Night Fishing for Cuttlefish: Gear and Essential Techniques

Let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of night fishing for cuttlefish in the vast East China Sea. These squishy, ink-spewing creatures aren’t actually fish—we call them cuttlefish, or sometimes “inkfish” if we’re feeling cheeky—but they’re total rockstars of the commercial seafood scene. In Zhejiang, they’re right up there with large yellow croaker, small yellow croaker, and hairtail as one of the “Four Major Economic Seafoods,” and it’s no wonder why. Their tender meat is chef catnip, but catching them? That’s a whole different adventure. After years of chasing these nocturnal ink-squirters, I’ve got a treasure trove of tips to share—let’s dive in!

Gear: Ditch the Basic Lures, Make Your Own “Cuttlefish Killer”

First things first: if you’re using those store-bought shrimp lures, stop. Just stop. I’ve been there, wasted hours watching cuttlefish sniff at them and swim away like they’re boring grocery store produce. Let’s break down why those generic lures fail, and how to build a homemade lure that’ll make cuttlefish lose their tiny minds.

The Problem with Store-Bought Cuttlefish Lures

Don’t get me wrong, those imitation shrimp lures look cute. They’re molded to look realistic, sure, but here’s the tea:

• The double barbs are short and duller than a butter knife. One tiny wiggle from a cuttlefish, and they’re gone—no hook, no catch, just you staring at an empty line.
• The colors are snooze-worthy. Cuttlefish have a thing for red (we’ll get to that later), and most store lures are muted greens or browns that blend into the dark water. It’s like trying to get a kid’s attention with a plain cracker when there’s a bowl of candy nearby.

Introducing the Homemade “Chrysanthemum Lure”: Your New Cuttlefish BFF

I call this my chrysanthemum lure, and it’s a game-changer. I built this bad boy specifically to fix all the flaws of store-bought lures, and it’s never let me down. Here’s why it’s magic:

• Red is the star of the show. Cuttlefish are obsessed with this color—think of it like a neon “ALL YOU CAN EAT” sign flashing right in their faces.
• Sharp, long-shanked hooks. I use size 6 sea hooks that are so sharp they could cut through seaweed (not that you’d want to, but still). No more losing fish because the hook can’t get a solid grip.
• It’s dirt cheap and easy to make. You don’t need fancy tackle shop gear—just stuff you can find in your garage or a local hardware store.

Step-by-Step: Build Your Chrysanthemum Lure

Let’s get crafting. Trust me, even if you’re the least handy person on the planet (I’ve seen my friend who can’t assemble IKEA furniture make this), you’ll nail it:

• Gather your materials: A 15mm red plastic electrical conduit cut into 6cm sections, 4cm pieces of steel rebar that fit tight inside the conduit, 5 size 6 long-shanked sea hooks, red electrical tape, a gas torch (or a lighter if you’re feeling scrappy), and a hand line spool with 20 meters of 0.45-0.6 main line.
• Anchor the rebar: Smash the 4cm rebar piece straight into the plastic conduit until one end of the rebar is flush with the conduit’s edge. This adds weight so the lure sinks just right.
• Attach the hooks: Heat up 2cm of the hook shank with the torch until it’s bright red. Quick as lightning, press the hot end into the plastic conduit—wait a second, and the melted plastic will lock the hook in place. Repeat this with all 5 hooks, spacing them evenly around the conduit so they stick out like petals on a chrysanthemum.
• Finish the lure: Wrap the entire conduit with red electrical tape to seal the hooks and make the color even more vibrant. Punch two small holes in the end of the conduit without the rebar, then tie on your leader line. Spool the main line onto your hand line spool, and you’re ready to go!

Night Fishing Techniques: Outsmart These Nocturnal Ink-Squirters

Cuttlefish have some very specific quirks that we can use against them. They’re attracted to light, swim in big groups, don’t feel pain (wild, right?), and are absolutely obsessed with red. Night fishing for them all boils down to using these traits to your advantage. Boat fishing or dock fishing works best—you just need a bright light to draw them in. Here are my go-to techniques, tested and perfected over too many late nights on the water:

1. The Cast-and-Snatch Method (Fastest Action, Most Fun)

Spot a cuttlefish gliding through the lit water? Great! This method is all about quick reflexes:

Cast your chrysanthemum lure about 1.5 meters in front of the cuttlefish—don’t cast right on top of them, you’ll scare them off like a cat spotting a cucumber. Adjust the depth of the lure to match where the cuttlefish is swimming, then yank the line hard. The sharp hooks will catch onto their tentacles or mouth, and boom—you’ve got a squirming cuttlefish on the line. Pro tip: It takes a few tries to nail the cast distance, but once you do, you’ll be reeling them in like a pro.

2. The “Play the Long Game” Cast-and-Entice Method

Missed the cast? Don’t panic—cuttlefish are curious little buggers. If you see them swimming toward the lure, whatever you do, don’t yank the line immediately. Their first move is to gently wrap a few tentacles around the lure, and if you pull now, they’ll let go faster than you can say “ink stain.”

Instead, slowly reel the line in to lift the lure (and the cuttlefish) just above the water’s surface, then let the line slack so the cuttlefish dives back down 50-70cm. That’s your cue—yank the line hard, and all five hooks will embed themselves in their mouth and tentacles. If they haven’t sprayed ink yet, repeat the up-and-down motion a few times until you see a black cloud in the water. Trust me, you want them to empty their ink sac before you pull them into the boat. I learned this the hard way when a cuttlefish sprayed me right in the face at 2 a.m.—not a great look.

3. The Jigging Method: Lure in Schools of Cuttlefish

No cuttlefish in sight? No problem. This method is perfect for luring in groups of cuttlefish hiding in the dark:

Cast your lure out about 20 meters, let it sink all the way to the bottom, then lift it up 20cm. Now, jig the line—flick your wrist up and down, making the lure wiggle and create tiny ripples in the water. The bright red color plus the movement is like a neon sign that says “FREE FOOD, COME GET IT.” When you feel a soft tug (that’s a cuttlefish wrapping its tentacles around the lure), follow the same steps as the cast-and-entice method: slow lift, slack line, hard yank. You can also skip lifting it out of the water entirely—just lift 50-70cm, let it fall back, then yank. Either way, those hooks will lock in tight.

4. The “Second Chance” Jigging Method: Don’t Let Escaped Cuttlefish Get Away

Cuttlefish don’t feel pain, which is weird, but we can use that to our advantage. If a cuttlefish slips off your line, don’t pack up and go home. Reel your lure back to the exact spot where it escaped, and start jigging again. That cuttlefish will still be hanging around, confused and hungry, and it’ll wrap its tentacles right back around the lure like nothing happened. I’ve caught the same cuttlefish three times in one night using this trick—they’re not the brightest bulbs in the sea, but we love them for it.

Final Pro Tips for Night Cuttlefish Fishing

Before you head out, a few last-minute hacks to make your trip smoother:

• Bring a bright, waterproof flashlight or a dedicated underwater fishing light. Cuttlefish are nocturnal and drawn to light, so the brighter the light, the more cuttlefish you’ll attract. Just don’t shine it directly into your buddy’s eyes—trust me, they’ll never let you forget it.
• Stick to boat or dock fishing. Shore fishing can work, but cuttlefish tend to hang out in deeper water closer to structures, so being on a boat or dock puts you right in their neighborhood.
• Wear old clothes. Even if you get them to spray ink in the water, there’s always a rogue cuttlefish that’ll surprise you. Old hoodies and baseball caps are your friends.

At the end of the day, night fishing for cuttlefish isn’t just about the catch—it’s about the chaos of jigging in the dark, the thrill of feeling a tug on the line, and the occasional ink stain (a badge of honor, honestly). Whether you’re using my homemade chrysanthemum lure or tweaking your own setup, the key is to have fun and learn from each trip. And if you catch a monster cuttlefish? Send me a photo—I’d love to see it!