The month of May on Cape Cod brings tautog fillets and plenty of fried calamari. A precursor to the predatory schools of striped bass and bluefish that follow close behind, large shoals of squid flood the coastal waters. During this time, many pursue these abundant cephalopods on their boat or a local pier. A feeding school can be found at just about any time of the day but the bite really gears up at night when aided by underwater lights. Whether on a pier or boat, an underwater LED not only acts as a visual aid but also as an attractant for the baitfish the squid are feeding on.
There is a great feeling you get when you are night squid fishing on the Cape. The chill of winter has faded and you can feel summer approaching in the breeze that passes by. The stripers are just around the corner and excitement surges in anticipation for the impending season. Any squid that aren’t eaten will be used throughout the summer as cut bait for black sea bass and fluke.
There are a variety of squid jigs and ways to rig said jigs, yet the majority resemble little shrimps. These jigs are fished along the bottom with a slow and short jig motion. I will either fish these vertically or, with a short cast out, working the rig back towards the boat or pier. There are many small hooks on each jig that are made for the squid’s tentacles to latch on to. These hooks are barbless so maintaining tension on the line is a must. That being said, loosen up your drag and don’t set the hook as too much pressure will end up in lost squid.
A bucket is going to be at the top of the list for gear items to bring along because they will greatly reduce the amount of ink splatter you get on yourself or your boat. Once you bring a squid to the surface they will typically release most of their ink but get them into the bucket quickly because they usually have more. Still, come prepared to be stained with ink and do not wear any clothes you can’t bleach or really care about. If you’re fishing from your boat, cleanup is going to take a little extra time after these outings. Make sure to scrub the ink spots with a bleach and water solution before they get a chance to really set in. As long as you don’t mind a little messiness there shouldn’t be too much of a dilemma.
Back at home, preparation for the dinner table is far from complicated. After a quick rinse, I seperate the head from the mantle and remove the piece of cartilage that is inside. Continue to rinse out the body cavity and remove the wings and thin layer of skin. Once cleaned you can laterally cut the mantle into slices, creating circles of squid meat that are ready for the fryer. To prepare the tentacles, cut with your knife just below the eyes and remove the beak. Being such a useful and easy-to-catch species, there aren’t many reasons not to kick off the saltwater season with a bucket full of squid.
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