Arizona republican., 1894-01-11
ANGLING FOR OCTOPODS.
A Pleasing Novelty in Fishing at
 Puget Sound
How Baby Devilfish Entertained Flor ida Man-The Horrible Power Pos sessed by the Uncapny
 Creatures.

Fly fishing for the octopus is a pleas ing novelty in the gentle art of angling, as practiced in Puget sound. Although this horrid cuttlefish in such high lati- tudes does not attain the monstrous size it reaches in tropical or even semi tropical waters, the average weight of those along the shores of Washington state is great enough to make the sport both exciting and dangerous, says the New York Recorder.
 We'll named the ''devilfish," this hideous marine animal, when hauled upon the deck of the fishing sloop, presented even when of relatively in- significant pr~haations-say, twenty pounds-an appearance the reverse of confidence-inspiring. It 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, head less barrel, half-submerged in an up- right position, is lashed to the bottom of the boat, and a 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 the lookout the boat is brought up into the 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 a reaching, swaying movement of one or more of its arms or feelers A long sounding line is run through pulley at the end of a boom swinging over the side, piece of stout white canvas is made fast at the end for a lure and the fun begins.
 Directed by the man in the barrel, the canvas ''fy" is lowered to within few feet of the lurking devilfsh and kept constantly in motion by a series of short 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 it loose from it's anchorage, 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 were warned by the watcher of the signs of increasing interest manifested by the octopus, and when at last it makes spring for the tantalizing lure and closes its peaklike jaws upon the piece of rag, strong arms heave in the line and the squirming organism, looking all arms and tentacles, is hoisted to the end of the outraged boom.
 It 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 it's 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 it's 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 ikened to it. Now, however, the ami malls own tenaeity 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 it's unrelaxing grip upon these it is swung inboard, hurled upon the deck and dis patched with an ax.
 A shell gatherer, while at work on the west coast, came upon a young octopus crawling among the rocks. It was quite small, measuring not more