I have caught lots of squid, but the ugly buggers give me the creeps. Grab them behind the head and their tentacles suck onto you like an umbrella. The slimy things then drag themselves inexhorably around until they can get at you with their beak. About this time, it is perfectly normal to sqeal like a girl and throw it out of the boat or onto the rocks.
What is the best way to handle them, and horror of horrors, put a live one on a rig? I wait until they die before I tear their heads of to use for bait and clean the tubes to eat.
The pics show that I am not a total wuss, as they are squid rings on the barbie The bream were caught on the heads and arms of the squid. Jumpy has a stick to belt them with, so they release their ink before they hit the deck. I have been very slightly inked, and it is a cow to get off. How would the poor sucker in the photo feel???

hooo dear, do i have to teach u blokes about cooking now, squid on the bbq is a no no the best way to cook them is in a pan or wok

to a wok add olive oil, sorry i don't understand this new metric thing 2ozes
to this add crushed garlic and chopped chilly to taste
bring this to a very high heat and add squid cook for a max of 1minute
serve with lemon rice

hmmm lemon rise, that's another recipe enjoy

Is that you getting a shower. :huh:
I use a net and when scooped I lift up and then drop belly flop the squid back down, this usually gets them shity and they squirt, then still in net and in water tap em on the head with frame of net as net is long enoughf repeat a couple of times by then all ink should be expelled, lift up outa water and make shaw he has no water in itself as this gives it the thrust to jet out ink by this stage its pretty well beat and its easely handled , grab behind head tightly and all should be good I just drop em in live bait tank or put in bucket head first

Cooking isn't the problem poly. They are dead at that stage If you soak the calamari in milk for 15 mins, the enzymes soften it up really nicely.
Handling the creepy live ones is the question...

Where's that Arnie Dog he's a Classic when it comes to handling Squid He'll tell ewe how it's Done

Thats not a stick kk it's an old fishing rod & it's a rip snorta @ that

1st what you need to do is hook a squid & get it to the boat
Next you need to position the squids aim, generally @ someone on the boat who's about to get sucked in
Next grab the stick/rod & give the squid a rap on the back
Next you start pissing yourself laughing caused if you aimed correctly that person will look like kk did in the pic

Good topic KK,


Never been too good at catching the old squid,but found the best way to handle them one night.


I jigged a good one up on a squidgie one night,whilst fishing with Dave.At first i thought i'd hooked a bag,no fight just a dead weight,but once it got near the boat,it started to play up & i could tell it was a squid.

That's when i told Dave to get the net 'i think i've got a good fish don't know what it is tho'

He leaned in & had good hard look,that's when i lifted the squid outta the water just enough to sqirt Dave ...right in the face.

He cried 'aaawww man,i had me mouth open too'.I nearly fell outta the boat with laughter.All night he was goin 'uuuuuhhhhhhmmmmm uu uuu uuuucccckkk'

But all this talk of a stick reminds me.When i fished the bay,me m8 used ta carry the butt off a pool cue on board,just so we could flog the ocky's.We used to whack'em a few times till they lost their colour,then grab them with a big nasty pair of gripper's b4 cutting a few legs off & then letting them go.

Once while cutting legs off & passing them round the boat i looked down and relized Henry only had one leg left :jawdrop:.

Once they are outta the water they cant make ink so grab em, they dont bite!! hahaha! point em out of boat untill they spray out the ink and throwem im bucket? works for me..

I actually beleive that some people actually use the ink to cook the squid!

But they can still store it thats why you need a stick

O.K. I'm ready. Point me at the squid. I can grab it while it is still alive and kicking. I have got my child scaring outfit on, and ready for anything. So, hook it, tap it on the back, making sure it is aiming elsewhere, pull it in the boat and throw it in a headlock. Can I start with a small one please See the bloke in the grey shorts needs to change his underwear..

Never caught one, never seen one caught, never fished for them but I have had them following my bait many times.
I did buy a couple of jigs a while back but never got a chance to try them out.
Do they really bite and does anyone know a surefire way of handling them without getting yourself or the boat inked?

Only the Dogtooth squid Fed

Dont listen to kk he's a woose

You need a stick to train them

Stick Schmik do a Mr Miagi KK just bring them in slowly and steadily and keep them horizontal in the water and lead them along side the boat and slide your hand up behind them and hold on firmly. The secret is DO NOT point them at yourself just hold their head away from you and you are in business. I generally hold them over the side of the boat for a second or two and shake em. That usually get them to shoot that lovely black ink but it is in the drink not in the boat. Another thing to watch as you bring one in get another lure behind it as they usually come in 2's 3's or 4's. Not uncommon to get 2 or 3 at one time. Squid can't bite you if you have em behind the head. You need to control them not them you Ockys now that is a different story my Pop showed me how to catch them but more importantly he said don't be scared of them. I grab them behind the head VERY TIGHTLY and bite em between the eyes now that slows em up. I then turn their heads inside out give em a few slams on the wharf or rocks and they are finished. and are they good tucker if cooked right. If you come down I guarantee I will get you a good feed of squid and you will not get inked thats the truth Bro. Happy Squidding

Buggerit, I'm not touching them... ever.

Hey Fed !

Told ewe Arnie had a special technique

Are these your teeth Arnie? Is this you??? You need big teeth to bite an occy.

Thats the real CHAD

The Shiek of Scrubby Creek. Shoulda known you would know him Sumo. Probably took him pig shooting

This is not about handling squid as I have not as yet caught one. The first squid jig that I purchased I allowed someone to borrow and they caught some. We were fishing off the rocks and you can guess as to when happen next. He lost the jig on the rocks. I have since replaced the jig but not caught any. I have one in the backpack ready to go just in case I get the feeling that things are right.

I have another story of a friend catching squid with out a jig and I am sure that you might have seen and even done the same. It was late at in the evening towards dark we were fishing off the rocks. This friend had caught a fish and it was heavy compared to what was on the line. He caught sight of a Squid attached to his fish. The fish was in pretty bad shape by the time that it was pulled in. So he secured it a little better and threw it out again. This time with the intention of catching the squid. After a few casts in the area he feels the weight on the line. He did not have a jig and so as soon as you lift the fish out of the water the squid would have gone. We are fishing next to him and he yells SQUID, while lifting the rod quickly and deliberate in an arc about his head. The squid lands behind us on the rocks and so we have one. We put this in the bucket and he catches another one. By this time we switch to squid jigs but nothing comes on to our lines.

Now lets chat about cooking. The next time we go we target the Squid and bring this friend along. We take a portable BQQ with us and setup ready for a feed. We do have backup plan of sausages and meat but was not needed. We caught fish and Squid and only eat what we caught. We opened up the squid and wrapped in foil with lemon juice. We did a very slow cook with little heat and the Squid at the very edge of the BBQ. Very tender eating.

Christos

Hey Christos,

That reminds me of my best Squid from Botany Bay.

Once on a comp day with the club i was getting good sharp bites but i could'nt set the hooks,i could feel this thing just mouthing the bait.

I kept toying with this thing till i thought it had a good hold then i WHACKED it with gusto!! I managed to get it near the boat,still out of sight then it dropped off again

I was fishing with a set of gangs and noticed a bit of squid skin on the last hook.'It's a Squid,it's a Squid' i yelled while tieing on a little length of mono with a treble hook attached,loaded up with a pillie and a few whitebait on the treble.

I dropped it down and hooked up almost imediately to a nice big Squid

Best way to handle 'em is either on a hook or on a fork. :COOL: ^_^