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One of the most effective billfish teasers is a squid daisy chain. However, not all daisy chains are created equally: Years ago, captains and deckhands discovered that, by rigging a few of the squid on monofilament droppers rather than in-line, it greatly increased the overall action of the rig.
Most daisy chains are deployed from the bridge of the boat and are controlled by the captain. These are also usually the teasers fished the closest to the boat in the spread. To keep the chain skipping along the surface, use a slightly heavier lead weight in the first few squid and lighter weights in the ones near the end.
Squid daisy chains should also incorporate the use of a chase bait in the end position. This gives the illusion of a small predator chasing the squids as they skip along the waves. Popular chase baits are lures like the Ilander series, usually incorporating a natural bait like ballyhoo or mackerel or a strip of bonito or mahimahi belly. This will help an attacking billfish stay interested in the teaser long enough for an angler to get a pitch bait in the water. Once a fish is raised on the squid chain, the captain should turn the boat in the direction of the side the fish has approached and begin to retrieve the teaser in a controlled manner. Once the angler’s bait has passed the teaser, the squid chain should be yanked from the water and brought in quickly. The billfish should then switch over to the angler’s bait, resulting in a memorable bite a few yards from the transom.
