Step by step
How to fish it
- Cast the egi across or downtide and allow it to sink, count the sink time so you can repeat depth exactly
- Lift the rod tip sharply once or twice (the 'dart') to give the egi an erratic darting action
- Then drop the rod tip and allow the egi to sink slowly on a semi-slack line, most takes come during the sink
- Watch the line, a take feels like a sudden weight or the line stops sinking prematurely
- When you feel resistance, lift the rod steadily and keep winding, do not jerk or the squid will release
- Vary the sink depth between casts until you find where the squid are holding
Tackle
Gear you need
- Rod: 8 to 9ft egi-specific or light lure rod rated 10 to 25g
- Reel: 2500 to 3000 fixed spool with 10 to 15 lb braid
- Leader: 8 to 10 lb fluorocarbon, 6 to 8ft, squid have sharp eyesight
- Egi: size 2.0 to 3.0 (smaller = slower sink, better for shallower water); pink, orange and luminous bodies are the most consistent Irish colours
- No snap link, tie the egi directly to the leader via a loop knot to maximise action
Kit
Kit picks for eging for squid
Researched for Irish shore conditions on Wicklow marks. Where we have fished an item ourselves, we say so. Links go to Amazon.ie; skip anything you already carry.
Squid jigs (egi) size 2.5 to 3.0 multipack
Pink, orange and luminous bodies are the consistent Irish colours. Carry three sizes to find the sink rate.
View on AmazonLight egi or lure rod, 10 to 25g
A soft-tipped 8 to 9ft lure rod reads the subtle weight of a squid take on the sink.
View on Amazon2500 to 3000 fixed spool reel
A small fixed spool with 10 to 15 lb braid balances the light rod and keeps the egi action crisp.
View on AmazonSeaguar Blue Label fluorocarbon leader
Squid have sharp eyesight. 6 to 8ft of 8 to 10 lb fluoro between braid and egi matters under pier lights.
View on AmazonBlack Diamond Astro 300 headlamp
Eging is a night game under the Greystones harbour lights. Keep both hands free for the lift-and-sink.
View on AmazonBuilding a full setup from scratch? See the complete gear guide.
Conditions
When to use it
October through December from pier walls and harbour mouths. Night sessions under pier lighting are by far the most productive, squid are strongly attracted to lit water. Calm, clear nights are best. Easterly wind and rough seas kill squid fishing.
Local knowledge
On the Wicklow coast
Greystones Harbour in October and November has emerged as the most reliable Wicklow squid mark. Fish directly beneath the harbour lights on the flooding tide, the light concentrates whitebait which draws squid in. Drop the egi straight down and work it at different depths until you find fish. The average session produces 3 to 8 squid, though on peak autumn nights numbers can be significantly higher. Cook the same night, fresh squid is extraordinary eating.
