RECREATION : BOATING : Squids Await the Die-Hard Anglers : The mollusks, a staple of yellowtail and sea bass, are also known as calamari. If you go squidding, pick a moonless night.

For the die-hard angler who can’t wait for the summer fishing season to begin, Charlie Davis has a suggestion. Try squid fishing. It’s fun. It’s easy. And the time is right.

Every winter thousands of squid can be found in the local waters off Orange County and near Catalina, says Davis, who is a legendary Orange County fisherman and author of “Hook Up,” an angling guide now in its 11th printing.

“Until sometime in the ‘50s, we didn’t realize that there are incredible numbers of squid in our local waters,” says Davis, who teaches fishing classes at Golden West College. “But there are humongous numbers of squid.”

And that’s good news for anglers, Davis says.

Not only do squid make good eating--in the supermarket they’re sold as calamari--but they also serve as bait for the elusive yellowtail and white sea bass, both of which sometimes can be found feeding among squid schools.

“We are in a winter fishing season,” Davis says. “It’s different from year to year, but all our fishing depends upon water temperature first. When the water temperature drops below 62 degrees, most fish leave or the resident fish go into a dormant state. But now we have squid, and that means you may have yellowtail and sea bass (both of which feed on squid).”

So, Charlie Davis has been biding his time--and watching the moon.

“The full moon is the worst possible time to look for squid,” he says.

Good squid fishing must be done on the blackest, moonless nights, according to Davis. Squid are attracted to bright lights, the brighter the better. “But what happens during a full moon is that man is no competitor for the squid’s attention,” Davis says. “When there is no moon, squid are attracted to lights in such quantities that you can scoop them out of the water with nets.”

That’s why around Feb. 14, while the moon is dark, Davis plans to head to sea in his 38-foot Sportfisher, equipped with a 500-watt light bulb and some fishing nets.

“We just shine our light on the water and the squid are attracted in such quantities that they sometimes plug up the intakes on the boat’s engine. They are so numerous they push right up out of the water. It’s an incredible sight.”

After scooping the slippery mollusks from the water, Davis takes some of them home for supper, he says.

“My kids used to go to school with squid sandwiches,” he says.

He uses the rest of his catch as bait and drops a hook among the squid school, hoping to catch a yellowtail or sea bass. “Live squid are good bait for any fish we catch around here,” he says.

In all, an evening of squid fishing is a great way to beat the winter blahs, says Davis, who has fished the nearby Southern California and Mexican waters for 50 years. He currently holds the world record for fly rod-caught albacore and is an enthusiastic angler who enjoys sharing his knowledge of local waters. “I like to help people catch fish,” he says simply.

If you want to try your hand at squid fishing, Davis reminds anglers to carry a bright light and to fish on moonless nights, any time after sundown and before daybreak.

You’ll need a sportfishing license, available at most bait and tackle shops. According to Tony Warrington, a game warden with the state Department of Fish and Game, there is no limit on the number of squid each angler can take. Nor is there a size limit.

Squid being taken now along the Southern California coast are averaging about 5 inches in body width, according to Terri Dickerson, marine biologist with the department. In 1989, 45,000 tons of squid were taken in the state.