01Spear squid Omorig basic structure and principle
Omorig combines ‘weight’ and ‘rig’, and unlike typical eging, places the sinker and jig separately.
A heavy sinker (size 15–30) sinks first to quickly settle at the target depth, and a jig attached to a 1–1.5 m leader drifts freely with the current.
This setup matches the spear squid’s bottom‑searching behavior, securing a wide exploration range from the bottom layer to mid‑depths.
In the deep, strong‑current South Sea region, 25–30 size sinkers (90–110 g) are used for stable bottom settlement.
Conversely, in shallow depths (30–60 m) with weak currents, 15–20 size (≤75 g) sinkers are chosen to avoid bottom snagging from excess weight.
This aligns with depth and current data provided by NIFS and KMI.
02Size selection based on depth, current, and temperature
Active temperature for spear squid is 18–24 °C, matching the June–September peak season.
Recommended sinker‑jig combinations by depth are: ① Deep (80–120 m) with strong current (wind 5–7 m/s): 30 size sinker (≈110 g) and 4.5–5.0 size jig, with a 1.5 m leader to let the jig be carried by the current.
② Mid depth (50–80 m) with moderate current (wind 3–5 m/s): 25 size sinker (≈90 g) and 3.5–4.0 size jig.
③ Shallow (30–50 m) with weak current (wind <3 m/s): 20 size sinker (≈65 g) and 2.5–3.0 size jig to minimize bottom snag.
When water temperature exceeds 24 °C, spear squid activity declines, so use a thermometer and depth gauge together for real‑time adjustment.
These criteria are based on annual temperature and current averages from KMI.
03Jig color, glow selection, and bite detection
Omorig has the jig attached at the end of the leader, so bite transmission can be slightly delayed. Therefore focus on ‘pulling’ bites.
In deep water with strong current, use glow jig to increase visibility.
Glow jig intensity is 0.5–1.0 cd/m², more than twice the night‑light standard set by the Korea Coast Guard, effectively attracting spear squid.
In shallow water with weak current, choose natural‑colored (transparent or silver) jigs to reduce wariness.
Bite detection means the moment the hook is pulled toward the bottom when a strong ‘pull’ is felt.
Once a bite is detected, gently reel in at 0.5–1 s intervals to reinforce the pulling sensation.
This matches practical tips from moafishing.com.
- Underestimating sinker weight causes the jig to be swept by the current and not reach the bottom.
- Making the jig leader excessively short prevents the jig from moving with the current, resulting in missed bites.
- Ignoring color choice at night makes spear squid highly light‑sensitive, sharply reducing catch rates.