It’s easy to take certain lure designs for granted, particularly when the base shape hasn’t changed for a number of decades.
Robbie Waller catches up with Paul Carter to discuss the evolution of squid jigs and what to look out for the next time you’re faced with a wall of options at your local tackle store.

Catching fresh bait is an ideal way to improve angling returns; there’s no secret there. For me, sourcing my own fresh bait typically involves hunting for squid over local weed beds. Any inkers landed get rigged up on hooks, with the intention of tempting all manner of species. Squid are versatile when it comes to being presented on hooks, making them attractive propositions for big brawlers like kingfish, all the way down to bread and butter species such as King George whiting and flathead. Any excess calamari can be kept for the plate and are always a most welcomed dinner guest at my place. Needless to say, kayak fishing for squid is simply fun in itself.

Gancraft’s gold foil King George Whiting is a winner in mornings and evenings.

It’s no surprise then, that like many, I have some favourite squid jigs in my tackle box. They’re tried and tested and have saved me from many a fishless day. But while I know they work, I’ll readily admit to being ignorant about the theory behind them and have often asked myself the following questions:
• How did squid jigs come to be?
• What materials are they made from?
• What are the components of a quality jig?
•And when does squid jig theory suggest I should be using specific colours?
Luckily, Gancraft lure designer and field tester Paul Carter agreed to help fill in the blanks. Paul has over six years of experience creating squid jigs suitable for Australian conditions. He’s designed around 60 jig prototypes, of which 48 have hit the production line and tackle shop walls. That’s a process which involves underwater camera testing, as well as sending prototypes back and forth to Japan prior to production. Given that his testing standards require each jig in production to have caught a minimum of 50 squid, he’s a man who knows why, when and how squid jigs work. Paul is also the designer responsible for my favourite squid jig – Gancraft’s King George Whiting.

Squid are a versatile fresh bait option, and fun to kayak catch!

EVOLUTION
I started querying Paul about the history of squid jigs, and some of the watershed moments in squid jig development.
“Japanese squid fishing underwent a transition from using hemp nets and live bait to squid jigs around 400 years ago. Interestingly, the first jigs were carved from driftwood and weighted with a coin, and the basic shape has remained unchanged until now. A lot of designers have tried to improve upon the shape, including myself, but no one has been able to come up with anything better. It’s a shape that’s designed to be pulled forward, and as that happens the ridge in the back of the jig aids the jig’s head to be pushed up,” Paul says.
His answer reminded me of an earlier conversation I’d had with keen kayak angler and marine biologist Colin Johnson. Colin detailed research that showed squid were far more likely to attack a prey that was travelling in precisely the same direction as its longest axis. It seems the early designers of 400 years ago nailed a design without the use of hydrodynamic testing tanks and other fancy technology.
“Cloth covered squid jigs made an appearance in the 1800s but didn’t gain popularity until the 1940s when foils were added under the cloth. Cloth seemed to disappear during the 1950s as plastic technologies were incorporated, but they reappeared during the 70s. A range of materials are used in current day squid jigs including plastic, foam rubber, aluminium, wood and others,” Paul continues.
“Perhaps one of the biggest milestones in squid jig development occurred when the 1954 research of T.H. Waterman concluded that squid could see three of six ultraviolet light spectrums. The unique ability of squid to distinguish polarisation saw an explosion of paint use throughout the 1990s,” Paul adds.
SQUID JIG COMPONENTS
With a little squid jig history under my belt, I pressed Paul to find out a little more about squid jig components and how to differentiate between quality jigs and those not worthy of your hard earned. He begins by talking about cloths, advising that cloth patterns mimic food sources in a squids natural environment.
“An angler looking to choose the most effective cloth colour will need to make the most of the available light. The short answer is to brighten up jig cloth colour in murky conditions and adopt more natural colours in clear conditions. But foils also need to be taken into account,” Paul notes.
“Wide gape cloths have a tendency to drag more in the water, and are designed for those moments when wider darting actions are desired. The tighter the cloths gape, the less the jig will dart. A quality cloth should feel tight against the body of the squid jig.

A calamari brace. One for bait, and one for the plate.

“That T.H. Waterman study also shows the importance of choosing the right foil colour. Anglers will catch more squid if they try to match foil choice to make the most the available light, bearing in mind different foil colours refract light in different ways. Red foils refract light better at night or in low light conditions, while gold foils are a better choice during the morning or afternoon. As the sun gets high and bright – silver, blue and green foils make sense.”
Hardbody squid jig styles achieve light refraction through their internal plate and airbrushed translucent paint work, but the same theory on colour choice remains in play.
“Weights are also an integral part of a squid jig. The better quality weights are generally made from tin or lead. The shape of the weight should allow for a squid jig to sit flat on the ground, maintaining its balance. Cheaper curved weights will contribute to a jig snagging.
“Jigs get sold as extra shallow, shallow, standard, deep and extra deep. I’d recommend anglers test a squid jig’s sink rate by counting how long it takes to hit the bottom in one metre of water. That way they’ve got a good idea of what they’re working with when confronted by deeper water,” Paul states.
“Squid jig tow points will come in two types: fixed or swivel. Squid anglers should try and use a fixed knot for a fixed tow point and a loop knot or egi clip if using a swivel type tow point”.
“Feathers are designed to assist in stabilising the squid jig, and should be even on both sides.
“And finally, crowns or barbs will most likely come as stainless steel, galvanised steel or high carbon steel. Stainless steel crowns are inferior given their lack of strength and sharpness, and the fact they’ll retain a memory if bent out of shape. Galvanised steel crowns will have a heavy gauge, giving better lifetime than stainless steel, but they won’t be sharp. Carbon steel crowns are at the top end because even though they’ll be open to corrosion, they’re the sharpest and strongest of squid jig barbs. Replacement crowns are sold, but generally speaking, they’re not economical to adopt.”
SQUID JIG CARE
Lastly, Paul offers keen kayak squidders a simple squid jig care plan to ensure they look after their stock.
“While high end jigs are worth it in the long run, they do come at a cost. So it’s important to maximise their life. Fortunately that’s an easy enough affair and all you need to do is wash them with fresh water and hang them out to dry on some pool noodle. I own around 2000 jigs, and by using this simple system only four or five show signs of rust,” Paul says.
CONSTANTLY EVOLVING
Paul is obviously passionate about squid jigs and their continuing development to best suit Australian conditions. He’s got his finger on Japanese trends and know-how, and is a regular attendee at Japanese tackle shows. That piques my interest in what Gancraft will come up with next – no doubt the wait will be worthwhile.
Robbie was born and raised on Victoria’s West Coast where old style wooden barracouta later turned crayfish boats were plucked up onto piers after each journey. Small stream, boat, and pier based fishing filled his early and middle years. Robbie’s been an enthusiastic kayak angler for over 10 years. His eyes light up when salmonid talk is on the cards, and an expectant grin appears when Port Phillip Bay or Western Port trips are planned. As much as he enjoys the up close and personal encounters kayak fishing offers, Robbie also gets a big kick from helping define techniques and gear that are suited to the evolving sport of kayak fishing.