700 
FOREST AND STREAM 
December, 1918 
SALT WATER SQUIDDING AND JIGGING 
ALL RACES OF MEN IN ALL AGES HAVE TAKEN FISH IN THIS MANNER, BUT THE 
IMPLEMENTS USED TODAY ARE MORE EFFICIENT THAN THOSE OF OTHER DAYS 
By LEONARD HULIT, Associate Editor of FOREST AND STREAM 
1— Loaded cedar squid 
2— Squid for eel 
3— Loaded bone squid 
4 — The diamond squid, which is in 
uinversal use, size used for Atlantic 
Coast tuna 
5— Block tin bluefish squid 
6 — The popular Belmar model 
7, g—Squid for weakfish—pearl and 
block tin 
8 —Mackerel jig 
io—A novel squid for surf casting 
W HILE in a gen¬ 
eral sense the 
above terms are 
analogous still the 
practice as applied to¬ 
day has a different 
meaning in its broad 
sense and must be so 
treated. While it is to 
be believed that all 
races of men in all 
ages have taken fish in 
the manner known as 
“jigging,” yet we of 
to-day feel that our 
method is so improved 
that'' our fathers were 
but crude novices, and 
their appliances things 
of startling inefficiency. 
And yet they took fish; 
and fish a-plenty, if we 
are to believe some¬ 
what of the lore which 
is handed down from 
generation to genera¬ 
tion. Perhaps the 
greater abundance of 
fish was a cause. It 
may be that more pa¬ 
tience on the part of 
the angler is to be 
offered as a prime reason why such good 
catches are said to have been made. Be 
this as it may, it is sure that our pro¬ 
genitors knew the value of the unbaited 
lure when properly manipulated. 
The squid of fifty years ago was a thing 
of no real artistic beauty and of no spe¬ 
cific detail. They were made mostly by 
the fishermen themselves and in the crud¬ 
est of moulds, each man to his fancy, and 
all of lead. As this metal corrodes rapidly 
it required continual scraping to keep them 
at all bright. Later what was known in 
those days as “Britannia ware” became a 
great favorite to make these squids as it 
remained bright while in use and was easy 
to cast. It was the custom of the fish 
peddlers on their rounds to inquire of all 
the farmers for cast-off articles made from 
this ware. No matter how battered it 
might be it commanded a good price, and 
was eagerly taken. Later the block tin of 
commerce came into general use as it is 
perfectly adapted to this work, and now it 
is the one article in use. 
Of the many designs which have from 
time to time been on the market certain 
ones have been gradually eliminated until 
but two styles are to be found, while made 
in numerous sizes. What is known as the 
“diamond” pattern is the one in universal 
use; for jigging and deep sea trolling it 
works perfectly and it is to be doubted if 
its model can be improved upon. It tapers 
slightly from the center to either end, in 
one of which a stout swivel is cast, the 
other containing the single hook all har¬ 
moniously worked out so that the size of 
the squid will balance with the hook. The 
fisherman can procure at the tackle stores 
any size which may suit his fancy for the 
game he is in quest of. The other pat¬ 
tern is what is known as the “Belmar” and 
is totally different from the former, being 
cast perfectly flat on the top with well de¬ 
fined keel and nearly always with two 
hooks set in one end, at the other a free 
working swivel. 
The hooks are set at an angle so that 
the points will range with the respective 
sides of the squid and are deadly to any 
fish which may strike. Some makers are 
urging the sale of the loose-hook squid, 
that is, one cast with an eye in the end 
to which hooks so arranged that they will 
swing freely are attached. The claim for 
this is that once on the swinging hook the 
fish has no leverage with the squid proper 
to disengage itself. 
The advantage claimed 
by the adherents of 
this type of squid 
when considered from 
all angles is of doubt¬ 
ful acceptance and the 
disadvantages to be 
met with are so pro¬ 
nounced that the old 
favorite with station¬ 
ary hooks will doubt¬ 
less hold sway over its 
competitor. It was a 
happy thought which 
came to the man who 
first designed the keel 
to a squid; as the 
hooks are always set 
with points covering 
the flat side, the keel 
consequently is down 
and the hooks are al¬ 
ways up no matter 
how rapidly the squid 
may be run. They are 
thus ready at all times 
to fasten in the upper 
jaw of the fish which 
is the desired manner 
of hooking. The ad¬ 
vantage of two hooks 
is that when once they are set, it becomes 
almost impossible for the fish to disengage 
itself from the hook; for if one is released, 
the other at once sets, so that only the 
tearing away of a portion of the jaw will 
set the captive free. This type is univer¬ 
sally used in surf casting and is to be 
found in the kit of every one who is alive 
to the possibilities of its use, when blue- 
fish break in or the bass are in pursuit of 
the mullet in the autumn months. The 
proper weight is about three ounces, made 
from block tin and set with double hand- 
forged hooks. 
As the squid has a tendency when reeled 
in rapidly to rise to the top of the water, 
being in a straight line with the tip of the 
rod, it is well to bend the same slightly in 
the center. This can be done with the 
hand, and caution must be taken that it be 
bent just enough to cause the nose to dip 
when being run; thus remaining under the 
water slightly, and not at the surface as 
is the tendency. If the bend is too great, 
the tendency of the squid is to “flutter,” 
which will not do. A look at one which 
is in good hands will give the novice b 
better idea of the proper bend than cai 
well be given on paper. 
