Just a quick vote, who reckons the expensive squid jigs are better or worse than the cheapies.  Sure conditions may come into it, but I'm starting to think that 10 x $2 squid jigs is much better than 1 $20 jig.... What are your experiences with both?

Not when you lose them lol

We have a $2 red/white bargain bin special from BCF..and it has caught more than all the $2o jigs we have. 

They seem to outfish the cheapies, especially on days when the water is really clear and the squid are a bit tentative, don't know if it's the way the lure swims or what but can usually entice a strike...

the expensive jobs are not that far away from the cheapies. I think there is a difference in the catch numbers, but probably no where near the price variation.

I do alot of shallow water squidding and the squid are very fussy , they will only take the quality jigs and the smaller the better, my little yamashita 1.8 (Rest in peace </3 ) caught me over 100 squid in the same spot where every other jig failed.

Only to be destroyed by an octopus :(

On any given day one size and colour will outfish any others. I have used the same size and colour cheapie and expensive together and the quality outfished 6 to 1.

BUT you can cover more colour and size options with a box full of cheapies till you find the one that works best.

I am a big fan of 2.5 in blue..Looks more like the small baitfish they hunt, but somedays the blue dosent get touched and 3.5 green gets them all..or pink or orange

Go figure

I think its how u fish them had a old Italian bloke show me and the way you use them makes all the diff. 

I have also used the same size and colour cheap verses expensive and the expensive out fished the cheap 4 to 1 but i also agree that some days its all about a certain colour and size so a box full of variaty is better than 2 expensive ones in the wrong colour for that perticular day

they swim so much better. In an area like Cockburn Sound where squid get hammered on day in day out, a quality jig can be the difference between one squid or ten.

In less hammered areas (ie Exmouth Adam) then IMO it becomes less of an issue.

Fishing alongside my mate in the Sound who has nothing but cheapies, its been proven way too many times to be a fluke.

It'll be Yamashitas and Yo-Zuris for me thankyou.

Sounds like a fishwrecked 20$ jig vs cheapo jig comp =P

I dont know guys the squid up here see just as many squid jigs as they do in perth we have had days when the expensive outfish 10-2 other days it is a lot closer i think in cleaner water the better quality and more natural the colours work better than the cheeper ones JMHO

For me the more expensive/better designed squid jigs catch more by far. Yes the size & colour makes all the difference also but the "action" quickly seperates the two!

People often say i get squid on the cheap ones, correct, but the amount of squid that actually follow & fail to hit your jigs/shy away due to the "action" is another seperation point!

After doing this game for a while i would of sold equal amount of jigs but the conversation ratio of "the guy with the better quality jig caught more" would win hands down!

I think the betteer quality ones are the go. For years I was a confirmed "bargin bin" man, however after try a couple of the more expensive Japanese jigs I am now convinced that they attract more squid than the cheapies.

Cheers Steve

...three of us in the boat, Cockburn Sound. My $15 Yamashita got around 18, the cheapo Jarvis Walker model hanging off an unmanned handline got another 6 plus a cuttlefish, and the other two guys with their JW's got 5 between them.

I did notice that squid were following and investigating all the jigs, but only grabbed the more expensive one...they'd eventually shy away from the lower quality lure.

It's also worth considering that the person that shells out higher duckets for better quality jigs is more likely to be using better equipment (graphite rods,flourocarbon leader, etc) and probably has more experience in general so that in itself could up the catch rate.

and everybody that we know use cheap jigs and ALL of us catch squid on cheapies, think the dearer ones are only a sales pitch and for these squid rods either in the boat or off of rocks/beach.  Think the most important thing is also the ground if you can't find the ground to catch the squid, doesn't matter if you use a cheap or expensive squid jig.  We've got cheap squid jigs that are years old and all our new ones in the boat are cheapies, just in case we loose a $6 jig.  Just asked Bob and he's found the cheaper squid jigs last longer especially if they get snagged, he has bought the dearer ones $15 plus and found when snagged he looses dearer jig.

i had the usual collection (25 or so) jigs purchased from all sorts of places including Ebay and yes some of them caught squid from Denham to Geo Bay - but my catch tripled using $26 Harimitsu jigs bought from Brenz. The improvement in catch rates for me is evidence enough - my gut feeling is that the cloth wrap looks like scales on the exxy ones where the others are a bit bland. The downside is losing them -no one gives a hoot about a $5 jig but something in the $20 range hurts paticulary if you lose multiples on one day. 

Squidding is not fun when you loose a brand new Yamashita to the plug withouteven catching one squid on it. Plenty around West lewis Island in the dampier Archi ATM.

i went tackle shack and they had some for over $25 on a shelf...look bit more down and there are some cheap jarvis walker ones for like $3ea, they looked exactly the same plus a bit bigger, catch squid non stop on them at lancelin.

i find if the squid are abit switched off
and the perth metro landbased
its easier to tempt them with the expensive ones
its 10 to 1 for me landbased perth

but on boats and in spots where they are ferocious
it really doesnt matter i reckon, theyll attack anything

ive caught squid on 10gm twisties haha

but id still use expensive ones
just cos im a junkie for em haha

I was sceptical at shelling out $25 for a squid jig but the first time I used it I outfished my mates (who all laughed at my expensive jig) four to one. I was the one laughing all the way home, via the tackle store so that they could all get with the program.

I find that changing to a smaller jig size when you keep getting snagged helps. i prefer to use quality jigs as their hooks are bette too. I've had hooks straighten when using cheapies.

Been using the blues and pinks for years now in shallowish waters size 2.5-3 and they are the bomb. We always catch our boat limit within an hour and a half when we target them.

hit water at 12.30 saturday me armed with 1 band new yamashita bought off ryan around 25 bucks my brother armed with 6 different cheapies me 8 squid brother 2 squid my brother 2 squid trying every jig he owned different tecnique same ground i never changed my jig! 6 cheapies 3 dollars ea $18 2 squid $25 8 squid i fed my whole family bro fed himself! you do the math!!!!

flangies u never know when you're gonna hook onto that MONSTER squid LOL!
Also I've found the cloth on cheapies comes off .

It's like comparing a $13,000 Hyundai Excel to a $400,000 Ferrari.

A $20 squid jig would be of better design through research and development.

Most of the $20 Japanese jigs have stamps bearing the name of the person who hand tested the jig prior to finishing it.

Time and time again i hear of the more expensive ones out fishing the cheapos on boats,,never the other way round,,but folks catch squid on cheapys so there are happy and go home with a feed.

I read the other day that squid cannot see different colours,thats news for me and i was suprised,,i think the expensive ones are better tuned and balanced,,plus the swivels and cloth are usually crap any way on cheapies.

I will continue to use the $26 Harmitsus,,,but i reckon they should be cheaper ,,after all they are made in China and the labour cost in low.

Thats true that squid dont see the colours but....they do see tones of colour. Like a black and white sounder....they can see different shades of grey...

i voted no coz i reccon the expensive ones do catch more squid but arnt worth the 20 odd bux in my oppinion. i have only ever used the surecatch jigs for 2.50 which work well

Theres a great artilce on squid on page 78 of the latest sportfishing Australia magazine,,it has a piccy of a guy with a barra on the front,,the guy is writing a PHD on squid and can say scientifically why the squid go for the quality jigs,,

Its well worth the read,,note it down and read it in the newsagent (save your money for your fav local magazines,,lol

I challenge anyone to come out with me and fish cheapos against more expensive. I guarantee them that the higher end will out-egi them...BIG call i know but witnessed it happen too many times now for it to be a fluke. Good thread and points raised by those in the kno by the way...

i ussualy just use the razor backs. i can go to say busselton jetty and every squid i throw them at i get it. i have used an Eclick and they are about 100x better of rocks and place were u cant see the squid. but the moment i can see em any jig gets em. also if u do see them the action doesn't matter aslong as they can see it they will ussauly grab it. and i have caught them on a 15g gold twisty a predak viper 150 and a mullie set for salmon :P. but i find a little herring on a pencil kig out fishes any jig,

Took the boat out. 2 Glitter bug floats. One with  a KMart special and other a Yamashita. No human involvement. The only thing done was to wind in when the floats went off. Yama 6 KMart 0 in 1 hr. PS Squid as live bait rule!!!!

Neels

A chap on a kayak forum was saying the fisherys guys that catch them to study (in S.A) favour the yozuri with the red head and white body OR red head with yellow body and they believe it outfishs all others.

66% versus 34% Adam, clear as mud.....quality jigs are the go

i still say fishwrecked el cheapo vs quality squid comp

i was out today with me mate and we pulled 25+ squid in about half an hour with 5 for $10 squid jigs

after 1 squid on the cheapies they start falling apart

every time ive been out to catch squid with a mate , we have a comp to see who catches the most....but the thing is we are both using cheap jigs......and every time we went out we bagged out.....funny how that works......expensive jigs are for people who can justify spending that sort of money on gear.....ive got a jig that was $2 and was bought 5yrs ago and it still works fine...yes it may be a little torn but still swims great....... there are too many factors to weigh up in this argument but for me $2 was better spent than $20.........good luck squiddin !!!!!!

yes in my opinion its well worth the money ive got a couple of 1.8 size diawa emeraldas jigs in light brown and pink and they will outfish every other jig being used in the boat every day

Used to pick up a few with the cheap jigs but never killed the pig, so to speak.
Went out on the weekend and had the el cheapo JW jig out the back as well as a yamashita. Same size. The score at the end was 28 for the yamashita...zippo for the el cheapo.
I know which one will get a start everytime now. As others have said, the cloth comes off the cheapies all to quickly.

Cheers
Mullows

If you want to use the $20 plus jigs they are designed to be worked totally different to what you think. Have a look on a few jap egi vids and you will be amazed with the rod actions. They were also displayed at the latest egi comp not long ago. If you just cast ovewr the side and piss fart around jig jig etc it makes not much difference. The jap ones are more expensive so when you work them fast they react the right way etc.

I still think the jap ones are a better presentation and with a wider colour selection it improves your chances alot. Ive got shit loads of both and they all catch. A bit of attractant always helps in my opinion. But hey thats only what i think.

If you buy the latest copy of modern fishing there is a email address you can send a email to and they will send you a free yamishda dvd just finished watching it very interesting to watch with the jap tech

i first seen this about 8 months ago maybe more and i was dumbfounded by it. Very erratic etc. Ive tried it and it deffently works but its hard going. Id rather jig for sambos.lol.

Got a few LB squid to use as bait for our next fishing mission...all caught on Jap made jigs.

I tried a cheapo $2 jig, they didn't like it one bit.  It all came down to the way the Jap jig swam, and the feel of the jig when the squid first test touched it.

Harimitsu Sumizoku jig

went out to hillareys tonight and got a few cuttle fish and one little squid on $2 jigs, had a fair few bigger squid have a look then turn away so im gonna pick up a decent jig. Tried diff colours and sizes but still couldnt get takes from the big ones.



On a side note are cuttlefish less fussy cuz never had one turn away from a cheap jig?

Any one use spray on scents? i have been out squidded 5 to 1 by someone with the same jig spraying scent on his every once in a while.

Spray on scent definatly works, garlic & crawfish being popular!

A cheap jig might out fish a more expensive ones if the cheap jig is the colour the squid happen to target that day,,a fellow i know was getting good hauls from an area i was not having any luck with.

He used a cheap jig in a colour i don't have. (Orange)

i recon that i and many others here would put it to the cheap jigs any time any day honestly if you think cheap jigs are better goodluck but please let me know were your fishing so i can ge an easy feed. the technology that has gone into egi is phenominal. if the cheep jigs are so great then why are we not seeing the pros in jap using them exclusivly ase they are in it to win it arnt they?
go the yo zurie aurei q , yamishita, harimitsu, or even the new breanan jigs looks the goods and you wont be dissapointed just turns a 5 hour day into a 30 min sesh so you can go target other species.
brenz

Those scent pencils are quite good matched with a good jig those breanan jigs in the pink are great but not great when you lose one

haha at 30+ bucks it pays to have a snorkle handy