Summer feasts: get your calamari now, fresh from the bay! - The Community Leader and Real Estate New and Views

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Summer feasts: get your calamari now, fresh from the bay!

Fishing

Photos: Spero Kartanos.

BY SPERO KARTANOS

February is one of the best months to catch tiger squid in the bay. Find them close in at Green Island, Wellington Point, Mud (on the north-west side), and of course, throughout the weed banks from Chain Banks, Amity, the Rous Channel, the Sand Hills, and all along the western side of Moreton Island.

Tiger squid fishing is great fun for the family, and the kids love to eat them – and at this time of the year, they are ravenous!

All you need for squid fishing is a couple of good-quality squid jigs on a light rod. Jig colours vary, but a pilchard-colour jig, like NKN Yamashita or the Daiwa blood-coloured shrimp, is as good as you can get. Then it’s just a matter of casting out and retrieving slowly, or if you are fishing for whiting, a jig under a float will catch them as well.

A little trick: when you catch them and lift them out of the water, grab between the head and body and turn the squid upside down so they release the water. That way, they can’t mix water with ink to squirt you, and please, don’t drag squid behind the boat to clean and remove the skin – it’s the best-tasting part of the squid.

BUT beware… if you catch plenty of squid, sooner or later, when you bring them in, you will get inked! Another tip: if you get ink on your boat, the easiest way to clean up is “30 Seconds” cleaner from Bunnings – it makes squid ink disappear without rubbing, but don’t let kids use it, and don’t get it in your eyes.

So, get inked and have some fresh calamari for lunch and dinner this month.

Good fishing!

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