Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-04
FISHING FOR OCTOPUS.
How They Are Caught With Flies Out
On Puget Sound.

no" Ihey are Out
On Puget Sound.
Fly fishing for the octopus is pleasing
novelty in the gentle art of angling,as prac-
ticed in Puget sound. Although this hor-
rid cuttlefish in such high ATTITUDES does not
attain the monstrous size it reaches in trop-
ical or even semi-tropical waters, the aver
age weight of those along the shores of
Washington state is great enough to make
the sport both exciting and dangerous.
Well named the "devilfsl." this hideous
marine animal, when hauled upon the deck
of the fishing sloop, presented, even when
of relatively insignificant proportions-say
twenty pounds-an appearance the reverse
of confidence inspiring. 1t is easy enough
to catch them, and after you get the hang
of the thing, safe enough to handle them
with tackle. The boat, with only sail
enough to keep steerage way, is guided
over spots where the octopus lies in wait
under shelving rocks for his prey. AS with
the sponge fisherman in southern waters,
headleSS 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 bottom
closely with practiced eye, undistracted by
the reflected glare from the surface of the
surrounding water With this simple de-
vice. says the New York Recorder, it is
possible to see distinctly objects at con-
siderable depth.
At a signal from the man on the lookout
the boat is brought up into the wind and
held stationary while preparat tons are
speedily made to hook his octopusship,
which has been sighted lying on the bot
tom, hideous and still, save for reaching,
swaying movement of one more of its
arms or feelers. A long sounding line is
run through a pulley at the end of boom
swinging over the side, a piece of stout
white canvas is made fast at the end for
lure, and the fun begins.
Directed by the man in the barrel, the
canvas lily" is lowered to within few
feet of the lurking devilfish. and kept con-
stantly in motion by series of sharp
jerks, care being taken not to let it come
within reach of the fish while he retains
his position on the bottom, else it would be
impossible to tear 1t loose from its anchor
age, such is the immense strength exerted
by the suction disks, with which it's eight
arms or legs are plentifully supplied.
The men at the rope are warned by the
watcher of the signs of increasing interest
manifested by the octopus, and when at
last it makes a spring for the tantaiizing
lure and closes its beaklike jaws upon the
piece of rag, strong arms heave in the line
and the squrming organism, looking all
arms and tentacles, is hoisted to the END
of the outraged boom.
1t is an operation requiring tact, prompt
ness and skill, for the creature must not
come in contact with the hull of the boat,
to which IT would attach itself like an UNI
wieldly barnacle until such time it suit
ed its pleasure to let go, period altogether
indefinite for the comfort OF either skipper
crew.
Once dangling at the boom end however,
it is virtually secured, for surrender ITS mold
on the drag il will not The octopus holds
fast to all 1t gets with pertinacity which
ShameS even the trusts and monoDolieS,
which have been lkened to it. Now, how
ever. the animals own tenacity is turned
against it, and this very quality made TO
assist in landing its possessor at the final
stage. Boat hooks and poles are thrust TO-
ward 1t, and when ii has fastened its unre-
laxing grip upon these IL is swung inboard,
hurled upon the deck, and dispatched with
AK.
No description can give an idea of the hid
eousness OF this creature. TO grasp it in
its fullest detail one must watch il at such
a time as this, IL SpraWlS about the deck
before receiving the coup de grace, its eight,
sometimes ten, arms sproutIng about its
head, each equipped on The under side with
rows of cup-lke suctorial disks which by
muscular action produces a vacuum, giving
writhing hither and thither like n coil OF
serpents. Then its eyes! Ugh! The awful
ness OF those eyes; great, rolling, saucer
like protuberanceS that Fix you with a fierce
stare that senus the cold shivers down your
back, especially when you notice the cruel
mouth with curved, beGk-liise claws, Tor
all the world like parrots many times
magnifed. When the AK sinks into the
griSiy body and the twining arms become
still you feel as the blue water sailor feels
when he dispatches Il shark-that you nave
done good action.
They are well named devilfsh. this species
of the cutie family,to appreciate which ii
is only necessary to have seen one of the
monsters of the southern seas. There are
well-authenticate1 instances of specimens
weighing 800 pounds and measuring fifteen
feet from head to tail and fifty feet in
spread of tentacleS. While such gigantic
specimens are never seen outside of the
tropics this fish grows to no mean dimen-
sions along the western and southern
coasts of Florida, ana many stories of
strange adventures with the octopus are
told by the fishermen and sponge hunters
of that region. That even the smaller ones
are ugly customers to fool with this Incl
dent will show.
A shell gatherer, while at work on the
west coast, came upon young octopus
crawling among the rocks. 1t was quite
small, measuring not more than three feet
from tip to tip of its extended tentacles
while its body was not larger than 4 mans
fist. 1t looked like a very big spider as IL
wObDled along on its arms, trying to rSacn
the surf from the part where il had been
lett by the receding tide, and the shell hun
ter thought he would try to capture it.
Running up he planted his foot firmly on
the end of one of the creatures 'feelers,' -
but with apparent ease the octopus pulled
il free and continued its march toward the
sea. The man repeated the experiment sew
eral times with no better success. then TAX
ing advantage of = moment when the crea-
ture could offer comparatively little resist
ance. it being in the act of reaching out to
lay hold of a rock on the other side of an
| intermining fissCre he seized one of the
tentacles. and. giving powerful jerk, tore
| the fish loose from the rock.
| Up to this time the efforts of the octopus
had all been directed to escaping. Now
| however, It changed it's tactics. Turning
| upon it's pursuer it laid hold Of him by the
arm. wrapping its tentacleS about his body
! as we'll, and tried to fastCn its bcak-like
| jaws in his face.
Here a predicament. The hunter
| hunted with vengeance. Try as he would
| the man could not shake off the creature
which chung to him with a clammy wise
| like grip, but by a liberal use of = store
| club he saved himself from being bitten,
| until his cries for assistance brought friends
| to the scene, who killed the fish with Il
| knife.
A DAY DROPS OUT.
! nar Sfrn cd Vr,,, ~sn