An Alaska fisherman witnessed one of the greatest escapes ever — and he caught it on video.

Fisherman Chance Miller was out in search of halibut, cod, and salmon when he pulled up a massive octopus clinging to his bait.

“We brought up a Giant Pacific Octopus holding on to the bait while fishing with large circle hooks,” said Miller. “I pulled the octopus on board, and let him find his own way off. This has been done many times, though sometimes they are kept, I prefer to let them go.”

This particular cephalopod evidently wanted something of a challenge, as it decided to take a very uncommon route.

“Instead of crawling over the gunnel, the octopus decided to slip through the scupper, which is shielded on the outside, and about a 2-inch gap. The octopus was probably 6 feet or more from arm to arm,” he recalled.

Octopuses have no internal skeleton, which allows them to squeeze through extremely narrow openings like this. Not only that, these guys can change shape and color on a whim, making them extremely effective when it comes to evading potential predators.

Over 300 species of octopods are found in a variety of different regions. This one was caught near the Chiswell Islands in the Gulf of Alaska.

Want to see more crazy octopus moves? Check out this octopus that walked on land to catch a snack.