Gonna go squid fishing tonight
With so many squid boats in the Monterey Bay this past week I decided to go. I got to visualize the line from "The Hunt For Red October" where the candy stealing senator said "Your aircraft has dropped enough sonar buoys so that a man could walk from Greenland to Iceland to Scotland without getting his feet wet" but squid boats as sonar bouys.
With stay at home the wharf was empty (did a drive by Thursday night) or I suppose no one was there because there was nothing to catch? After I spent $13.00 for a half a vegetable/meat bag for squid if I can catch a full bag I'd be happy. Strange bit all the squids I bought were empty as if they were caught after they finished spawning. That was a first.
I'll have to nap later not sleep since I have to go pick up friend who also wants to go. Had it been only me I'd get there when I get up. That is if I did get up.
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I grew up on the fishing piers around Wrightsville Beach, N.C. Sometimes the squid would come in thick at night under the lights at the end of the pier. We would hurry and tie a snagging rig, several large treble hooks, on a rod and snag a mess of them. Some Greeks owned Crystal Pier and they would fry them up for us in the restaurant and man they was good chow. 0 -
Getting the real squid deal the way you guys catch your own is the only way you can be sure you're going to be eating real squid!
So far inland and away from any oceans, we are probably being fed a line of hog intestines cut into rings and sold as calamari!
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What size squid is the norm where you go, Yosh? 0 -
Do you use a net, snag or how to you do it? I've never had squid that I thought was worth the trouble. But I live in the midwest and fresh squid is not what you could call handy. If you pay enough we can get some fairly fresh seafood flown in on ice. I just go fishing and cook freshwater fish. I'm sure fresh squid prepared well is probably pretty tasty but I haven't had the pleasure. 0 -
kimi said:What size squid is the norm where you go, Yosh?8-12", I use to have a blast catching them on Crappie jigs.Yosh, pay attention to the Sea Lions on the Coast Guard breakwater. If they're all on the rocks, and not after the squid, Great Whites are in the bay, so don't fall in!
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Thank you.TRAP55 said:kimi said:What size squid is the norm where you go, Yosh?8-12", I use to have a blast catching them on Crappie jigs.Yosh, pay attention to the Sea Lions on the Coast Guard breakwater. If they're all on the rocks, and not after the squid, Great Whites are in the bay, so don't fall in!
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SCOUT5 - I'll be using the old school glow in the dark plastic squid jigs (they basically look like 3 ounce torpedo sinker with two rows of barbless hooks). Not the painted shrimp looking ones that cost a mint. The best part for me are the tentacles. Pop the eyes out underwater (like a zit) so you don't get the goo on you. Then pop the mouth out like you did with the eyes. Deep fried is the best lightly dusted with flour/starch to make it crispy. Pan fry the same way is also good and even boiled in plain water then seasoned after draining. Italian salad dressing or Kewpie Mayo.
I suppose the easiest is to split it, clean the guts and skin it but do leave the flaps (the other best parts). Dry them off and cut in to strips side ways 3/4" or there abouts. Sashimi. Now some folks cut the squid like noodles (fettuccini?) long ways. To me that's too much work. I'm hungry now. Also being kind a slippery the long strips will slip off the chop sticks (I imagine) also I believe it'll pick up too much soy sauce so you won't taste the squid.
Since the squids are coming out bigger and empty this year I may boil them and stuff the bodies with vinegared rice as quick squid condom sushi. Seen that done way back with the smaller squids years back (read a lot of work for these sausage fingers). I may give that a try with these bigger squids. If I can catch them that is.
kimi - How ever large the "Market Squid" gets. Never seen them 12", around here usually they're 6" maybe 7"? The ones I bought earlier in the week they were 8" kind a big for the area (must be a good growth year?). I do wonder with all these boats in the bay where they're sending the catch to be processed? China?
TRAP55 - I'll be at the fisherman's wharf and not the coast guard pier. So the only sealions I'll be seeing will be right under me harassing my squids.
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Yosh, that's the size we have in the Puget Sound area. I like the larger type of squid they use in Bella Napoli for calamari...the rings were usually about two inches across, give or take a bit, much larger than these smaller squid. 0 -
Fried Calamari with a good spicy/hot Marinara. Mmmnnnnn................................good.
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Do they still catch those big Humbolt squid off there? Have caught them off Baja in the Cortez. Real sea monsters! Like pulling a 5 gal. bucket that fights back. Tried cooking steaks off them but too much of a good thing. Much prefer the little ones fried crispy. 0 -
KenK/84Bravo said:
Fried Calamari with a good spicy/hot Marinara. Mmmnnnnn................................good.
Tempura deep fried, with Gyoza sauce for dipping, and Kirin beer!Yosh, that was my point, if they're out harassing your squid, it's safe to fall in.
Have you ever seen that giant Grouper that lives next to the breakwater between the CG Cutter and pier? About 6ft long and probably close to 100yrs old. The coasties would toss a roast chicken in there, and he would swallow it whole, along with all the smaller fish trying to get a bite of chicken. Even the sea lions don't mess with him.
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How'd you make out Yosh?
What did you get?
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kimi - I'm sure the squi down here's the same as the ones in the Sound. gartman - Maybe? I remember they were up here one summer few years back. Maybe they're out further but not at the wharf. TRAP55 - Never heard of the "grouper" at the Coast Guard Pier. Must be a secret or someone caught it and ate it? KenK/84Bravo - Caught no squid. Just a pile of eel grass and a empty rock oyster shell. I may have to go when the boats are doing repairs? Maybe this Friday night since they have a thing against going fishing on Fridays. Saw some sealions swimming. It's amazing how those blubbering masses can cut in the water. Saw a mother and baby sea otter. I think mom was snacking on squid. The baby was squeaking away. There were about 20 boats out there but I think they were staking claim since I don't think processers are open on Sunday and they weren't doing much. 0 -
Good to hear back from you Yosh. Was afraid you had been snatched by a "diablo rojo! 0
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