Photos: Spero Kartanos.
BY SPERO KARTANOS
Catching them in the bay is different to fishing for tiger squid, which are on the weed beds in shallow water. You will find cuttlefish in the deeper water east of Ormiston and all the way to Mud Island, anywhere from 20 ft to 40 ft depth. I use a ball sinker on top of a jig, all the way to the bottom, and then jiggle slowly. They are also strange creatures in the way they grab the jigs from the side, and many times they will let go on the way up as the barbs of the jigs are on the end. Jigs called razorbacks with barbs on their backs work especially well, and the pink and orange jigs are especially effective.
I use extra-light rods, 5 to 6 feet, and a 10-pound line. It’s a good idea to use a net with a long handle to scoop them up. Their ink is ten times thicker than squid ink, and it is hard to clean. I use a stainless steel bucket to put them in, and the best ink-cleaning method I have found is 30 Seconds cleaner from Bunnings – it dissolves the ink from everything, but make sure you wash all surfaces down with water after using it.
If you want to read a much more detailed story about how and why and what jigs to use, there is an article I have written over at fishingmonthly.com.au about catching cuttlefish.
So, have fun, get inked and enjoy catching them!
