If You Don’t Know When to Strike, You’re Still a Beginner

Most beginners think squid fishing is all about choosing the right jig colour.

Pink. Orange. Red belly. Gold foil. Glow body.

Yes, colour matters. But if you really want to catch more squid, especially in pressured Australian waters, there is one skill that separates beginners from experienced eging anglers:

Knowing when to strike.

You can have the best squid jig in Australia, fish the right pier, arrive at the perfect tide change, and still miss squid all night if your strike timing is wrong.

A squid does not always hook itself. Sometimes it only grabs the jig. Sometimes it sits on top of it. Sometimes it follows, touches, lets go, then attacks again. If you do not understand that moment, you will keep saying, “I had a touch but missed it.”

That is not bad luck.

That is poor strike timing.

Squid Don’t Bite Like Fish

The first mistake many anglers make is treating squid like fish.

A fish bites with its mouth. A squid attacks with its arms and tentacles.

When a squid grabs your jig, it may not be properly pinned straight away. It can simply hold the jig with its tentacles. Big calamari have serious grip strength. A strong squid can hold on hard, but that does not mean the jig hooks have set properly.

This is why a weak lift or soft strike often fails.

If you just gently raise the rod, the squid may continue holding the jig for a moment, then let go. You feel weight, you get excited, then suddenly everything goes light.

That is the classic beginner miss.

When the squid commits, you need to strike hard enough to drive the crown hooks into the squid’s arms or body grip area. Not violently like you are trying to rip the rod in half, but firmly and decisively.

In simple words:

When the squid loads up, strike hard.

So When Should You Strike?

The best time to strike is when the line or rod tells you the squid has fully grabbed the jig.

You are looking for one of these signs:

• the line suddenly tightens
• the rod tip loads up
• the jig stops sinking naturally
• you feel a heavy, elastic weight
• the line moves sideways
• you feel a dull pull instead of a sharp tap

That is your moment.

Do not wait too long. Do not keep wondering if it is weed. Do not slowly lift the rod and hope the squid hooks itself.

Strike firmly upward and keep steady pressure.

A good strike in squid fishing is not about speed only. It is about commitment. Once you feel that proper weight, you set the hooks and stay connected.

The Biggest Beginner Mistake: Striking Too Early

Many beginners strike the second they feel anything.

That is usually too early.

A squid often touches the jig before it fully grabs it. Sometimes it follows the jig and taps it. Sometimes it catches the cloth, then adjusts its grip. If you strike at the first tiny touch, you can pull the jig away from the squid before it has committed.

This is why experienced anglers stay calm.

If you feel a small tap but no weight, keep working the jig. Let it sink again. Watch the line. Often the squid will come back and hit harder on the next pause.

The pause is important. Many squid are caught not during the sharp rod action, but during the fall after the action.

That is when the jig looks vulnerable.

That is when the squid attacks.

The Second Mistake: Striking Too Soft

The opposite mistake is also common.

Some anglers feel the squid, lift the rod gently, and think that is enough. It is not always enough.

Squid can grip hard. Very hard. A strong squid may simply be holding your jig without being properly hooked. If you do not set the crown properly, it can release halfway back to the pier.

That is why you sometimes see squid follow all the way in, then drop off right at your feet.

The problem was not always the jig.

The problem was often the hook set.

Once you feel real weight, strike hard enough to pin the squid. Then keep your rod loaded and avoid slack line.

Slack line loses squid.

What a Proper Squid Strike Feels Like

A proper strike should feel like the rod loads up instantly.

Not a tiny flick.

Not a lazy lift.

It should be a firm upward sweep, followed by constant pressure.

After the strike, do not pump the rod aggressively like you are fighting a snapper. Squid flesh can tear. Once hooked, the goal is smooth pressure, not brutal force.

The sequence should be:

1. Work the jig.
2. Pause and let it sink.
3. Watch the line.
4. Feel the weight.
5. Strike firmly.
6. Keep pressure.
7. Wind steadily.
8. Land the squid carefully.

That is the basic rhythm of good eging.

How to Catch More Squid From Piers

If you are fishing from piers in Melbourne, Mornington Peninsula, Queenscliff, Portsea, Sorrento, or other Victorian squid grounds, strike timing becomes even more important.

Pier squid often see many jigs. They may follow without committing. They may grab gently. They may attack only during the fall.

This is why line control matters.

Keep slight tension as the jig sinks. If your line is completely slack, you will miss the take. If your line is too tight, the jig will not sink naturally.

You want controlled slack.

That means the jig still falls naturally, but you can see or feel when something changes.

A good eging angler does not just feel the bite through the rod. He watches the line.

Sometimes the line stops before the jig reaches bottom.

Sometimes it twitches.

Sometimes it moves sideways.

That is often a squid.

For local planning, pair this technique with the Melbourne squid fishing guide, Mornington Pier squid fishing and the wider Port Phillip Bay squid fishing guide.

Best Squid Fishing Tip: Watch the Fall

Most squid are hooked during the fall.

Beginners focus too much on the rod action. They jerk the jig hard, then immediately jerk again. They never give the squid time to attack.

Experienced anglers know the action is only the invitation.

The fall is the strike zone.

After two or three sharp lifts, let the jig sink. Watch the line carefully. If the jig suddenly stops falling, do not assume it has hit weed. Be ready.

That pause is where many squid make contact.

If you feel weight, strike.

This is where squid jig size and squid jig sinking rate matter. The jig needs to stay in the strike zone long enough for the squid to commit.

Do You Strike Every Touch?

No.

This is where judgement comes in.

A small tap with no weight usually means the squid touched or missed the jig.

A heavy pull or loaded rod means the squid has the jig.

Strike the loaded weight, not every tiny vibration.

With practice, you will learn the difference between weed, rock, current, and squid. Weed feels dead and dragging. A squid feels alive, elastic, and slightly pulsing.

When in doubt, lift firmly but stay controlled. If it loads up, strike and keep pressure.

Why Jig Choice Still Matters

Strike timing is critical, but your jig still matters.

A balanced squid jig with sharp crowns, stable fall angle, and the right sink rate gives the squid more time to attack properly. Cheap or poorly balanced jigs often sink badly, roll unnaturally, or fail to hold squid well.

For Australian calamari fishing, especially around Victoria, a size 3.0 or 3.5 squid jig is often a strong starting point.

Use lighter or shallower jigs when squid are timid or water is shallow.

Use heavier jigs when wind, current, or deeper water make contact difficult.

The goal is simple: keep the jig in the strike zone long enough for the squid to commit.

Final Rule: Feel Weight, Strike Hard

If you remember only one squid fishing tip from this article, remember this:

Do not strike every tiny tap. But when you feel real weight, strike hard.

That is the difference between touching squid and catching squid.

Beginners hope the squid stays on.

Experienced eging anglers set the hooks.

So next time you are fishing a pier and you feel that heavy, sticky weight on the fall, do not freeze. Do not gently lift. Do not wait until the squid spits the jig.

Strike hard.

Keep pressure.

Wind smoothly.

That is how you turn follows and touches into landed squid.

FAQ

Do you strike as soon as you feel a squid touch?

No. A small tap with no weight usually means the squid touched or missed the jig. Wait for real weight, a loaded rod tip or sideways line movement.

Why do squid drop off near the pier?

Usually because the hook set was weak, the line went slack, or the squid was lifted without steady pressure. A squid fishing landing gaff can help when fishing higher piers.

Should you strike hard when squid fishing?

Yes, once the squid has loaded the jig. The strike should be firm enough to set the crown hooks, then controlled enough to keep pressure without tearing the squid.

Do squid hook themselves on squid jigs?

Sometimes, but you should not rely on it. A squid can hold a jig without being properly pinned.

What does a squid bite feel like?

It can feel like heavy elastic weight, a dull pull, a sudden stop on the fall, a twitch in the line or sideways line movement.

Are most squid caught on the fall?

Many squid are hooked during the fall after the rod action. The action attracts attention, but the fall is often when the squid commits.