tight lines
Espadon

 

[Pigtin]

I've never caught a squid and don't expect to catch one now. But you may be interested in one I bought, fresh, from the fishmonger a couple years ago.
It felt oddly solid, and when I cut it open there was a fish inside it almost as big as itself. In fact the dead fish was wearing the squid like an overcoat.
I took out the fish and photographed it.
How the squid managed to swallow it is a mystery to me.

 

[Wolf]

Well done mate great catch, good report ???

 

[Mr Fish]

I've never caught a squid and don't expect to catch one now. But you may be interested in one I bought, fresh, from the fishmonger a couple years ago.
It felt oddly solid, and when I cut it open there was a fish inside it almost as big as itself. In fact the dead fish was wearing the squid like an overcoat.
I took out the fish and photographed it.
How the squid managed to swallow it is a mystery to me.
View attachment 18609

Aliens! ???