Do you Lobster Dive???

I wanted to start a thread for all those into the sport of Lobster hunting. All welcome to share their experiences, particularly the differences between So Cal and Flordia bug hunting. I have been diving in So. Cal. for lobsters for almost 12 years now and I am always looking to expand my network of local dive buddies.... After all bug season is less than a month away! :icosm01:

E-Rock:

I wanted to start a thread for all those into the sport of Lobster hunting. All welcome to share their experiences, particularly the differences between So Cal and Flordia bug hunting. I have been diving in So. Cal. for lobsters for almost 12 years now and I am always looking to expand my network of local dive buddies.... After all bug season is less than a month away! :icosm01:

Click to expand...

I am currently taking a PADI course because a friend of mine was telling me about bug hunting and how fun it was. I always had an interest in diving, but the thought of catching lobsters was too much for me to pass up. Luckily I will be done with my classes in late september, just in time to go hunting. If anybody can help me out in terms of where to go around the LA area or any other helpful information, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

I bug hunt here in the Santa Barbara, CA area. We do night and day dives for them, I think its loads of fun.

Welcome my bug hunting west coast brother!!

You guys do a lot of night hunting for bugs, but over here on the east side we are more productive in the early morning or dusk. With most of them in the wicked gulf stream, we use a different tactic by trying to cover as much ground as possible by riding the currents and look for the antenna's. The other difference would probably be that we use tickle sticks and loopers, where I don't think you guys can.

Our regular season opens Aug 6 and ends March 31st, but your's is much shorter. Post up some pics of your catch when you get them!!

Don't forget us New England bug hunters! We hunt the ones that fight back - ouch!

yak:

Don't forget us New England bug hunters! We hunt the ones that fight back - ouch!

Click to expand...

So tell us how you do it? Avg. Depth, what are you allowed to use to catch them, night dive or day diving, rocks or sand, and above all how do you deal with those nasty claws?

Johnoly:

Welcome my bug hunting west coast brother!!

You guys do a lot of night hunting for bugs, but over here on the east side we are more productive in the early morning or dusk. With most of them in the wicked gulf stream, we use a different tactic by trying to cover as much ground as possible by riding the currents and look for the antenna's. The other difference would probably be that we use tickle sticks and loopers, where I don't think you guys can.

Our regular season opens Aug 6 and ends March 31st, but your's is much shorter. Post up some pics of your catch when you get them!!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info from the East! I have noticed that as you go from West (California) and proceed South (Mexico) and over towards your neck of the ocean (Caribbean over to Flordia) the bugs go from Dark Red and progressively get lighter and whiter in color. Then somewhere along the Eastern coast the get dark again and GROW CLAWS! :11:

In the California waters we dive almost exclusively at night for lobsters. Taking lobsters is only allowed by hand. So getting a good pair of flexible gloves, perferrably more on the tacky side to prevent slippage, and puncture resistant is essential. I usually go for a good pair of rose prunning gloves.
The limit is 7 / day and they must measure 3 1/4" along the carapace. We usually dive in 30 - 70 ft of water, although the bugs can be found all the way up to the (rocky) shore line. The young bugs will often times stay close to shore in the eel grass. Of course the lobster come out from their hidding spots in the rocky reef off the coast of Cali in the night time hours, you can usually find them scavaging for food or hanging on a kelp strand. Going after the ones still in their hole is often times a waste of air. The reef structure goes deep allowing them to back far out of reach and of course we are always leary of the morrey eels that share the bugs layer.

Bug season is 21 days away and counting. My friends and I already have our trips booked for the first 3 weeks of the season. I will send pics at that time!

Happy Hunting!

E-Rock:

So tell us how you do it??

Click to expand...

I know of two schools of thought:

• Use a tickle stick to coax them out of their hiding places under rocks, then quickly grab them.
• Stick you hand in along the top of the hole in the rocks it's hiding in, and then just grab it.

E-Rock:

Avg. Depth?

Click to expand...

I've caught keeper in as little as 10' and as much as 100', though I'm sure they go deeper. They're typically most abundant below 30' or so, but it may have more to do with the popularity of the site than the depth.

E-Rock:

what are you allowed to use to catch them?

Click to expand...

No spears or snares... just by hand. You can use a tickle stick to trick them out of holes though.

E-Rock:

night dive or day diving?

Click to expand...

In Massachusetts, we're allowed to lobster year round with a permit, but only between a half hour before sunrise and a half hour after sunset. At night, they come out of their hiding spots, and we're not allowed to hunt them. It wouldn't be sporting.

E-Rock:

rocks or sand?

Click to expand...

Rocks, wrecks, etc... they like structures they can hide in and under. I've occasionally seen a burrow in the sand, but they're few and far between compared to the numbers living in boulder fields.

E-Rock:

above all how do you deal with those nasty claws?

Click to expand...

Easy... don't get pinched! Seriously, the hand is quicker than the lobster, so if you don't hesitate, you won't have problems... mostly.

MSilvia:

Easy... don't get pinched! Seriously, the hand is quicker than the lobster, so if you don't hesitate, you won't have problems... mostly.

Click to expand...

Hey M don't give away so much. Of course those vicious claws are lightening fast and the size of a Toyota Hub Cap. At least that's what I tell my friends.

Why use a tools for Spineys are they fast or good at hiding?

Hey, I posted this question on another board, Does anyone know what the records are for lobsters? Both clawed, and our two left-coast, right-coast spineys? (Ideally with photos, of course!)