Bug Hunting Trip to Florida?

[DennisS]

I use the spring loaded snare and love it. I'm surprised it's legal. Expensive but worth it in my opinion. It's a nice one handed operation. If you can slip the loop behind him you've got him. Click the loop closed and pin the critter and grab him with your other hand. I've used gloved hand, tickle stick and net, manual loop and the spring loaded loop amazes me. One word of warning, if you don't pin the lobster and they get space, they can get loose when they start thrashing.

Underwater Legend: if the lobster has one antenna up and one back there is probably an eel behind him-watch where you put your hands.

 

[seaboyforever]

My Opening day trip to florida is booked with Ocean Quest Scuba Charters.
After speaking to a very friendly service person and hearing alot of great stories i have made up my mind to dive with them for the duration of my stay in Florida. diving with my older brothe and his friends...
has anyone every dived with this charter? What can i expect?

Up North, they are very serious and strict on my charter boats, Can I have some fun and just relax?

thanks for your advice...

happy Hunting

 

[Johnoly]

My Opening day trip to florida is booked with Ocean Quest Scuba Charters.

Sandy's Sunday is an excellent boat and captain. She has many years of experience working with Abernathy's and knows ever inch of the WPB reefs. If you can't catch your limit of 12 per person for opening day it won't be because of the captain. They are very well respected and you made a very good choice on charters. I'm surprised that you were able to get a seat this close to opening day, but ask the people on board for tips on catching them. We're going privateer, but if the weather's good, we should be finished with 2 tanks by 9am each day to avoid the crazy rush on the water.

Every friggin mini-season we lose a fellow diver down here and it's just plain stupid. Remember that no bug is worth your life, watch your air supply and be safe & legal.

 

[seaboyforever]

Hey Johnoly,

sadly, I have made a dozen phone calls for mini season charters and all are booked solid. So i gave up, I booked opening day for Aug 4, 2006 With Ocean Quest... I really wish
i could of made plans early...
im sure you will have a blast not too mentions some pictures for all of us.

 

[Johnoly]

I booked opening day for Aug 4, 2006 With Ocean Quest

I'm hoping you just had a small typo.

Opening day of regular season is August 6th not the 4th. This year that is a Sunday, so expect just a few "Captain Budweisers" driving boats on the water.

Best of luck on your dives, you will do great!!

 

[Firediver32]

I will be with Oceanquest Scuba for both days of mini season. Sandy and her crew, spend more time looking for bugs all year long than most local boats combined. They are hunter friendly, and let you dive your own computer or profile.... I HIGHLY recommend Oceanquest anytime of the year.

Dan Everett
Rochester NY

 

[pensacola]

I'm on the same lobster trip described above. About the spring loaded snare- do you tickle him back into the snare? Do you need a stick in addition to the snare? How do you get him out of the snare and into the bag? Do you put the whole snare in the bag before letting him go, or do you grab him and transfer to the bag?

 

[Firediver32]

I'm on the 3 tank trip both days.... Dan

 

[seaboyforever]

Yea that was a typo...I will be flying in on the 4th and diving on the 6th of Aug.

hey Pensacola,
When i first got into bug hunting I had a tickle stick and net, which worked awesome!
I then felt the net was such a drag and too big to be diving with so i worked and learned from fellow divers using the loop pull tickle stickle.
From what I have done is open the loop all the way, try to get behind the bug, or even sometimes it may walk out alittle. Lay the loop down behind the tail and just move your body or hand towards the bug, which will make him back up directly into the loop. Pull the loop closed and you got a bug...some loops dont have locking mechanism so your gonna have to pin the losbter down and walk your hand towards it, grabbing the body then of course looking for eggs and size. if they meet the standards, you got a keeper. I like the snares that have the locking mechanism, so when you close the loop it stays locked until you unlock it...i think most bug hunters use that kind...
Remember always check with the State laws and Regulations....Not to mention no bug or fish is worth a life or limb...

 

[pensacola]

Does anyone know what the bottom temps will be in a couple of weeks? Is the limit for one day 6 or 12? Thanks