Can squid smell ?

[Kimtown]

Some interesting points on this thread.
Brett is spot on about squid hanging in the outer shadows, they aren't naturally attracted to light, but the lower end of the food chain is, and they follow.
As regards eyesight, much like dogs and many other animals, squid don't have cones in the retina, (the organs that detect colour), but they have tightly packed rods, (the organs that detect light). The consequence is that they can detect minute differences in shade and contrast, so different colour jigs will reflect light differently, hence why a change of colour will sometimes induce a strike.
Again, an enjoyable thread, nice work.

I knew there would be at least 1 clever bastard amongst us who dealt in cold hard facts and not just speculation like the rest of us lol. Well done

[Bugatti]

Brett is spot on about squid hanging in the outer shadows, they aren't naturally attracted to light, but the lower end of the food chain is, and they follow.

They can but I find Burley brings in pest fish more then the squid

Squid generally hang in the shadows of the lights. They aren't attracted to the lights themselves, but they are attracted to the bait fish etc, that ARE attracted to the lights. If that makes any sense.

Yeah, it does make sense - small fish follow the light - so then - squid follow in the small fish. Making it "seem" like the squid are going to the light BUT are actually following in the small fish.

Could this concept of following small fish also explain why berley may "seem" to attract squid. It is actually the small fish that are attracted to the berley, and the squid are actually chasing in the small fish and not coming in for the berley, or smell?

Or even the way the jig falls....
But then how does a sleeper jig get hit almost everytime theres one out?

On the sleeper jig (gotta love the sleeper jig, easy catches 1/4 to 1/3 of the haul) it sits static at the boat, moving with the boat's movements. Well, with the casting and retrieving of our jig, when we get the jig back to the boat (and unbeknown to us a squid is following it), we lift the jig out and cast far away and far away from the squid we didn't realise we brought to the boat. So maybe this "hungry" squid now can't see it's first choice, which brought him to the boat AND now being hungry for its missed preference (colour, movement, action) the opportunity of the "wrong colour/wrong action" sleeper jig is taken by default.

[smile0784]

Some interesting points on this thread.
Brett is spot on about squid hanging in the outer shadows, they aren't naturally attracted to light, but the lower end of the food chain is, and they follow.
As regards eyesight, much like dogs and many other animals, squid don't have cones in the retina, (the organs that detect colour), but they have tightly packed rods, (the organs that detect light). The consequence is that they can detect minute differences in shade and contrast, so different colour jigs will reflect light differently, hence why a change of colour will sometimes induce a strike.
Again, an enjoyable thread, nice work.

Great information

[smile0784]

Brett is spot on about squid hanging in the outer shadows, they aren't naturally attracted to light, but the lower end of the food chain is, and they follow.

They can but I find Burley brings in pest fish more then the squid

Squid generally hang in the shadows of the lights. They aren't attracted to the lights themselves, but they are attracted to the bait fish etc, that ARE attracted to the lights. If that makes any sense.

Yeah, it does make sense - small fish follow the light - so then - squid follow in the small fish. Making it "seem" like the squid are going to the light BUT are actually following in the small fish.

Could this concept of following small fish also explain why berley may "seem" to attract squid. It is actually the small fish that are attracted to the berley, and the squid are actually chasing in the small fish and not coming in for the berley, or smell?

Or even the way the jig falls....
But then how does a sleeper jig get hit almost everytime theres one out?

On the sleeper jig (gotta love the sleeper jig, easy catches 1/4 to 1/3 of the haul) it sits static at the boat, moving with the boat's movements. Well, with the casting and retrieving of our jig, when we get the jig back to the boat (and unbeknown to us a squid is following it), we lift the jig out and cast far away and far away from the squid we didn't realise we brought to the boat. So maybe this "hungry" squid now can't see it's first choice, which brought him to the boat AND now being hungry for its missed preference (colour, movement, action) the opportunity of the "wrong colour/wrong action" sleeper jig is taken by default.

Good theory on the default jig strike
Best one I heard so far

[Mattblack]

Never really used a 'sleeper jig', but sounds like I should...do you just throw out a jig & float on a hand line or something?

[smile0784]

If your on a boat and fishing in say 3mt of water
Put rod in rear snapper rack and work out difference from rod tip and water say 1mt.

Let.out 3.5mt of line and leave drag loose for it a squid takes it or you hook the bottom

[Mattblack]

If your on a boat and fishing in say 3mt of water
Put rod in rear snapper rack and work out difference from rod tip and water say 1mt.

Let.out 3.5mt of line and leave drag loose for it a squid takes it or you hook the bottom

....and the rocking of the boat 'jigs' it yeah?

[Bugatti]

If your on a boat and fishing in say 3mt of water
Put rod in rear snapper rack and work out difference from rod tip and water say 1mt.

Let.out 3.5mt of line and leave drag loose for it a squid takes it or you hook the bottom

....and the rocking of the boat 'jigs' it yeah?

Yeah, the rocking of the boat moves the jig.

Works well drifting or on anchor. Drifting may need a heavier jag. I've tried a sinker type setup if the drift is a bit fast and the jag doesn't stay down but found that simply a heavier jag gets better results

I do exactly as smile, only difference is I have the in-hull type of rod holders at the stern and little chance of the rod getting pulled out. So I have a kilo or two of drag to start setting the jag.

Snapper Rack

rod holder 1.jpg (4.75 KiB) Viewed 1667 times

The type I have, in-hull

rod holder 2.jpg (2.89 KiB) Viewed 1667 times