DUEL - EZ-Q DARTMASTER RATTLE 2.5/3.0 A1740/A1741 SQUID HOOK SQUID FISHING

DUEL EZ-Q Dartmaster Rattle #2.5 / #3.0 Squid Jig A1740 / A1741

Dart is the action that matters most in an egi. On a sharp rod snap a darting jig does not simply hop upward — it breaks hard left, then hard right, the way a startled prawn flicks backwards. A squid that has only watched a jig rise and fall will often commit the moment it turns a corner, because a sudden lateral escape is the trigger its hunting reflex is built around. The Dartmaster is DUEL's egi built around that movement, and this version adds a sealed rattle chamber so the direction change is heard as well as seen. Two sizes cover most water: #2.5 at 10g falling about 5.0 sec/m, #3.0 at 14.5g falling about 3.5 sec/m.

Rattle or silent. Sound extends the range at which a squid can locate the jig, so the rattle version is the better tool in stained water, at depth, at night, and in current. On a flat, clear jetty that is fished every night, the same knock can turn a following squid away. Carry both and let the follows decide.

Key Features

• Built-in rattle chamber producing sound that draws squid from a wider radius
• Patapata Feet Light side fins for lifelike vibration and natural posture
• Wave Motion Body with a ribbed surface for subtle vibration and flash
• Snagless sinker system that reduces seabed hang-ups
• Trick Hook: stainless crown hooks with a UV glow finish for visibility and secure hold
• Two sizes: #2.5 at 10g (about 5.0 sec/m) and #3.0 at 14.5g (about 3.5 sec/m)

How To Fish It

• The darting snap — Rod tip low and near the water, two to four short sharp upward snaps from the wrist, slack recovered between each. Long slow sweeps lift the jig instead of turning it; the dart comes from a fast, clean stop.
• Stop dead and let it fall — Drop the tip and let the jig sink nose-down on a controlled slack line. Squid take on the fall almost every time; watch the line, not the rod.
• Match the size to depth and flow — #2.5 for shallow, calm or clear water and smaller autumn squid; #3.0 for deeper edges, running tide, wind and larger squid.
• Sweep, never strike — A squid clamps the jig with its arms rather than biting. If the line stops falling, ticks or drifts sideways, sweep into the weight and keep unbroken tension. Any slack and the arms release.

Target Species By Region

• Southeast Asia — Candat sotong for bigfin reef squid (sotong torak) and cuttlefish (sotong katak) off Terengganu, Pahang and Johor, from boats under the lights and from jetties.
• North America — Market squid at lit California piers, worked down and out from the pilings.
• Japan & East Asia — Shore eging for aoriika: #2.5 is the common autumn size for smaller squid, #3.0 bridges into spring fish. Also fished in Korea and Taiwan.
• Australia, Middle East & Europe — Southern calamari over seagrass in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania; European squid and cuttlefish on Mediterranean marks.

Specifications

Colour codes: #1 LMOV, #2 LDM, #3 LGOG, #4 LPUP, #5 LP, #6 LBI, #7 LC, #8 BLDB, #9 BLMM, #10 BLMP, #11 BLBW, #12 BLGP, #13 BLRR, #14 BLM, #15 BLBI, #16 KVRP, #17 KVE, #19 KPP, #20 KOO. Not every colour is offered in both sizes. SKU prefixes 30A1740 and 30A1741.

Recommended Pairing

• Egi rod of 8' to 8'6" with a crisp fast tip — a soft tip kills the dart
• 2500–3000 spinning reel with PE 0.5–0.8 braid; low stretch transmits the snap
• Fluorocarbon leader of 8–14 lb, about a rod length
• Long-handled squid net — crown hooks have no barbs