01Night spear squid Omorig rig basic principle

Omorig is a combination of 'omori (weight)' and 'rig', and the key point is that the sinker and the jig are operated separately. Heavy sinkers (size 15‑30, 20≈75g, 25≈90g, 30≈110g) first settle on the bottom, and on top of them a jig attached to a 1–1.5 m leader drifts freely with the current. At this time the jig’s movement naturally attracts spear squid. Unlike regular eging, the jig’s bite is mainly a strong ‘pull’ signal, and bite detection requires watching line tension changes rather than feel. At night, applying a glow coating to the jig enhances visibility, and even in areas with strong depth or current the spear squid responds – a proven mechanism.

Sinker sizes
15·20·25·30 sizes
Sinker weight
20≈75g, 25≈90g, 30≈110g
Jig sizes
South Sea 2.5–4.0, Jeju area 3.0–4.5
Main line
PE 0.6–1.2 size
Leader
Fluorocarbon 12–20lb
Leader length
1~1.5m
Jeju
Seogwipo·near Hallasan
60–120m
June–September
Geoje
Geoje Island West Coast
70–130m
June–September
Tongyeong
South Sea region
65–115m
June–September

02Choosing sinker and jig according to water temperature, depth, and current

Spear squid is most active at water temperatures of 18–24 °C and mainly inhabits depths of 60–120 m (National Institute of Fisheries Science data). The deeper the water and the stronger the current, the heavier sinker (size 25–30) should be used to settle quickly on the bottom; in shallower water with weak current, lighter sinkers (size 15–20) maintain fighting power. Jig sizes are typically 2.5–4.0 in the South Sea region and 3.0–4.5 in the Jeju region, and during evening tides (sunset ± 2 h) using glow‑coated jigs improves visibility. Use PE 0.6–1.2 as the main line and connect a fluorocarbon leader of 12–20lb (≈5.4–9.1 kg) to ensure line strength. This minimizes line‑break risk while delivering a strong ‘pull’ signal when the spear squid bites the hook.

⏱ Night golden time
Sunset‑2 h
Transition period when current weakens, check line before jig cast
Sunset ± 1 h
Target depth 80–100 m, cast sinker and jig
Sunset+2 h
After bite detection, retrieve line, safe return

03 Safety & practical tips

⚠ Common mistakes
  1. Sinker weight selection error – Using a light sinker when the current is strong prevents it from settling on the bottom.
  2. Ignoring jig color – In shallow water and weak current, use natural‑colored jigs to reduce wariness.
  3. During night trips, crew sometimes forget to wear life jackets to prevent seasickness on the boat.
‘Omorig can explore the entire water column, making it more efficient than regular eging.’ – moafishing.com

Night spear squid Omorig is difficult to detect bites, so continuously monitor line tension changes and minimize line slack. When a bite occurs, immediately haul in the line to firmly capture the ‘pull’ signal, and keep the handle (rig) and wrist fixed to prevent sudden line slack. Also, minimize lighting on night trips and use a light in dark areas to locate the jig and sinker. According to the Korea Coast Guard’s ‘Night Trip Safety Rules’, always wear a life jacket, carry a radio communicator, and pre‑check marine weather information from the Korea Meteorological Administration (wind speed, wave height, buoy) beforehand.