Octopus advice?

[SC Spearo]

I would appreciate any advice on method or tools I should try using to catch and cook an octopus. I keep seeing them on the hard bottoms at 100'+ in little holes about 2"-3" wide.
I'm on SCUBA and i'm also not quite sure how to kill one once I have my hands on it.
I have tried jiggling my spear in the hole and I can usually get an arm or two to reach up and grab hold but I either fail to get a good grip to pull them out or the octopus is just too cautious.

Thanks

[sacha58]

usually a small gaff a couple of inches large is ok, or a paralizer tip with barbs, on a short polespear... you plunge it in the head of the octo, let it there, he will slowly comeout of the hole... then you grab it and , using your fingers in the siphon turn its head inside out and remove the internal organs.
As pe cooking, first, freeze it a few days, then slow boil til tender to the fork, and finish on the grill or broiler to give it some crunchiness, season with olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon, salt and hot stuff to pleasure...

[SC Spearo]

Great information. Thank you!

[virgili]

before cooking the octopus you have to beat the tentacles on a rock with a stick

kill the octopus by bitting the animal between the eyes... a old technic used in the Med Sea by my predecessors

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by virgili

before cooking the octopus you have to beat the tentacles on a rock with a stick

kill the octopus by bitting the animal between the eyes... a old technic used in the Med Sea by my predecessors

They can be handful. I had one almost take my knife frrom me...but yea, but bighting that know between their eyes (it's brain) will render them much more easy to deal with.

[landongold]

I take and eat them all the time here in Hawaii. Usually I can tickle them out out of their holes with my speartip or a rod of some sort. Just keep pushing it against them till they work their own way out.

I always bite. Quick and easy.

For cooking freezing first helps. Beating is a must unless you like chewing on rubber. After I'll blanch it in a cheap red or white wine. From here you could grill and eat but if you really want a tender he'e (octopus) stick it in the oven on a low slow and long bake. Up to 2 hours. Soft as butter

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk

[SC Spearo]

lol i love the bite strategy. If this weather clears up soon i'll be able to get offshore and try it out.

[SC Spearo]

Thanks for all the info guys. Biting that thing was a crazy sensation. I could feel the brain or whatever was in there squish when I really bit hard then a piece of his skin got stuck between two of my teeth.
I haven't cooked it yet but I'm looking forward to it.

Video: https://youtu.be/kU0Yis5zFxI

[sacha58]

Originally Posted by SC Spearo

Thanks for all the info guys. Biting that thing was a crazy sensation. I could feel the brain or whatever was in there squish when I really bit hard then a piece of his skin got stuck between two of my teeth.
I haven't cooked it yet but I'm looking forward to it.

Video: https://youtu.be/kU0Yis5zFxI

Do not tell me you really did bite it... It is an old habit, like throwing it on rocks... Now we have knives, and freezers....

[bleu]

Awesome.