ggibby

Never tried lobstering before, considering getting scuba certificate and taking boat to south florida for the 2-day mini season late July.

We've fished off Everglades City before and that's not so far a drive - but would we find any lobster there?

Or just a bit further south, but offsthore enough to be out of the Everglades National Park?

Or is it worth it to drive all the way to the Keys, perhaps as far as Marathon?

Any advice would be welcome.

gordon

emgag

I've fished E.C. my whole life. Never heard much about lobstering there. Offshore and outside the Park boundaries you won't find structure like the reefs in the keys. Unless you have someone's good coordinates. And really, even if you were able to find some bugs there, I wouldn't want to get stopped on the way in passing back through the Park with them. Your best bet would be the upper to middle Keys. Just be prepared for the craziest 2 days on the water with everyone from everywhere looking to do the same thing as you.

CThomps

^^^^What he said^^^

Don't bother looking for lobster in EC. Look for fish in EC.

ggibby

Thanks for the info!
gordon

29 NORTH

Keys, get a hotel as soon as you can, On the first day almost everyone will limit, on the second just the lucky will limit(now days) I say this from 30+- years of doing it. The second day most bridges will be worked out and most shallow water rocks will be found(they are in everyones GPS) and it seems there are not as many lobster now days. On the second, you will/may have to try deeper water(10-15 feet) not popular with most family's with young children or most older people(iIresemble that remark) or new comers but good catches of lobster can be found in the reef at that depth(luck has something to do with it) I forgot, skill, in knowing what to look for such as just a break or hole in some reef with a distinctive telltale antenna sticking out or checking out purple sea fan in the more sparse areas next to bridge or channel.
It is always fun, kinda like a adult easter egg hunt, your hotel with a good dock for the boat makes it even better, stay a week, arrive early to miss the traffic, and stay 2 days beyond to miss the exodus and early lets you do some shopping for lobster holes before the season.

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gina

How come everyone goes crazy over Mini-Lobster season? I thought that the Keys have a regular season that begins in August. Are there any lobster around during the regular season?

Thanks

ljk

The mini-lobster season starts before the regular commercial season begins, so there's more lobsters out there than after the commercial season has begun (at least, theoretically).

gina

LJK...

Once the regular lobster season opens is it only for Commercial boats?

29 NORTH

Having chased bugs(Florida Lobster), in the Keys for 30+ years, I have no Idea why mini lobster season is so popular but It must be something about first come first served or early birds get more lobsters easily, who knows but it has been a hough money maker for years and years, especially before the population of S. Fl. got so big and more and more people came to fish in the Keys year round. I can remember when summer in the Keys had few visitors, now days only it seems the fall after school starts until December is the slow season for the Keys.
To answer the lobster season question, anyone with a crayfish permit(lobster)or I guess I should say stamp on your Fl. fishing license can harvest lobster during mini or regular lobster season. Subject to local limits, I think in the Keys it is 6 per person per day.
Now days, as I said before, after mini, even the first day of mini season, lobster can be scarce and take a little more looking. The week between mini and regular lobster season doesn't give the holes and bridges enough time to regain tooooo many new lobster, there just do not seem to be as many lobster as there used to be at least in the easy areas. However this changes from year to year so take your chances, what ever it is still fun to do and great vacation.
I might add that where you go in the Keys will have some different results in lobstering, I'm speaking about the Long Key bridge area.

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