Lobster Diving Gear Set-up

[sublime250]

Okay, so this will be my first lobster season!

I'm trying to plan how i will organize my gear

I was thinking of mounting an intova light on my right D ring and a lobster gauge on a retract connected to the left D ring- That way I can drop both to wrangle a monster and not lose any gear!

Don't know which bag ill get or where to place it.

How do you organize your gear while lobstering?

 

[Rhone Man]

• I don't carry a lobster gauge (not legally required where I live, but I also think any lobster which is even close to being undersized is not a lobster I am really interested in - limit myself to 4" carpaces and above).
• I carry my lobster bag clipped to my right hip D-ring, and until the first bug goes in, it is rolled up inside bungee.
• My lobster snare is tucked inside my knife straps, which I wear on my right calf. The theory is to minimise snagging, but I swear it reaches out and grabs things as I am poking inside holes.
• Light is normally clipped to the right chest D-ring. When I need to use the light and the snare simultaneously, I either lay the light down on the ground in the lobster hole, or I tuck it into the sleeve of my wetsuit arm which is holding the snare.
• Backup lobster bag is rolled up inside a pouch on my belt. Never had to use it - I have managed to squeeze seven into my primary bag, but if we had gotten one more that day I would have had to break out the backup.

I have always wondered with all the DIR divers in Florida if someone is ever going to come up with a "DIR lobster hunting configuration". On the face of it they are polar opposites - maximum streamlining doesn't do well with gear that snags easily on anything going!

 

[cmburch]

SpearBoard may have more information on your area.

I normally place my bag on my left waist belt D-ring. Get a bag that is nylon or cloth. Lobster get caught on the mesh. I have an old cloth bag with good steel wire closure and netting on bottom only, not sides.
lobster bag - Google Product Search

We are not allowed to use any devise, only our hands in California.

Some have a clamp on their light that the gauge attaches to.
Amazon.com: Lobster Gauge Light Holder: Clothing

 

[sublime250]

Great tip on the bag- I was about to buy a mesh bag!

 

[Rhone Man]

I actually use a mesh bag, but make sure it has a solid handle (not a string handle, which is a disaster). It is harder to get them in, but there is nominal risk that they slip out when you put bug #2 in. But "which bag" is a debate for another thread (specifically... this one).

 

[East West]

I want to improve my gear configuration and open to any suggestions. Lights are a necessary tool and methods of their use should be a discussion . I have been duct tapping my primary light on the forearm so to free the hand . I use a sartec D 6600 and will make a foam pad to conform to the light and foreman with velcro straps . My computer is a hassle when you need to press a button and view for 3 seconds or shine your primary light to read information . I was uncomfortable the last night dive going to surface with to many tasks to perform like operating manual dump , holding anchor line , shining light to read information with a full game bag , a reel , a lift bag and low visibility .

 

[stakanak]

I wonder if anyone has made a decent head light for scuba diving? That sure would help when going for the bugs, though I don't know the logistics and problems with such a unit.

 

[SeeHawk]

Well I know people that have use the smaller cheaper light and attached it to there hood for a back up light and for ascending. But for a primary I herd that the canister lights are the ticket but are also expensive. for lobster diving I wouldn't want one though. I like taking my light off of the bug at first to get closer than shining it back on to get the Deer in the headlight effect for the catch.

 

[Rhone Man]

I became aware of a serious deficiency in my lobster hunting set up last week. Normally I clip my bag to a D-ring on my belt alongside my shears. When I came across some lobsters mid-way through the dive, I went to drop my bag, as I normally do, before closing in, only to discover it wasn't there! Retraced my route to find my bag lying on the ground (lobsters still safely inside), carefully clipped to... the handle of my shears (which had then pulled out of their pouch under the weight)!

Now my shears are on the other side...

 

[noladiver]

I have been commercial lobster diving for the past few weeks now. This is what has been working for me. I have a D- ring on my weight belt right in the middle of my legs, I clip off the mesh bag to that. The type of bag I use is the one with a one way flap so you can just keep stuffing those little buggers in there. I attach the D- ring to the weight belt by order of the captain of the boat. Theory being when you have 15 lobster in 1 bag it gets kinda heavy if you get in trouble or hung up you can just pop the belt and the lobster will be on the bottom when you get things figured out. I use a tickle stick and net and I just hold one in each hand usually. sometimes I will put them both in one hand if Im in a screaming current under one of those bridges during tide change. The gauge is attached to the stick with some bungee so i can stretch it out and measure when needed.