Easy Squid Fishing from Mallorcan Coast

Catching squid off the coast of Mallorca made easy. Tips, technique and when to do so. No expensive tackle or complicated techniques needed; squid fishing simplified.

When are they accessible to inshore anglers?

When the water drops below 18 degrees at the end of October, the squid come to the shallows to spawn. This is a very interesting time, as it is not only boat owners now who can catch the ten-armed beasts.

From the end of October until April, they come ashore and 10 or more can be caught in one night at times.

Tackle

A rod between 2.20 and 3.20 metres is recommended, as fishing is often done from cliffs and a little more length makes it much easier. The rod should have a very fine tip action. The backbone does not need to be very stiff as the squid do not make long escapes.

All you need is a 2000 to 4000 size stationary reel. Best spooled with 0.08 to 0.14 braid, a leader of at least 50cm and tied to that a snap.

• Rod: 2.40 - 3.40 metres, casting weight 5-40 grams, soft all-round rod, moderate action.

• Reel: size 2000 - 4000, with fine drag adjustment

• Line: 0.08 - 0.14 braided line

• Leader: min. 50 cm flourocarbon, 0.20 - 0.30

• Small snap, e.g. Egi-Snap from Daiwa, min. 3 kilos

The lures used are called 'Egi'-Lures. You can see them in the last picture. They have their own scale. It starts at 1.5 (3-4 gr) and ends at 4.5 (30-35 gr). Many swear by a particular colour, I prefer white or pink, but I have caught squid with all colours.

When to fish

From an hour before sunset to an hour after sunrise, you can reliably catch squid from the coast.

Technique and fight behaviour

Casting out and letting the lure sink to the bottom is the first step. After hitting the bottom, let the squid lure jump two or three times and then let it sink again. Since the bait has been on the bottom before, you can estimate how long it will take for the bait to reach the bottom again. The lure does not have to hit the bottom every time.

The earlier in the day it is, the deeper you should fish. At night you fish through the entire water column. Squid are often at the same depth. So if you have bites in the same depth, the squid are there. It helps to count the seconds so that you have the right depth for each cast.

Bite and fighting behaviour

A slight tug on the lure means a bite. No hard bite or anything like that, as you would expect from a fish. When contact is made, do not strike, just taut the line and reel in evenly. The drag should be soft as squid have thin skin and soft flesh.

Landing

A landing net is advisable, but not essential, as squid do not fall off easily when lifted. Freshly prepared, they are a real treat and well worth trying.

Hand edge strike

Once you have successfully landed a squid, you need to take good care of it. The easiest way to do this is to hit it with the edge of your hand where the head begins.

Fried in pieces, stuffed or grilled, they are always a treat and one of the most delicious there are in the Mediterranean.