Lobster trip advice - The Hull Truth

787337 · 03-02-2010, 06:26 PM

I have never been lobstering and was considering going down to the keys for the first week of Lobster Season (Not Sportsman Weekend) We are looking at staying in Key Largo. And we don't scuba we'd be snorkeling. Without giving away your honey holes, any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.

airbrush · 03-03-2010, 04:22 AM

hold the net still and work the lobster in to it. Don't chase the lobster with the net. Don't reach into holes containing large morays. Prepare for large crowds. Don't cheat on the laws.

Mersiles · 03-03-2010, 05:17 AM

Know the restrictions. Most National Parks do not allow lobstering or spearfishing. In other words, what airbrush said.

Special K III · 03-07-2010, 09:02 AM

I have a timeshare in Key Largo the first week of Lobster season. Been going to the keys pretty steady since the late 70's. Send IM and I'll give you my email. Suggest staying in the patches. The murkier the water is usually the better. The "pretty" reefs are not the places to go.

deepbluedesign · 03-07-2010, 12:38 PM

Find some good relatively shallow water with the dark rocky bottom, and just swim the bottom till you see the antennae sticking out of a hole. You will rarely find a lobster out of his hole.

The method I have found to work the best is to take the tickler and scare him out of the hole, then come from behind him with your net and cover his hole up, then just touch him with your tickler, 9 times out of 10 he'll attempt to jump back in his hole (your net)... and then you got him!

Just like the other guys said... know and follow the rules strictly. Marine police down there have high powered telescopes on they're boats, so they see you when you cant see them.

C Skip R · 03-07-2010, 06:35 PM

Your best lobstering will be south of Marathon. It will take you awhile to learn how to tickle lobster out of their hiding places into a net if you have never done it before. The best place for lobster is on the Gulf side. You will find more on the Gulf side than the Atlantic. Make your room reservations now as it gets packed down there that time of year. Follow the laws as they check regularly for undersized or too many.
Good luck and have fun.

29 NORTH · 03-14-2010, 04:22 PM

I do not want to discourage you or make you think you cannot find some lobster, but it will be work and a lot of time unless you get lucky. After the mini season, even the first day of mini season all the easy stuff to find lobster in will be mostly empty of legal bugs, including the Bridges. Working the patch reefs that are not the clear pretty ones as some one mentioned above, may be the ticket but they can be deeper, and thus harder to work. This is especially true above and in around Marathon and up to Miami. Some one said there are more lobster the farther down the Keys, you go, which is very close to being true even today, but I cannot speak for that area, I spent almost 35 years every year in around Long Key at the start of Lobster seaon, and I can tell you that there just aren't as many lobster now days for a variety of reasons.

787337 · 03-14-2010, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 29 NORTH

I do not want to discourage you or make you think you cannot find some lobster, but it will be work and a lot of time unless you get lucky. After the mini season, even the first day of mini season all the easy stuff to find lobster in will be mostly empty of legal bugs, including the Bridges. Working the patch reefs that are not the clear pretty ones as some one mentioned above, may be the ticket but they can be deeper, and thus harder to work. This is especially true above and in around Marathon and up to Miami. Some one said there are more lobster the farther down the Keys, you go, which is very close to being true even today, but I cannot speak for that area, I spent almost 35 years every year in around Long Key at the start of Lobster seaon, and I can tell you that there just aren't as many lobster now days for a variety of reasons.

Thanks for the info. We ended up booking a place on Long Key. And we don't have illusions of limiting out, but a couple of bugs in the cooler would make us very happy. Also hope to do some trolling for mahi as well. So if we get skunked on the bugs but if we luck in to some fish that would put smiles on our faces as well.

29 NORTH · 03-15-2010, 03:36 PM

If you booked at the Edgewater Lodge on Long Key, tell Melinda that Terry from Ocala said hi. I hope to make it one more time this year, but wife wants to travel more LOL. We both love the Long Key area, great access to both Florida Bay, and the out side. Great and easy fishing on the reefs at night.