Giant squid

[Iyad]

Last friday we went for day time swordfishing at the gulf of aqaba/red sea at 700 meter depth, but every time we drop the line something eat the bait, so I asked the boat owner about the fish that might be eating the bait he said the giant squid, and they catch the squid sometimes when it get wrapped around their lines, and I had a big squid hook in my bag which I brought from japan years ago and decided to check if there is giant squid living there since I never heared anyone caught it or saw it in local fish market, and guess what I cought 4 giant squids at 650 meter depth using my olympic fukaba2/0 electric reel loaded with 1000 meter 80lb braid.

[MarkT]

We had them in Southern California a few years back. There were times they were up on the surface. You could see tentacles waving around and even see them go airborne chasing fish that were trying to get away.

[redsetta]

Wow!

[Bill B]

Good catch brother....caught a couple here in SoCal and it was like reeling a water filled trash bag from the depths.....some say they are good eating but I found it was like chewing and a rubber tire....may be I should have looked up how to cook them.....The beaks on them are scary.....Bill

[Maxed Out]

 We had Humboldt squid in Washington in the strait of Juan de Fuca about 20 years ago and they were so thick you couldn't get away from them chasing after a salmon that was on the hook. If they got ahold of the salmon it was game over. The salmon leader couldn't hold the huge squid.

 650 meters is 2,000' and electric reel is a must, especially hauling in the dead weight of that huge squid. Thanks for sharing

[alantani]

we get these off the california coast, but it's very rare!

[Superhook]

I have seen a Doco where they have attacked people in the water.

[Benni3]

Nice catch and very cool

[Swami805]

I remember 1 year they were washing up on the beach in malibu.  Went on a few trips to fish for them, it was fun for a little while but ink would get all over everything. Pretty good if you tenderize them first.
I would have been tempted to send one back down to see if a sword would eat it

[theswimmer]

Now thats a Ling Cod Bait !!!!!

[FatTuna]

Do you have any pictures of the jig/squid hook you used?

[twotone]

Nice catch. Looks like a good time.

My friends mother inlaw uses a pressure cooker with Octpus. Then in the pan for a short time. Along with oil, garlic and other spices.

Delicious

[twotone]

I haven't found the pressure cooker pic.

[Cor]

Good catch brother....caught a couple here in SoCal and it was like reeling a water filled trash bag from the depths.....some say they are good eating but I found it was like chewing and a rubber tire....may be I should have looked up how to cook them.....The beaks on them are scary.....Bill

We often use meat tenderiser on normal squids to make them softer to chew which works well , I wonder if it would work on a Humbolt as well?

[MarkT]

I think some just taste like ammonia no matter what you do with them. When they showed up they ate everything and fishing was terrible for the rest of the year. I caught over 400# of those nasty things one day. Catch, stomp, release, repeat. They're cannibals and their buddies will attack them if they're struggling on the squid jig. I wouldn't have wanted to fall overboard!