dive stick or tickle stick or reef stick

[ZzzKing]

I always enjoy reading your posts Sam!

 

[Sbiriguda]

I would say that the stick is still better than letting bad divers grab the corals or lye and walk on them...
In the mediterranean sea the environment is different and it's not common for people to use them

 

[Sbiriguda]

In California, divers are not allowed to use anything but their hands to catch lobster.

In Italy we have mostly 2 kinds of lobster: "aragosta" or lobster (Palinurus elephas)
Palinurus elephas - Wikipedia
and "astice" which you would call again lobster and in Italian has a separate name (Homarus gammarus)
Homarus gammarus - Wikipedia
The second one is incredibly strong and can cut a finger of a diver if you try to catch it by hand like the diver does in the video you posted. I wonder how you can catch them just by hand and not get wounded
Any sort of fishing or hunting is anyway illegal for anybody who is diving with tanks here, only fishing while freediving is allowed, and that includes catching lobsters

 

[tursiops]

No f**ck!n sticks! I don’t want you poking fish and destroying marine life. If you need to show your buddy something, use your light or a laser!

The lasers are not eyesafe for divers or critters.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

The second one is incredibly strong and can cut a finger of a diver if you try to catch it by hand like the diver does in the video you posted. I wonder how you can catch them just by hand and not get wounded

"When making the move to grab a lobster don’t hesitate and move with full intent. You have to surprise them to catch them. The less warning, the more likely you are to pull out a bug without any challenges. Finding the courage to stick your hand into a dark hole with two snapping claws is an adrenaline rush. Reach high above the claws and grab the carapace. Once you get your hand on the lobster, twist and pull. If there is any struggle, let go for a second, regain your grip and continue to pull. When it's out and in your hand keep it away from body parts and equipment like your mask and regulator hose."
The key for me is to get your hand high on the hole to the ceiling of the hole - push down when you feel the lobster and rotate them on their back quickly and pull out. If you don't rotate them they use the horns above the eyes and the elbows to push against the ceiling and walls - this action wedges them into the hole. Making it almost impossible to pull them out and chances are you will pull a claw off and leave the lobster...

 

[MaxBottomtime]

 

[Sam Miller III]

@David Kay
Originally requested :
"Hi,
I have the standard sticks, just a metal rod with a lanyard. A month ago I saw an ad for one with a real handle. Like a handle that was perpendicular to the rod. So looked very comfortable. I figured I'd find it on line but cant find it anywhere. Anyone out there know how to find one? The simple metal rods are hard on the fingers after a while. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This poor Hoosier-- still no tickle stick "with a real handle" who asked "Anyone out there know how to find one? "
How about it @MaxBottomtime ? You have a good grasp of the internet -- how about finding a tickle stick "with a real handle"
SDM

@ZzzKing
Thanks for the complement - my wife enjoys my articles as do my four grand children , you are number six in my fan club,,,'SAM

 

[Sbiriguda]

@MaxBottomtime
How many meters (or feet) do they dive when they go hunting the lobsters by freediving? Because in the Mediterranean there are lobsters but mostly they stay quite deep, like 50 or 60 meters, sometimes 40 meters. Freediving and fishing at that depth is possible but not easy it requires uncommon skills. Even many scuba divers would not be certified to dive under 40 meters

 

[MaxBottomtime]

This poor Hoosier-- still no tickle stick "with a real handle" who asked "Anyone out there know how to find one? "
How about it @MaxBottomtime ? You have a good grasp of the internet -- how about finding a tickle stick "with a real handle"
SDM

Kevin Lee left one on my boat that is nothing more than a long screwdriver with the rod bent at 30 degrees and the tip filed off. Merry has an old pokie stick that has a loop at the end for a handle. There are also store-bought varieties available.

@MaxBottomtime
How many meters (or feet) do they dive when they go hunting the lobsters by freediving? Because in the Mediterranean there are lobsters but mostly they stay quite deep, like 50 or 60 meters, sometimes 40 meters. Freediving and fishing at that depth is possible but not easy it requires uncommon skills. Even many scuba divers would not be certified to dive under 40 meters

There are videos of people standing in one meter of water and grabbing lobsters. I see lots of lobsters in Southern California in less than two meters.

 

[Sam Miller III]

@MaxBottomtime

I suspect that lovely stick is the very one that @Dave Kay is so desperately searching to purchase to protect his delicate Hoosier hands
Now. where can he purchase it ?

@Sbiriguda
I have a picture of me standing in less than a foot of water -- ankle deep water -at Hagerty's cove holding two lobsters I caught with out getting my wet. Of course that picture was snapped just a few months after the release of the secret wet suit to the general public by the US government-- a long time ago

There are a lot of variables and interesting factors involving successful bug hunting- recent storms wave action, available nourishment and secure hole as well as the skill of the hunter

SDM