octopus

I am building a prototype for trapping these wily animals.
 Good eats and good bait.
 Anyone have any design ideas they want to share? I have been looking on-line at all of the different types out there. I have a 4" PVC pipe I am using for it.
 I will post pics if wanted.
 My biggest stumper is, how to weight the trap. I poured a 7# lead bar and wrapped around the pipe. Crude, but it works. I am leaning toward finding a band of steel pipe that I can bolt to the outside instead of the lead.
 anybody else like eating these things?

I like 'em. squid too. I've seen octopuses in crab traps occasionally. Shy critters w/camo that changes with the terrain. never seen seen one when diving.
I found this interesting:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/giant-pacific-octopus/

local legend herebouts is that there are several of the giant versions inhabiting the tacoma narrows area.

only dealins i've had with octopi is in korean hot spicey soup. great for hangovers.

you got it WR!
 I am after the infamous "Pacific Giant".
 Butt, I am after the lil ones mostly.
 I get one a year usually from the neighbor who crabs commercially.
 I just wanna get my own.
 The Asian gentleman (out of Medford) who works on my buddy's reels, trades 'em for services rendered as well.

In the Mediterranean, folks use small clay jars for octopus traps. Leave them soaking overnight (octopus are active at night).

Friend of mine, John, caught the biggest I've seen, several years ago, near Neah Bay. Tentacles spanned 6', easily. It grabbed his bait/lure and fought fairly well. Netting it wasn't the brightest idea- it took a long time to untangle.

Pisco nailed it - clay pots.  Something kinda flower vase shaped... narrow opening, wide interior.  Bait the inside, and make the opening narrow enough for the octopus to get into. Once inside, it feels the full confines and feels comfortable, and hangs out in the pot to eat its meal (herring and other baitfish work fine) and hang out for a post-dinner nap.

I have seen the clay pots.
 I am using PVC tube with 1" opening, baited with shore crab most likely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus_wrestling

My folks and I were there.  I was young but still remember it.  They put the winning octopus is a glass viewing tank before taking it to the aquarium.

If you have trouble weighing down the PVC pipe, why not use metal pipe?  It would be its own weight.  4" stainless steel is available. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopus_wrestling

My folks and I were there.  I was young but still remember it.  They put the winning octopus is a glass viewing tank before taking it to the aquarium.

If you have trouble weighing down the PVC pipe, why not use metal pipe?  It would be its own weight.  4" stainless steel is available. 

my worry was the small electrical field produced by most metals while in the salty pond.
 I know octopi are very sensitive animals. I figured the inert ABS (not pvc) would be a better choice.
 BTW, where to find and how much $ would one expect a 2' piece of SS pipe to cost?
 thanks for the insight Demonick

Think exhaust pipe/tubing.   

Looks like Jegs will sell ya a 4" diameter x 4' long tube for $75.   

http://www.jegs.com/p/JEGS/JEGS-Exhaust-Tubing/752882/10002/-1
Check the bottom option on this page.

You might be able to pick up a few scraps or a length of it from a muffler shop that deals in high performance stainless exhausts for cars, and diesels.

octopi, octopuses, or octopedes?  http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutgrammar/plurals

Although it is often supposed that octopi is the 'correct' plural of octopus, and it has been in use for longer than the usual Anglicized plural octopuses, it in fact originates as an error. Octopus is not a simple Latin word of the second declension, but a Latinized form of the Greek word oktopous, and its 'correct' plural would logically be octopodes.

& http://complicatedoctopus.com/2005/09/25/squirrelly-plurals-octopuses-or-octopi-2/

“A note on the plural form: Fowler’s Modern English Usage states that ‘the only acceptable plural in English is octopuses’, and that octopi is misconceived and octopodes pedantic. Octopi derives from the mistaken notion that octopus is Latin. It is not. It is (Latinized) Greek, from oktopous, gender masculine, whose plural is oktopodes. If the word were Latin, it would be octopes (’eight-foot’) and the plural octopedes, analogous to centipedes and millipedes, as the plural form of pes (’foot’) is pedes. In modern, informal Greek, it is called khtapodi, gender neuter, with plural form khtapodia.”
So there.

 

Another method:

Trolling.

I prefer 3-4' dogfish, live, no flasher...

I've always wanted a giant Pacific red for a pet. They are so freakin cool and smart. Only critter I won't eat besides cuddlefish.

I'm kind of taken by those guys, and I've watched allot of Nat Geo type shows about them. Not that I want you to kill them, but I'd say a dark glass/plastic/ceramic jar would work well too. They don't like to see they're reflection on clear glass & don't feel as protected when you can see through it.

I've always wanted a giant Pacific red for a pet. They are so freakin cool and smart. Only critter I won't eat besides cuddlefish.

I'm kind of taken by those guys, and I've watched allot of Nat Geo type shows about them. Not that I want you to kill them, but I'd say a dark glass/plastic/ceramic jar would work well too. They don't like to see they're reflection on clear glass & don't feel as protected when you can see through it.

I'm with you on this one.. I have caught a number of them while halibut fishing off the Oregon Coast.  Ate one (and they are damn tasty), have since learned how smart and cool they are, and now its one of the few things from the salt I won't eat.  Fish "see" you, Octopus "look" at you

My friends six year old hooked one last year at Three Arch rocks, pretty good size the arms were about five-six feet across. We all thought he had a momma ling or a halibut on, lil' trout pole with 15lb. test took a loooong time to pull it up off the bottom. He snagged it in one of it's arms with a jig, my buddy thought about keeping it, but I talked him out of it. He wouldn't have eaten it, and it's just way too cool of an animal to use for crab bait. Definitely one of the coolest things I've seen brought up from the bottom. I don't have any advice on catching them, just think they're pretty cool.Good luck!
Jonah