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Author Topic: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?  (Read 11010 times)

Offline acnewman55

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #15 on: February 16, 2016, 05:58:13 PM »
I sent an email to the fishing regs people to ask for clarification on legal methods.


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Offline acnewman55

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #16 on: March 14, 2016, 10:08:24 AM »
A shellfish biologist with WDFW replied to me this morning... Took them a full month to reply.

Quote
You can use a crab pot to fish for octopus, but only during an open recreational Dungeness crab fishery. The pot limit must be adhered to.  The pot must conform to all the requirements of a Dungeness pot as outlined in the Recreational Sport Pamphlet.  You cannot set pot gear outside an open recreational Dungeness crab fishery.  You must have a Shellfish/Seaweed license.  You cannot keep Dungeness crab during these efforts unless you also get a Dungeness crab endorsement and Dungeness crab Catch Record Card.
 
You can catch them as a diver, but this must be done by hand.  No chemical irritants are allowed.  No implements that penetrate the octopus are allowed. Again, you must have a Shellfish/Seaweed license.
 
You can catch octopus using hook and line.  There is no specific bait that I know of that would solely limit your take to octopus.  The likelihood of successfully targeting octopus using hook and line would be slim in my opinion.  If you are using a hook and line to target octopus, you should be aware of other bottom fish, baitfish or salmon restrictions that may be in place.  If you intend to keep anything other than octopus, make sure you have the appropriate license and endorsement for those species.  Again, you must have at least a Shellfish/Seaweed license if you only intend to take octopus.
 
Regardless of the method, your daily octopus limit is one.
 
There are areas that are “off limits” for octopus fishing.  Please refer to the following link for information on these restricted areas; http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/octopus/.
 
In addition, Brackett’s Landing (aka Edmonds Underwater Park) restricts the take of any fish or shellfish from within the boundaries of the city reserve.  Other cities may have similar restrictions. There are also research reserves set-up within the San Juan Archipelago by the University of Washington.  No fish or shellfish are allowed to be taken from within the boundaries of these reserves (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/mpa/friday_harbor.html).
 
Please let us know if you have additional questions.

Offline magnanimous_j

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #17 on: March 15, 2016, 10:34:50 AM »
So you can only trap octopus in crab fisheries? That's weird.

Offline REHJWA

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #18 on: March 15, 2016, 10:38:50 AM »
So you can only trap octopus in crab fisheries? That's weird.

I think that us if your using pots as traos

Offline acnewman55

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #19 on: March 15, 2016, 04:44:10 PM »
So you can only trap octopus in crab fisheries? That's weird.

I think that us if your using pots as traos

That is my understanding.  You can use crab pots to fish for octopus though how you would target one and not the other...  :dunno:

I suspect Octopus like rockier more structured environments so they can hunt/hide from predators while crab prefer eel grass and sandy bottoms.

So perhaps one could have success just by switching up locations.

Offline h20hunter

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #20 on: March 15, 2016, 05:21:49 PM »
Octos live in rocks.  I'd be amazed if one stayed in a crab pot all the way to the surface. Man up, strap on a tank, and go hand to hand.

Offline 2labs

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #21 on: March 15, 2016, 05:24:57 PM »
Man up and go hand to hand with a big Ling!
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Offline h20hunter

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #22 on: March 15, 2016, 05:26:55 PM »
By the way....having dove in the hundreds of times in the sound, handled and given crab to all sizes of octo.....I would not take the chance on hand grabbing one of any size.  They are crazy strong and you are at the disadvantage.

Big ling on the end of a sling or spear line are a challenge at times as well. Good times.

Offline WAPatriot

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #23 on: March 16, 2016, 06:59:01 AM »
As far as I'm concerned read the regulations and interpret them as such. I see nothing wrong with an octopus pot.  Never ask the state for permission on a matter like this know the rules and play by them. Don't ask someone who is probably an octopus hugger interpret the rules.

Offline magnanimous_j

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #24 on: March 16, 2016, 07:19:33 AM »
I suspect Octopus like rockier more structured environments so they can hunt/hide from predators while crab prefer eel grass and sandy bottoms.

From what I've read, the octopus do like craggy structure, but that's why you put the traps in open terrain, so it's more attractive to octos that strayed away from the safety of the rocks.

Offline jackmaster

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #25 on: March 16, 2016, 08:12:24 AM »
Go down and grab one. Keep in mind, the diving community will tar and feather you given the chance.
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Offline nwwanderer

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #26 on: March 16, 2016, 04:41:00 PM »
Have eaten a few.  Pacifics can be very large, be careful out there

Offline paguy

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #27 on: March 17, 2016, 05:52:33 PM »
I caught two last summer in my crab pots, both very big, couldn't believe they could get in there, also lost one pulling the pot it was riding on top of it and fell off just before I could grab it. kept finding empty Dungeness crab shells in my pot before I caught one. octopus love Dungeness crab, set your pots on a sandy bottom near some structure. 

Offline The scout

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Re: Hunting/Fishing for Giant Pacific Octopus?
« Reply #28 on: March 17, 2016, 05:59:32 PM »
I would rather go down and spear a 40lb ling than try and catch a 20lb octopus any day :twocents: be careful and make sure your will is up to date

 


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