Octopus for jewfish?

[rjc123]

Hey Raiders,

Managed a few occy's today while squidding. Would like to use them as jewie bait over the next few days.... Any tips on this? Are the tentacles decent? How should i go about using it for bait?

Cheers, Tom

[Scratchie]

Hey, I have tried this with fresh ocky I got from the co-op. Thought ocky would be ok to target jewys but didn't get a touch, yet my squid on the other line saw constant action! Good luck!

Cheers scratchie!!!

[The Incredible Hull]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I wanted to ask a newbie question... When you're out squiding and you land an occy, how are you meant to handle the occy, and also whats the best approach to remove your jig?

[SargeRX8]

If you want to keep the octopus for a feed just do what ever it takes to get the jig out. Grab the line flip him and try to quickly get the jig out. Then let him crawl away or if you wanna eat him grab him by the head and belt it full strength against the rocks. Some people say its cruel but I always see people do this. I tried to cut its head off one time. No chance. Not with those tentacles. He will try bite you if he gets the chance.

Octopus tentacles are gun bait for snapper and flathead.

Edited April 15, 2013 by SargeRX8

[Harbour Hauler]

I'm not sure you can even take octopus from sydney harbour.

[SargeRX8]

I'm not sure you can even take octopus from sydney harbour.

Theres a combined bag limit of ten with no written restrictions. They're fine to take.

[svsolaris]

Putting them in contact with even a small quantity of ice will send them straight to sleep

[sydangler]

most of sydney harbour (at least most of it) is an intertidal marine zone, meaning you cant take anything that lives between the high and low tide point, including octopus.

but you can take them from out side the harbour, as far as killing them goes you need a razor shape knife get the occy to stick to the rocks grad its head pull up and in one quick movement slice its head off below the eyes. or try the greek/italian way of bite it between the eyes, personally i prefer the knife.

as for bait i have fished it quite alot as i thought it would be gold and i have had a few run by possible jews but havent landed one on it, i usually use a tentical from a bigger occy or if its a small one throw it out whole. talking to a guy a few months back on a brreakwall up north and he puts them out live under a float and has got a few good jews on them and he said the bigger the better.

[Yowie]

Usually let occys go if I catch them. Find that squid are more common, and a better bait. One thing though, an occy tentacle does not get picked off the hook by little fish.

Occys are also a fairly intelligent critter. Have caught small rock crabs in a pool, hold them in a closed hand, and an octopus will swim over, grab my hand, open my fingers and pull out the crab and eat it. Not been bitten (yet) by the occy. Don't try if with a blue ringed occy!

[nbdshroom]

Maybe if you're lucky, the occy might have some supernatural powers and be able to predict the score of the ball game.