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Eging is squid fishing with an egi: a shrimp-shaped jig that darts from side to side when you jerk the rod, then sinks at a set rate. This guide matches the egi to the water, explains sizes, sink rates and colours from the makers' own specs, and covers the rods, reels, braid and leader we stock, with live prices and stock on all of it.

Start here

Which egi for which job?

Pick the water you fish. Each tile shows what is in stock right now and the price it starts at.

Aurie-Q RS

Early season, small squid

Aurie-Q RS

1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 · 4g to 8.3g

Three small sizes with a rolling shaft, made for early season squid.

In stockFrom$11
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EGI OH F

Wharves and shallow weed

EGI OH F

2.0 to 3.5 · 6.5g to 20g

Yamashita's easy-to-use entry egi: a transparent glow body and a stable darting action, inshore or offshore.

In stockFrom$13Elsewhere:$13.99
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Mag Q Tungsten

Long casts off rocks and breakwalls

Mag Q Tungsten

3.0 and 3.5 · over 60m and 70m casts

A tungsten ball shifts to the tail on the cast, then locks back in place on landing so the egi fishes straight away.

In stockFrom$18.90Was:$21Save $2.10
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EGI OH Live Neon Bright

Murky water or low light

EGI OH Live Neon Bright

NEON BRIGHT UV · solid colours

A UV body that reflects red, green and blue light, with solid colours for high contrast and a sharp silhouette.

In stockFrom$14Elsewhere:$20.99
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EGI OH Search

Covering water at pace

EGI OH Search

600Hz rattle · faster sink

A built-in 600Hz rattle, a strobe fin and a slightly faster sink than standard egi for working a range of depths.

In stockFrom$14Elsewhere:$23.99
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Aurie-Q 3D

Broad and arrow squid, all round

Aurie-Q 3D

2.5 to 4.0 · 3D prism lens

A 3D prism lens and Half-Ghost cloth give a lifelike inner glow in clear or murky water.

In stockFrom$14
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ez-Q Cast Plus

Rugged reef, shore or boat

ez-Q Cast Plus

Snagless bumper · Patapata feet

Extra internal weight for distance, a bumper that protects the sinker on rock, and vibrating Patapata feet.

In stockFrom$18.90Was:$21Save $2.10
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Takoyan

Octopus off the reef

Takoyan

2.5 to 3.5 · floating body

A buoyant body and bottom-bouncing sinker hover it over rock and weed, for octopus to eat or to use as snapper and kingfish bait.

In stockFrom$16
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Yamashita EGI OH

01 · Egi

Yamashita EGI OH

Sound, flash and glow

From the easy-to-use EGI OH F to the Live Search with its 600Hz rattle and 490nm glow, and the Neon Bright UV models for murky water and changing light.

The mission
Egi tuned to what squid see and hear.
Best for
WharvesRocksMurky water
Sizes
2.0 to 3.5
In stockFrom$13Elsewhere:$13.99
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02 · Egi

Duel and Yo-Zuri

Darting action and distance

The ez-Q range with Patapata feet that vibrate like a shrimp, the LQ lens egi with a 3D prism glow, the long-casting Mag Q Tungsten, and the small Aurie-Q RS for early season.

The mission
An egi for every depth, distance and squid size.
Best for
RocksReefLong casts
Sizes
1.6 to 4.0
In stockFrom$11
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Sizes

Egi sizes and sink rates

Weights and sink rates from the makers' specs.

1.6 to 2.0

4g to 8.3g

The small Aurie-Q RS sizes for early season squid; the 2.0 sinks at 3.0 sec/m.

2.5

10g · 5.0 to 5.5 sec/m

The slowest standard size: EGI OH F 2.5 sinks at 5.5 sec/m, ez-Q Dartmaster 2.5 at 5.0 sec/m.

3.0

14.5g to 15g · 3.5 sec/m

The middle size: EGI OH F 3.0 and ez-Q Dartmaster 3.0 both sink at 3.5 sec/m.

3.5

18g to 20g · 3.0 to 3.3 sec/m

Heavier and faster: EGI OH F 3.5 at 3.0 sec/m, LQ Darter at 3.3 sec/m.

4.0

About 25g

The largest egi here, in the Aurie-Q 3D; the Mebius 79M rod is rated to cast it.

sec/m

Sink rate

Seconds to sink one metre: the bigger the number, the slower the fall.

Colours

Choosing an egi colour

What the cloth, body and glow are designed to do.

UV body

Low light or murky water

A Keimura (UV) body is ideal for low light or murky water.

Glow

490nm

Yamashita's glow is tuned to 490nm, the wavelength squid see best; the Aurie-Q 3D's eye emits 488nm.

Solid colour

Strong contrast

Neon Bright solid colours give high contrast and a sharp silhouette as the water colour changes.

La-me or Natural

Shiny or matte cloth

EGI OH F comes in shiny La-me or matte Natural cloths to match the conditions.

Rattle

600Hz

Squid hear between 400Hz and 1,500Hz, and the Search rattle sits at 600Hz.

Lens

Inner glow

Duel's 3D prism lens spreads the inner cloth's glow in all directions.

Rods

Reading an egi rod

Length, egi rating, power, line and action, from the rods we stock.

7'6" to 9'0"

Length

Longer rods cast further: the Atomic Arrowz Egi 8'3" adds distance while keeping tip sensitivity. Shorter rods, like the 7'10" Calamaretti UX 7102M (2.39m), suit searching fast, deep water, sight fishing and boat eging.

1.5 to 3.0

Egi rating

The egi sizes the rod casts and works best: Arrowz Egi 1.5 to 3.0, Calamaretti 2.5 to 4.5, Inqlude IS82-M4 3 to 4.

L · ML · M · MH

Power

Light to medium-heavy: the Mebius 86M is the series all-rounder, with a soft tip for working egi.

PE 0.6 to 1.0

Line rating

The braid the rod is built for: the Calamaretti UX is rated PE0.6 to 1.0.

Parabolic

Action

A parabolic blank, like the Samurai Egi, cushions the surging runs of big squid.

03 · Rods

Eging rods

From first rod to technical

The Atomic Arrowz Egi 8'3" is tuned for 1.5 to 3.0 egi. The Samurai Egi 7'6" comes in three egi ratings, the Calamaretti UX 7102M suits boat eging, and the Yamaga Blanks Mebius 86M is the series all-rounder.

The mission
Crisp tips that work the egi, with enough butt for big squid.
Best for
ShoreBoatEgi 1.5 to 4.5
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04 · Premium rods

Yamaga Blanks Calista and Zenaq

Power and finesse

The Calista range runs from the 72L/TF to the 90LML/S; the 86M/PF pairs a strong backbone with light handling and Fuji Torzite titanium guides. The Zenaq Inqlude IS82-M4 is a power-eging rod for size 3 to 4 egi.

The mission
Long, light, high-repulsion blanks for technical eging.
Best for
Long castsBig squidTechnical eging
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Eging reels

05 · Reels

Eging reels

2500 size, double handles

Light 2000 and 2500 spin reels. The Daiwa Emeraldas X DH has a double handle for control and no unwanted rotation on the jerk; the Emeraldas Air LT2500S weighs 155g. The Revros LT2500S-DH and Shimano Ultegra 2500SHG are the value picks.

The mission
A light reel you can jerk an egi with all night.
Best for
Double handleShallow spoolLight weight
In stockFrom$123
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06 · Line

Braid and leader

PE 0.6 to 1.0

XBraid Geso TSR X8 is made for eging in PE0.6 to 1.0, with a hydrophobic coating and a pink base with colour metering. Varivas Avani Eging Max Power X8 has a sinking bite marker for spotting takes. Finish with a fluorocarbon leader such as the Varivas Avani Eging Premium in 6 to 12lb.

The mission
Thin, sensitive braid and a hard fluoro leader.
Best for
PE 0.6 to 1.0Fluoro leaderBite detection
Leader
Varivas Avani Eging Premium, 6 to 12lb on 30m
In stockFrom$20
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07 · Snaps and storage

Snaps, storage and the Meiho squid pack

Kit for the rocks or the boat

Eging snaps keep the egi moving freely and make changes quick. The Meiho VS-7080N Squid Pack is a 375 × 293 × 275mm box with a Squid Stocker and two rod holders, and the Squid Stocker BM-S holds 48 egi. Build your own Meiho setup in the system builder.

The mission
Quick changes and a tidy box.
Best for
Egi storageSnapsShore and boat
In stockFrom$5Elsewhere:$5.95
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Technique

How to fish an egi

Four steps, in order.

1

Cast and count it down

Count the egi down to just above the weed or bottom: the sink rate on the pack tells you how deep it is.

2

Jerk it up

Two or three sharp lifts of the rod tip make the egi dart from side to side like a fleeing shrimp.

3

Let it fall

Pause and let it sink back on a semi-slack line, ready for the next take.

4

Watch the line

A twitch or a stop in the line as it sinks is a squid: lift into it with a steady sweep and keep the rod loaded.

Seasons

When and where to find squid in NZ

When squid are on, region by region, and where to look for them.

Peak Good Quiet

JJanFFebMMarAAprMMayJJunJJulAAugSSepOOctNNovDDec
Northland and Auckland

Broad squid (ngū). Lit wharves and jetties at night (Murrays Bay, Tamaki Drive), weed beds in 2 to 7m, and rock platforms with weed and clear water. From a boat, the weed beds of Whangateau Harbour and Whangarei Heads.

Central North Island

Broad squid inshore; arrow squid offshore. Wharves under lights at night, and weedy rocks and reef edges. Wellington anglers report squid on egi off the rocks in daylight.

Top of the South

Broad squid at the southern edge of their range; arrow squid offshore. Weed beds and boulder-and-sand reefs (D'Urville Island, the Nelson Boulder Bank), and the Nelson and Port Nelson wharves under lights.

Lower South Island

Arrow squid; broad squid are rare south of Kaikōura. Lights at night: Otago Harbour's inner channels and Port Chalmers, and under the stern lights of ships anchored off the harbour.

A guide only: squid are caught year-round and local conditions vary. Based on NZ Fishing News articles on Auckland and South Island squid, and Fisheries New Zealand's arrow squid assessments.

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