01/09/2026
I LOSE A MONSTER INKER AT THE BOAT!!
I was keen to target some Big Inkers again after my last 2 trips produced only the one mid sized Calamari. I was on the water at 5.30am in Western Ports Top End on Monday 31st of August 2026.
It’s been a tough season chasing Calamari for many Fishos including myself in Western Port. That doesn’t worry me to much I like making Fishing Reports, not waiting on others to making good Fishing Reports & then go out. To many Fishos want to know where are the fish getting caught. That’s a recipe for chaos because there will be heaps of boats in that area. Better off doing your own thing away from all the boats.
I was on Mark at 6am with Low Tide at 9am. Baits used under my Floats would be Tommy Ruff & Yellow Fin Whiting. Things were very quiet when Happy Hour started at 8am (an hour before & after the tide change).
90 minutes after the Tide Change a Float went under & I wound the slack line in & hit quickly. This Inker came to the boat easy enough. It was HUGE & I could see it was holding on & the spikes weren’t in. I opened the bail arm & let it take some line & hit it again & holding the rod high to not give it slack line. It then took off, a sure sign it was hooked. I got it to the boat again & could see the spikes were in a short te****le, a good hook up spot. It took off again on a 10 meter run. I had the net ready & got it to the boat again. I missed with the net & off it went, it was Very Big. Got it boatside again, I tried to get the net behind it & off it took again, it had weight & speed. This time it was gone, no weight 😩😢🤬😡 I let the bail arm hoping it would return, but it felt the spikes & was never coming back 😩😢🤬😡.
After asking myself all the hard questions (best way to learn & improve) about why I lost it. The only thing I was critical about was I should have netted it on the Starboard (driver) side of the boat. Because I am right handed I could get the net in behind it easier, a Calamari can only swim in one direction. Gummys are the reverse to net, do them on the Port side if your right handed. In saying that I was stiff that I lost it 👍
10 minutes later I had a hit on a jig on slack water, a 20cm Bait size Calamari was landed. I had another hit & line peeling off the reel on the same lime green jig. Half way back to the boat it came off as well, mmmmm Bu**er 😩😢🤬😡.
The w**d was very bad, that light green slimy w**d & red w**d that covers bait. I could see it through the water column. I had to wait until the next 2 Happy hours, 1 hour either side of the 3.20pm high tide & hopefully the Flood Tide had cleaner water. I sat back with no lines in the water & ate my platter & enjoyed the sunshine 😎
I was packing up after the 2 Happy hours produced nothing. I had 1 line put away & 3 in the water when a Float went under & line peeling off the reel, surely not another Big Inker. It was heavy & took line easily against a lightish drag pressure. Tense moments as I was working it over to the Starboard side of the boat. It was hooked well & it was big. 2 or 3 more runs then I got the net behind it & in it went first try. I got it out of the net & it shot a heap of water all over me & the inside of the boat, lucky boy I am because it wasnt ink. How big was it, above the magic 50cm, be close. It was 47cm Hood on the lie detector 👍😊😎
I only need 1 Big target fish & I was content now, so I packed up & headed for the ramp. It took me over 8 hours to get it. The one I lost was bigger than the one I landed, maybe 50-55cm Hood going on what I seen. That’s fishing you can’t land everything & I don’t lose many fish, still hurts though, cheers Mick 😩
I have shared this from my Fishing page called “The Duke Sliding Dropper Rig”.
If you like this post I invite you to follow me on that page & see other Posts there. I have a lot of Topics & Ideas there to read & hopefully help you, cheers!
To find my page type the following into Facebooks search function:
“The Duke Sliding Dropper Rig”
Or click on the link below, cheers.
https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Duke-Sliding-Dropper-Rig/61585892836557/
“The Duke Big Calamari Set Up”. Price is $29 each pack & Postage with tracking is $12 extra, or pick up is in Warneet. Please check out “THE DUKE SLIDING DROPPER RIG” for Gummy Sharks & Snapper. They start at $10 for the Basic Rig & find them on Facebook Marketplace, it’s under “Fishing Rigs”.
“THE DUKE BIG CALAMARI FLOAT SET UP”
I love fishing for Big Calamari in Western Port & target them using Baits under a float in Winter & Early Spring (14 years). My best season was 2023. I caught 60 Calamari in 16 trips during Winter. 22 of them were over 40cm Hoods. The biggest was 51cm (twice), 48cm (3 times), 47cm (once) & 45cm (5 times).
The problem I found was I could not find or buy big floats that could handle up to 6 ounce of lead to hold the bait down in fast running tides like Western Port where I fish. I designed “The Duke Big Calamari Set Up”. It consists of 3 Floats. The big Egg Shaped float can handle 2-3 ounces of lead easily. Using the smaller round float underneath the Big Egg Shaped Float together can handle up to 4 ounces of Lead. Using all 3 Floats together can handle 6 ounces well.
I use a light Snapper Rod, it’s rated 6-8kg & 7 foot in length. It needs to have reasonably big Guides to allow the float stop to pass through easily & not move it. Your Rod also needs to handle up to 6 ounces of lead, the weight of your bait & also hopefully a 3.5kg Big Inker. I usually run 4 Floats when anchored up 1 hour either side of a tide change. I cast 1 rod out to the side & repeat this 2 times either side. The Fluoro Yellow Floats stopped from drifting when they are 200 & 150 meters from the boat. The 2 White Floats are cast & set at 100 & 50 meters to complete the spread.
The Rig has 20lb Fluorocarbon Leader & the bait needs to be no more than 60-100cm from the bottom. I also use Glow Sticks & Glow Sleeves & have caught some Huge Calamari with this set & up to 51cm Hood & 3.5kg. I don’t bag out using this method (average 4 per trip) but I catch the bigger Calamari. The Float Set up comes with spare Float line stops ( best way to see how these Float stops are placed on the line is to use UTube than for me to try to explain it), 2 different length Spikes with covers, Light Stick, Lumo Sleeve, ezy clip for sinker & swivels etc.
The Floats come in White or Fluoro Yellow. The best baits are any of the following. Silver Whiting, Tommy Ruff, Bay Trout, King George Whiting, Garfish, Grass Whiting, Pilchards or even a normal Calamari Jig. So get out there & have a crack at some Monster Calamari. They can hit like Snapper & can run 30 meters or more. If you want more information & see some of my catch pictures, contact me via Facebook Messenger, or go to Facebook Marketplace & type in Fishing Rigs & look for
“The Duke Big Calamari Set Up”. Price is $29 each pack & Postage with tracking is $12 extra, or pick up is in Warneet. Please check out “THE DUKE SLIDING DROPPER RIG” for Gummy Sharks & Snapper. They work extremely well & prevent catching Rays & Banjos. They start at $10 for the Basic Rig & find them on Facebook Marketplace, it’s under “Fishing Rigs”. Any questions, message me, Cheers ~ Mick 👍
