rigging octopus

[mangomick]

Any of you guys used octopus off shore for bait. Do you usually carve them up or use them whole. What do you find the best way to rig them whole. Do any one fish species seem to prefer them over over species.
Cheers
mangomick

[kingtin]

I reckon that they're a top bait and there's been days when occy or cuttlefish have outfished squid and other baits.

If you can get 'em fresh, so much the better, but I've used the frozen stuff with success, just hooked through the body with the tentacles hanging free and a stinger in there if you want, they're extra tough and the pickers can't get 'em off.

We've picked up quite a few in the crab pots, at The Bedrooms, of all places! Dunno what they were doing there? perhaps they like the Chardonnay berley

kev

[bballfisho]

it might be pretty hard to get any bait sized occy's. i have only ever managed a few monsters on the reef that could've made good calamari or bait but i would normally just use squid as its pretty similar.

to rig up an occy i'd put a big hook the through the top of the body and put it down whole for a parrot or cod

[harlequin]

havent had the heart to kill em after watching a program about how intelligent they are im sure they are trying to talk to ya in 8 legged sign language

[mangomick]

Cheers
Thanks fellers
The Mrs picked up a 5kg box of them . A stinger might be the go I usually end up with the body left and all the tentacles gone
mangomick

[blaze]

a guy down here takes out his occy traps when he goes fishing. He uses things like tins or capped pvc pipe, sometimes ties 2 or three together with a weight and a float so ya can find them. No bait, just drops them in the water and picks them up the next day or on the way home. Fresh bait for next trip.
cheers
blaze

[mattooty]

Mate a whole occy leg is a top bait for snapper and reefies.
I use them whole for jew cause the pickers cant get them off
Go out and toss a few around and see how you go
MAtt