Lobster Reports.

[ScubaNorth]

I have yet to be off the South Shore this year. How are the lobster numbers shaping up. I am thinking charter in the next week or so. I am getting tired of coming up empty handed. Even in areas I saw quite a few shorts last year any size or shape is scarce. Just wonder how everyone was making out this year.

 

[Diesel298]

ive been out on a handfull of dives off the south shore.
few different lcations from my friends boat.i havent seen a lot and most looked small. but i wasnt lookin all that hard either.
he wants to start looking, and we have a few spots in mind...

 

[ScubaNorth]

ive been out on a handfull of dives off the south shore.
few different lcations from my friends boat.i havent seen a lot and most looked small. but i wasnt lookin all that hard either.
he wants to start looking, and we have a few spots in mind...

Note to self "follow Diesel''s boat". I've been looking, admittedly with out my glasses on but you would think I might still see more than two or three. Even the shorts that are usually every place you look are missing.

 

[johlar]

I did a boat dive off of STB 2 weeks ago. The pickins were indeed slim. Don't know if the cold spring has slowed the move inshore or not.

The ones we saw were starting to molt.

 

[Diesel298]

we have a few spots where gonna check out. thats seem promising
there no big secret, but as of now i dont wana post on a open forum

 

[scubastew]

Diesel, sounds like you'll have to invite ScubaNorth out for a tour of the offshore "spots". winkwink

I definitely think the cold spring has contributed to the later than usual moulting. This weekend I did have my hands on a few soft-shelled critters, their lucky day I suppose...usually dont take softies or sculled bugs.

But each dive I am seeing a few more bugs out there in the "shallows"

~stu

 

[krustykrab]

Saturday we did a couple dives off the boat to some of my favorite 'honey holes' on the north side of Cape Ann. Lobsters and winter flounder were abundant... got my daily limit on both after 2 dives! As people have been saying here, about 5/15 were slightly softer shell - let go maybe 4 others that were 'too soft' for my liking. 2 lobzillas with 'the triple' (v-notch, eggs, and oversized) were seen/released as well. Good sized flounder around as well! AND did some fishing on the way out and back and got about 15 strippers (a couple keeper sized!) and a bunch of blues!

A good day on the water - the only bad part was going back to shore and the 95 degree heat that awaited us!

-kk

ps: did 2x ~60minute dives, 40fsw max depth, vis was good ~20-25 feet, temp? don't know, temp gauge didn't seem to be working, but it was f-ing cold at depth(even in a drysuit!)...45(?)degrees below the 25' thermocline. lots of kelp/seaweed growing this year...???

 

[ClassAction]

Did 2 dives off of Brewster island on Sunday. Came up with 8 bugs (between my buddy and me). Almost all of them were soft. I think they might even taste better! Very low vis -- 4 feet? And chilly...

 

[ScubaNorth]

Saturday we did a couple dives off the boat to some of my favorite 'honey holes' on the north side of Cape Ann. Lobsters and winter flounder were abundant... got my daily limit on both after 2 dives! As people have been saying here, about 5/15 were slightly softer shell - let go maybe 4 others that were 'too soft' for my liking. 2 lobzillas with 'the triple' (v-notch, eggs, and oversized) were seen/released as well. Good sized flounder around as well! AND did some fishing on the way out and back and got about 15 strippers (a couple keeper sized!) and a bunch of blues!

A good day on the water - the only bad part was going back to shore and the 95 degree heat that awaited us!

-kk

ps: did 2x ~60minute dives, 40fsw max depth, vis was good ~20-25 feet, temp? don't know, temp gauge didn't seem to be working, but it was f-ing cold at depth(even in a drysuit!)...45(?)degrees below the 25' thermocline. lots of kelp/seaweed growing this year...???

OK scratch that last note. New note "follow Krusty". Sounds like one heck of a great day to me. That is more seafood than I catch in a year and that includes at the grocery store. Krusty how are you taking flounder? I've started seeing quite a few this year and well since lobster seems off my menu.......

 

[krustykrab]

SN:

I make sure that they are quite large - well over the 12" limit, and usually spear them, just by jabbing with spear gun (I don't use the band and trigger option ever - see below) but pole spear is great, too. It is a little more tricky on the north shore then south as they are usually on rock, not sand, so I spear, but make sure I hold the spear in place so I can reach down and grab 'em, other wise the spear bounces off the rock and they take off....

Allthough, get this: once in a lifetime play on a flounder I bet... at beginning of 2nd dive, my buddy was about 25 feet away from me, I turned over my left shoulder to check out what he was doing and saw a nice flounder coming right at me - I reached out (more out of instrinct then anything) and made a backhanded garb on his head!! My buddy had just attempted to spear and missed with his knife and couldn't believe the catch! It was pretty sweet!