Bad Form II ?

[Myrran]

Was debating another topic with my fellow Bug Hunters. The question is: How much room do you give the Hoop Netters on the first night of the season? We got started on this because we will not be able to make it over to Catalina on Friday morning as we usually do. We wont be leaving this year until 7pm Friday night and getting there after dark. At that time of night most of the real estate on the island has been staked out for hours by awaiting hoop netters claiming there length of shoreline. Discussing where we would head to first I brought up the question. What if where we want to dive, is smack dab in the middle of a string of pots? My buddy said to hell with the hoop netters and they should get certified. He has a no mercy rule when it comes to bugs. I on the other hand would be upset if I saw a dive light anywhere near my nets. I would NEVER take a bug that was feeding on a bait cage in a hoop net where as my buddy would snatch them right out of it. :mooner: "If its not in the boat, its still fair game." he would say. I was just wondering where everyone stood on this. Is it Bad Form to dive near where someone is hoop netting, or does SCUBA trump all? Let me know what you think Scuba Board....

 

[DwayneJ]

Lots and lots of room. I have had hoop netters "go bananas" when they see scuba divers close to their nets. They assume is we steal bugs from their nets. It basically comes down to how big your boat is.

Dwayne

 

[on_two_wheels]

Personally, I think those closest to the environment wins. A freediver over scuba, scuba over the netters. Just like fishing. I can respect the freediver that spearfishes large fish (not near me, of course) more than the guy on the boat trolling. However, taking anything already caught in a net IS bad form. I don't think it would be worth the fight that would ensue, either.

 

[Myrran]

It basically comes down to how big your boat is.

Haha yeah that sounds right. I'm in a 20 footer, so I'm not the biggest out there by a long shot. Though I would never take a bug directly from a flat net, however I don't think it is entirely wrong to be is the same area. Hoop Nets are generally in about 60ft of water. I usually find my bugs in 40ft or less. I just don't want to return to the boat only to find my anchor line cut and my boat smashing against the rocks. By 12am there is not an inch of productive areas not "claimed" so its a dog eat dog night for sure.

 

[White Knight]

The ocean is for everyone. To me it isn't about giving way to the most noble technique, its a question about safety. If you are there with a flag in the water I won't stop and drop my nets on your head, that's unsafe and bad form. On the other hand, if I see you dropping your nets prior to me getting there with my scuba or freediving flag, I won't force you to move, I'll go somewhere esle. I short, if my being there doesn't make it an unsafe environment for anyone, I'll go ahead and do my thing. Other than that, if someone has a problem with me fishing or swimming in my ocean, I've lived enough of my life....I'm ready to Rock!

 

[JamieS]

I just don't want to return to the boat only to find my anchor line cut and my boat smashing against the rocks. By 12am there is not an inch of productive areas not "claimed" so its a dog eat dog night for sure.

I sure wouldn't leave a boat unattended anywhere along Catalina on opening night. You know how crazy it can get out there. If you have to go out there on opening night, please leave someone on the boat, or take a few of you and take turns in the water.

If you leave someone on-board, you can live boat the whole dive and have a much easier time with it as well. Just get dropped off wherever you want to start and swim along getting your bugs. When you get the limit, surface and get picked up by your boat away from any hoop netters in the area.

But, on topic, I would stay as far as I could from any hoop nets anytime I'm lobster diving. The ones I have encountered have never been "reasonable." They have always come across with an attitude like it is their ocean and divers don't belong in it.

There may be some others out there who are not so rude, but I have not come across them yet.

Good luck and stay safe!

 

[Myrran]

If you leave someone on-board, you can live boat the whole dive and have a much easier time with it as well. Just get dropped off wherever you want to start and swim along getting your bugs. When you get the limit, surface and get picked up by your boat away from any hoop netters in the area.

Yeah this is the best way for sure. It does get crazy over there opening night. I kinda like the excitment on one hand. I havent come across to many A-holes that are Hooping in the past, but im not trying to either. Having someone on the boat at all times is definetly the best bet.

 

[beachcitiesdiver]

I think there should always be a courtesy here. If you are diving and there's a boat nearby, just let them know you are hunting too.

Of course, if you are a true lobster grabber, you shouldn't be down there hitting the traps. That takes the fun out of hunt! It's like shooting deer using a salt lick. Sure, everyone wants to catch one, but the truth of the matter is that you should be practicing your ability to actually catch them. Not looking for the pots to attack. Honestly, if you attacked a commercial pot that I owned (which this is fantasy because I don't), I would consider becoming assaultive because that's what feeds my family. Not the lobsters themselves per se, but the actual money I make from them.

Besides all that, the big boys can't get into those traps (they can get into hoop nets though). So, if you want to pull up your 14 lb lobster for photos and bragging rights, you're looking in the wrong spots.

Leave those pots alone! (I think the Grateful Dead wrote a song like that.)

Good luck this season!

D.J. Mansfield