The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1893-12-23
ANGLING FOR OCTOPODS,
. Pleasing Novelty in Fishing at
Puget Sound.
uow a Eaby Devilfisf Entertained "A Flor
ida Map-The Horrible Power Pos
sessed by the uncanny
Creatures.

rlv fishing for the octopus is pleas.
inc novelty in the gentle art OF angling.
os practiced in Puget sound. Althouvh
tbis horrid cuttletish in such high latj.
tudes does not attain the monstrous
size it reaches in tropical or even semi
tropical waters, the average weipht of
those along the shores of WASHINGTON
state is great enough to make the sport
both exciting and dangerous, SAYS the
New York Recorder.
Well named the ''devilfsh." this
hideous marine animal, when hauled
upon the deck of the fishing sloop,
presented even when Of relatively in.
significant proportions-say, twenty
pounds--an appearance the reverse of
Misunderstanding. 1t is easy enough
to catch them and, after YOU ret the
hang of the thing, safe enough to
handle them with tackle. The boat.
with only sail enough to keep stecrage-
way, is guided over spots where tho
octopus lies in wait under shelving
rocks for his prey. AS with the sponge
fisherman in southern waters. a head
less barrel, half-submerged in an up
right position, is dashed to the bottom
Of the boat, and boatman, thrusting
his head into this barrel, scans the bot
tom closely with practiced eye, undis-
tracted by the reflected glare from the
surface of the surrounding water.
With this simple device it is possible
to see distinctly objects at consider
able depth.
At a signal from the man on tho
lookout the boat is brought up into tho
wind and held stationary while prepa-
rations are speedily made to hook
his octopusship, which has been
sighted lying on the bottom, hideous
and still, save for u reaching, swaying
movement of one or more of it's arms
or feelers. A long sounding line is run
through pulley at the end of boom
swinging over the side, piece of stout
white canvas is made fast Mt the end
for lure, and the fun begins.
Directed by the man in the barrel,
the canvas Fly" is lowered to within a
few feet of the lurking devilfish and
kept constantly i'll motion by Il series
Of short jerks, care being taken not to
let it come within reach of the fish !
while he retains his position on tho
bottom, else it would be impossible tn
tear it loose from it's anchorage, such
is the immense strength eXerted by tho
suction disks with which it's eight |
arms or legs are plcntifully supplied.
The men at the rope were warned by
the watcher of the signs of increasing
interest manifested by the octopus,
and when at last it makes spring for
the tantali2ing lure and closes it's
peal1like jaws upon the piece of rag,
strong arms heave in the line and tho |
squirming organism looking ali arms
and tentacles is hoisted TO the end of
the outraged boom.
1t is an operation requiring tact,
promptness and skill, for the creature
must not come in contact with the hull
Of the boat, to which it would attach
itself like an unwieldy barnacle un-
til such time as it suited its pleasure to
let go, a period altogether indefinite
for the comfort Of either skipper or
crew.
Once dangling at the boom end, how
ever, it is virtually secured, for surren- !
der its hold on the rag it will not The
octopus holds fast to all it gets with
pertinacity which shames even the
trusts and monopolies which have been
tkencd to 1t. Now, however, the ami
mails own tenacity is turned against it
and this very quality made to assist in
landing its possessor at the final stage.
both hooks and poles are thrust
toward it and when it has fastened its
anrelaxing grip upon these it is swung
'hooard, hurled upon the deck and dis
patched with an AK.
A shell gatherer, while at work on
ae west coast, came upon young
octopus crawling among the rocks. 1t
was quite small, measuring not moro
man three feet from tip to tip of its
attended tentacles, while it's body was
y, larger than mans fist. 1t looked
luxe very big spider as it wabbled
Aong on it's arms, trying to reach the
W., ,usl from the part where it had been
,e't by the receding tide, and the shell
a aunter thought he would try to capture
a. running up he planted his foot
Im!y on the end of one of the crea-
"ues "feelers," but with apparent
s s the octopus pulled it free and con-
aued its march toward the sea. The
san repeated the experiment several
Iues with no better success, then TAX
W advantage of moment when the
STATURE could offer comparatively lit
resistance, it being in the act of
M,saching out to lay hold of a rock on
W. other side of an intervening assure,
w. seized one of the tentacles and Civ
s powerful jerk tore the fish
'sse rom the rock.