Fishing was an ancient art in Hawaii, an art that was very important to the Hawaiian beloved chiefs in olden times, and a favorite art taught to their sons by the parents.  The ocean provided an abundance of food, including deep-water ahi, aku and ulua, and enormous variety of shore fish, shellfish and limu (seaweed). Hawaiians caught Octopus ( Tako) and other fish with simple bamboo poles and an `opae (shrimp) or crab as bait.  They also used hand woven beautiful olona nets of various size that could be used as throw nets.  They even were such great fisherman that they caught fish by hand, which is a method called "hahamau, that requires great skill and patience.