Late-season squidding produces big catches with very little competition.
It’s October and there’s still a good chunk of the fall run left to go, but any fisherman who’s been around for a few years knows that the end is approaching quickly. As we transition into the latter half of the month, I make sure to get several trips in for my favorite nighttime fishery: the fall squid run. Because, before I know it, I’ll be winterizing the boat and stoking the wood stove and squidding is a ton of fun, provides great meals and awesome bait as well.
Here in the Northeast the spring squid run is well-known and tends to get most of the press and fanfare, but don’t sleep on the fall run! It is quietly one of the most consistent fall fisheries we have in New England, and it generally comes with less competition in the form of other anglers (as well as competing predators) and builds to a strong finale before it completely shuts down when the water temps drop below 50 degrees.
Polar Opposites
In some respects, the fall run is the polar opposite of the spring run, whereas in the spring the largest squid arrive early and are eventually followed by more aggressive smaller squid, in the fall the opposite is true. The fall run begins with smaller squid that arrive first and then, as the water temps begin dropping toward 50 degrees, larger and larger squid move in. The other notable difference that runs counter to the spring run is that while in the spring more and more predators arrive as the water warms up, in the fall the squid are increasingly left alone to feed unmolested by larger predators as the bass, blues, albies and sea bass depart to migrate along the coast or head offshore. This reduction in predators allows the squid to relax and they become less skittish and more focused on feeding…and eating your jigs.
While spring and fall squid fishing are fairly similar, tactically there are a few changes I make that are specific to the fall fishery. One is to be prepared to pull the plug and move to a new area (or switch over to fishing for blues and stripers). If predators find your lights with a concentration of squid under them, they aren’t going to leave, so you can either switch over or you will need to relocate. October still holds plenty of blues and stripers throughout southern New England, so if you do too good of a job attracting bait and squid under your lights your party will get crashed. This is increasingly less of an issue as you cross into November.
Rigged Competition
One way to minimize predator interactions is to fish in deeper water. I will generally start off in 30 to 50 feet of water, which doesn’t completely eliminate stripers and blues from the equation, but it typically drastically reduces their presence. As the water temps dip into the 50’s, I’ll move into shallower water, settling in the mid to upper 20-foot range for most of November. As previously mentioned, fall squid get larger and larger as the season gets later and waters get colder, which not only adds a bit more excitement to each catch but also fills the bucket a lot faster.
| FINDING SQUID |
| Shadow lines cast on the water by artificial lights are always a good place to look. But finding squid isn’t any different than finding other predatory fish; they are here to eat, and setting up where they are likely to find what they’re looking for is going to set you up for success. The passages between major bays and the ocean are great bets. You’re also likely to find success in deeper waters that lie close to major inlets or breachways. Use your electronics and stay mobile, until you find the squid! |
I typically start off the fall with minnow or shrimp style jigs, typically made by Yo-Zuri or Tsunami. These jigs mimic the baitfish that are leaving the bay. Later in the season I will switch over to the smaller, Coleman (ice cream cone style) jigs as the water cools and fewer baitfish remain in the bay. I also tend to slow my presentation down as the water cools, especially once it gets to 55 degrees or lower, I do much less “jigging” and allow the jigs to “drift” more, which seems to pay off for me.
My general gear for squid remains the same as it does in the spring; light to light medium spinning gear with a rod rated 1/8- to 5/8-ounce, I find that this rig works well from either boat or shore. If you want to have a rod dedicated just for the Coleman style jigs you can go a bit lighter and opt for a 1/16- to 3/8-ounce rod rating , I always recommend use of mono instead of braid when nighttime squid fishing. As the temps drop, trying to untangle hair thin braid in the dark becomes a chore that’s not worth whatever gains you might get from better feel and in truth, the extra stretch from mono tends to pop off fewer squid when you are bringing them in, 10-pound test works fine.
Tools Of The Trade
Good sonar helps to find the squid – especially if you are new to fall squidding and are looking around for place to start. I often start in the deep channels, near bridges, docks or piers when beginning. Shadow lines are always worth exploring. I rely on Humminbird Helix sonar units; but the real key is knowing your unit and being able to increase the intensity a bit when looking for squid as they typically don’t mark as well as fish due to their lack of swim bladders. I am usually looking for thin spaghetti like marks within 5 feet of the bottom.
Moving around is key until you dial them in. Pulling the anchor in late fall after dark isn’t a ton of fun, but it works. If you are able to utilize a trolling motor with spot lock technology to help hold you in place without anchoring it certainly will make life easier and keep your hands warmer at the end of the trip, I currently run the Minn Kota Instinct which holds my boat as steady as can be and lets me focus on the catching part of the equation.
Lights help attract bait and squid, either above the surface, gunnel-mounted or underwater lights will work. Some anglers go old-school and bring a standard generator which also works, but it limits what you can hear outside the boat and that can be dangerous as I have seen anglers completely unaware of approaching boats in the dark because they were unable to hear their motor. Needless to say, I am not so much of a fan of generator-powered lights, these days. The new LED lights draw minimal juice and a small motorcycle batter can provide all the extra electric you need for a night of squid fishing. And there are some new submersible lights, such as those made by Nebo, that run on their own rechargeable battery and can be lowered into the water on a rope. These things put out a ton of light, too!
| SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED |
| Offshore anglers who target tuna, swordfish, and shark will have another reason make a few squid runs in the fall. As the water cools, the big squid move in and, November in particular, is very productive for jumbo tube squid, that can be vacuum-sealed and for next season’s offshore runs. You’ll thank yourself later if you make the effort now. |
This fall squid run really helps extend my season, and most years I’ll make my last runs in early-December. The squidding might be good well past that, but even with the milder winters, December nights on a boat get cold quick and tying knots and dealing with my catch becomes tougher and tougher on my hands. But, as an angler in New England, pulling the boat in December means that I’ve squeezed every last drop out of the season, and there’s something to be said for that. I hope you’ll try fall squidding this year and I wish you the best of luck if you do.
