Heres a photo of a boat rigged for pulpo(octopus),they use 2 out riggers made of bamboo with heavy line tied in a couple of place from one pole to the other.Then from those lines they tie drift lines with a heavy tube shaped weight tied to it to keep it on the bottom.At the end of the line they usually tie a crab or sometimes a fish head to the end.

With this system they use no hook because when the octopus grabs it he wont turn it loose and your able to haul him in.They then just drift fish draging these baits across the bottom.

We have also watch several people poking around rocks with poles catching octopus,they grab hold of the pole and the people would have to peal them off the pole.

sarge