Squid are available from jetties and rock walls across the southern half of Australia almost every month of the year, they eat a jig readily, and they are outstanding on the table and as bait.
This guide covers where squid actually sit, how to choose and work a jig, and the night-light technique that produces the biggest calamari.
Where squid hold
Southern calamari sit over seagrass and on the edges where weed meets sand. That edge is the single most important feature.
From a jetty, the productive water is usually along the sides over weed, not straight out the end over open sand.
Clean water matters. Squid hunt by sight, so a dirty blow-out after strong onshore wind will shut a spot down for a day or two.
Jig choice and the pause
Size 2.5 jigs for shallow, calm and clear water; 3.0–3.5 for deeper water, current or wind. Match sink rate to depth so the jig hovers just above the weed.
The retrieve is two or three sharp upward flicks, then a long pause of five to ten seconds. Squid grab during the pause almost every time.
Change colour before you change spots. Natural and orange in clear water, brighter pinks and greens in low light or discoloured water.
Night sessions
Lit jetties concentrate baitfish and squid follow them. Cast beyond the light and work the jig back into the illuminated zone.
A headlamp on a low red setting keeps your night vision and does not spook fish along the rail.
Land squid over the side or use a squid net; lifting a big calamari straight up the rail loses jigs and covers you in ink.
Key takeaways
- ▸Fish the weed-to-sand edge, not open bottom.
- ▸Flick, then pause five to ten seconds — squid take on the pause.
- ▸At night cast into the dark and retrieve into the light.
This guide is general information only. Fishing regulations differ by state and change regularly — confirm current rules with your fisheries authority before you fish.