Inked!

[Dave]

A few weeks ago my family and I were up in Maine for a few days on vacation.  Not knowing much about the area, I snuck in 6 fishing rods to cover anything from 10" smallies to 35 pound stripers.   

 
Driving around the harbor we found a place to buy lobsters almost right off the boats.  Walking around the docks I saw there were a few guys fishing and catching some squid and mackerel right off the dock, which happened to be a public dock.
Got the light fishing rods out and set the kids up.  The water was about 20'deep, and the squid seemed to be down pretty deep.  Tried to jig them up, but they were tough to hook up. 

Here's one cruising after a jig.



Ended up putting on small sinking rapalas (the CD-3's) and started to get them to grab it.  Still tough as L to hook.  They'd jet after it, grab it with their tentacles and bring it in towards their mouth.  Really had to give em time, and then just lift lightly.  Maybe hooking one out of every 4 to 5 takes.

Finally got one to the dock. 



Did I mention that they have a built in defense mechanism?  They ink when threatened. 
I was lucky to capture it with a photo!
I heard Dante shout out "Ahhhhh, dad. .  .  .   Is it bad?"

"Nah.  It's not too bad." 
Unfortunately I only had my iphone at this point, as Barb and Sarah left us for a while and took the camera.




Barb and Sarah got back, and Sarah fished for them, catching a few.     



Dante and I cleaned em up at the dock, picked up our steamed order and we all headed back to our cottage.

Dante worked on turning the squid into calimari.



We had an incredible appetizer



And that went along great with our main course (these four 1-1/2 lb lobster cost a total of $28!)



Then before heading back home we hit that dock again and had it all figured out.  We cleaned and vaccuum sealed about 50 of em.

[FinsnFur]

Ahhhh Dad is it bad? 
Thats too funny.  Poor Dante.

That is something that I have never even known enough about, to wish I could try it. But you sure made it look interesting.
I dont know how you found the time and composure to deal with the task at hand and yet capture some moments for us, but I appreciate it more then you can possibly imagine. Dante and Sarah you two are pretty good sports
Thanks for sharing the memories Dave.

[Coulter]

Vey cool...fresh calamari...mmmmmm good. And those lobster look mighty tasty too.

Steve

[Hidehunter]

Wow thats awesome!!  Did ya tell Dante it was pretty bad lol.

[Okanagan]

Loved the story and the pics, best I've read in a long time.  Well told and on a subject I've never heard about before, so extra interesting.   Here on the west coast they sell a thing that they call a squid jig but I've never heard of anyone using it.   It's a 3 or 4 inch long tapered torpedo with an eye on one end to tie a line to, and many spikes around the middle all bent toward the eye end at 45 degrees.

[Dave]

Dante didn't realize how peppered he got until he saw the pic.  He loved it, though.  What I loved is how into the whole thing he was.  Not just the catching, but the cleaning, breading and frying, too. 

[Hidehunter]

Yeah it definatly looked like he was having a blast.  Ya just cant beat it 

[HaMeR]

  @ Dante!!

Looks like a great time was had by all. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together!!

Shoulda connected the dots on that one!! 

It aint that bad Dante!!  No,, it really aint!!