Ancient Hawaiians used circular traps that ranged from 3 to 75 inches in length and 5 to 11 inches in diameter. They looked like woven baskets and were made with the aerial rootlets of the 'ie'ie vine. The vine grew at an altitude of 1500 feet and had to be harvested to make a basket. The circular traps were basically low baskets with an entrance at the top. A stone sinker held the bait inside the trap and also held the basket in place. Each trap had a funnel projecting downward into the interior.

The general name for the trap was hina'i (basket) which was often followed by the name of the fish it caught. For example hina'i 'o'opu was used by women for catching o'opu (goby) that wre baited with crushed prawns or crabs. When the same trap was set in shallow sea waters to the small hinalea fish (saddle wrasse) it was called hina'i hinalea.

Men also used these traps with cracked sea urchin for bait, however they set them out in deep waters surrounded by stones to keep them anchored for a day or two until it was filled with fish.

The hina'i palani was used for catching palani and other similar fishes and squid. The bait used was partly roasted sweet potato strung on a cord and tied to the stone placed in the basket. The basket was lowered on a line with a floater. The feeding continued for 4 or 5 days and the fisherman examined the sweet potato for the size of the bite marks. This would indicate the size of the fish. The fisherman would then lower a larger basket called 'api with several strings of potato. The feeding went on for days until the fish got used to staying in the basket. The fisherman then skipped a day of feeding before lowering numerous baskets with fresh roasted sweet potato. Returning later in the day the baskets would be brought in full of fish.