Octopus Traps

Hey All,

Has anyone heard of anyone in the Pacific Northwest using octopus traps.  There is not a lot of online about them.  They are popular in Japan.  I am interested in making some and testing them out at Depoe Bay.  Any info is appreciated.

Hey All,

Has anyone heard of anyone in the Pacific Northwest using octopus traps.  There is not a lot of online about them.  They are popular in Japan.  I am interested in making some and testing them out at Depoe Bay.  Any info is appreciated.

I heard of people using them in Puget Sound to harvest but thats been several years ago.  Most that I know of were taken using scuba.  Good luck, it will be interesting to hear about the experience.

In Asia, people just use a jar with a rope tie to the handle. Drop it down to the bottom, and let it sit for at least 24 hours. So I don't know how practical that is in the US. I drop crab pots down for 2 to 3 hours at the most, that will not be long enough for the Octopus to find the trap. Look at Youtube and you can see what kind of traps that commercial people used and may find a place to buy those traps too.

In Asia, people just use a jar with a rope tie to the handle. Drop it down to the bottom, and let it sit for at least 24 hours. So I don't know how practical that is in the US. I drop crab pots down for 2 to 3 hours at the most, that will not be long enough for the Octopus to find the trap. Look at Youtube and you can see what kind of traps that commercial people used and may find a place to buy those traps too.

I have done a ton of research already and have seen the traps used in Asia.  I have also seen a much more expensive trap where the door actually closes but they do seem a bit heavier.  I am hoping of doing a cheaper alternative so i can make several andeasily deploy them from the back of the kayak.  I was thinking of a large PVC tube with a cap on one end and a bit of cement to keep it flat.  Then leave them overnight and check them every 24 hours.  There is also a lot of talk of people incidentally catching them while using crab or shrimp pots.  If you ever find empty crab shells in your trap, you know why.  Some people even catch them pulling up their chum bag.  Hoping to figure out a way and traps are legal and seem to be the best way to catch them.

I would not recommend a PVC tube. Even with a 6" tube, you will not get a any adult but juvenile Octopus. Find some thin aluminum sheet, and make a square box out of it, keep one end open and the other end with screen. On the outside of the screen, a piece of solid piece to cover the screen. Octopus like to hind in the dark place, so the box will serve this purpose, when you put up the box, the solid piece on the back will open and the screen will let water out, so it is easy to pull up the box. You don't need to close the other end when you pull up the strap, it will stay inside until the box is stop moving. Let me know if you catch any Octopus, I would like to get some too. Hope this help.

That is a good idea and is what is similar design to the more expensive options. I just don’t know how to work with metal or I would do it myself. Will need to look into sheet metal prices and ways to get straight cuts. I would like to make 2-3 of them to be able to fit in the back of the outback.

I would venture to guess that a black corrugated plastic drain pipe with a cap on one end would work.
Add some weight to it so it stays in place.

I would venture to guess that a black corrugated plastic drain pipe with a cap on one end would work.
Add some weight to it so it stays in place.

That was my original intent.  I want to test out the traps and don want to invest a ton if they dont work.  I do like the idea of something a bit larger so i am able to increase the opportunity to catch them (instead of limiting myself to juvenilles).  I will have to look around some hardware stores to come up with ideas.  Hoping to find someone who has trapped them successfully.  Maybe i should start with a few seafood stores and find where they source local octopus.

I did some more research and found a good article.  It sounds like the winter time is the best opportunity. And a smallish plywood box is what the Alaska Fish and Game used.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=303

I'd check with ODFW on what is a trap vs. what is a pot.  Pots are an allowed method of take for octopus.  Traps are not listed for octopus.  Traps and pots are listed for shrimp.  I would not have thought there was a difference and that the words are used interchangeably, but I'd want clarification.

I'd check with ODFW on what is a trap vs. what is a pot.  Pots are an allowed method of take for octopus.  Traps are not listed for octopus.  Traps and pots are listed for shrimp.  I would not have thought there was a difference and that the words are used interchangeably, but I'd want clarification.

This comes from ODFW Administrative Rules at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/OARs/05.pdf
(g) “Pot or trap” means a portable, enclosed device with one or more gates or entrances and one or more lines attached to surface floats;

I'd check with ODFW on what is a trap vs. what is a pot.  Pots are an allowed method of take for octopus.  Traps are not listed for octopus.  Traps and pots are listed for shrimp.  I would not have thought there was a difference and that the words are used interchangeably, but I'd want clarification.

This comes from ODFW Administrative Rules at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/OARs/05.pdf
(g) “Pot or trap” means a portable, enclosed device with one or more gates or entrances and one or more lines attached to surface floats;

That is from the commercial rules, but it certainly jives with what I would think the right answer is - that the words are used interchangeably. 

I looked into the legality and i did not see any issues per odfw.  I will reach out to them and confirm.  Thanks for watching out!

Below are some photos of a design i may try to match.  Any alternatives ideas are appreciated. The Alaska Fish and Game called it an "octopus habitat pot".  So I should be good to go.

You'll want to carry a burlap or other mesh bag big enough to hold said critter until dispatched. As you found out last year, they are some sticky slippery critters.  Using a burlap bag over your arm/hand, you can grab the Kraken without it being able to grab you back.

I believe we are allowed one per day, but no limit per year.  Nor do we have to tag them.

You'll want to carry a burlap or other mesh bag big enough to hold said critter until dispatched. As you found out last year, they are some sticky slippery critters.  Using a burlap bag over your arm/hand, you can grab the Kraken without it being able to grab you back.

I believe we are allowed one per day, but no limit per year.  Nor do we have to tag them.

I have one in the garage. That’s a good idea. I was thinking i could attach the burlap bag to the whole in the pot. Then it just crawls into the wet burlap bag. Here is a design I am going to make. I found this from a study done in 1986. They said in September they had a 25%!catch rate. These boxes are 12x24 with slats for draining made from cheap wood.