How to catch wild octopus

[gardenfiend138]

Hello everyone, I would like to know how to catch a wild octopus specifically the pacific giant octopus (enteroctopus dofleini) I would really like to keep one of these guys preferably a baby as I would want to start it in a smaller quarantine tank before introducing it into a large tank with pre-established life. I have been devoting a few hours a day searching my local tide pools with no luck I was told that pokepulling using muscle meat as bait can occasionally yield octopus however I would like my octopus unharmed if possible. If you have a special technique to finding and retrieving octopus I would greatly appreciate them...Thanks everyone!

 

[ieatfalalfel]

I know with freshwater loaches and moray eels a common practice is to put some pvc or other cave like things with food in them and pull them up. I know octos are smarter than said creatures so this may not work, but thats the best I could think of. Also, you could check with local crabbers (if there are crabbers in your area) as they sometimes get octos as bi-catch.