Bugs Noth of Boston: Dive Sites

[jpslim]

New Englanders,

Hi all, I am new to the board, so please excuse me if the following question is one of those "off limits one." I just began diving off the north shore of Boston and was amazed by the life. Now I am set on grabbing enough bugs for a big lobster dinner. What are the best sites that people go to north (or other) of Boston? We did old garden beach and it was pretty good, but I don't think we were deep enough for the best ones-- we were only 30 feet.

Also can you spear flounder or do you need a different permit?

Thx!

 

[Soggy]

I think you'll find people hesitant to give up the good bugging sites. Go up to Cape Ann Divers and pick up a map of the local dive sites...it is a free piece of paper with directions and brief summarys of like 20 different sites in the area.

Flounder can be speared with the same permit.

Here's all the regulations for diving: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/recreationalfishing/diverinfo.pdf

 

[scubastew]

Soggy's got the right idea...the local dive shoppe is absolute the BEST resource. Can't stress enough that we all need to support our local shoppe!

But here's some alternatives (websites) I frequent which should help your quest for knowledge.

http://www.capeanndivers.com
http://www.scuba-newengland.com

Just be sure to get a non-commercial lobster license (40bucks). If the Environmental Police catch you without one the fines are HEFTY, basically you will be striped of all your gear and potentially your car. Follow the rules and it will be better for everyone.

Happy "Bug" Hunting.

FYI: However, it ain't as easy as it looks. ;0)

~scubastew

 

[krustykrab]

Yeah, I agree, check out the dive site locator at capeanndivers.com and try out some spots. Depth should have been ok, but ogb gets a lot of traffic, so lobsters may be scarce at the most popular spots. Depths will depnd on the lobsters, water temps, moulting, tide, etc. Sometimes they are deeper, sometimes, like last weekend, I catch keepers in less then 15 fsw

 

[MSilvia]

I don't think you need a permit at all for spearing in MA.

 

[jpslim]

Thanks-- I have the permit, bag and gague, just need the spare time. I appreciate the advice, of course wasn't looking for the secret digits

 

[mer]

I don't think you need a permit at all for spearing in MA.

Just read the regs because there are restrictions on what can be speared.

 

[scubastew]

honestly we are a pretty good bunch (not much into keeping secrets, I dont think), just not sure there are any "secret digits" to the bug vault.

sometimes you score, sometimes you go home empty...and other times the lobsters stare right through your mask into your eyes from under their rock-house and laugh at you, swear I've heard them...

MSilvia is correct, no permit necessary for flounders, just size limits...

 

[Soggy]

Here's a bit of advice....

Don't clip your bag off to yourself once you have a bug in it....I have never experienced such searing pain as when one little "bugger" decided to grab ahold of my thigh. I swear, it felt like someone stabbed me with a dagger, then twisted. I came home with a purple bruise that lasted for weeks. At least I know that you can scream through a regulator. My buddy just pointed and laughed when he realized what had happened.

I got lucky, though 2 inches to the right and he would've got my wang.

 

[matt_unique]

Here's a bit of advice....

Don't clip your bag off to yourself once you have a bug in it....I have never experienced such searing pain as when one little "bugger" decided to grab ahold of my thigh. I swear, it felt like someone stabbed me with a dagger, then twisted. I came home with a purple bruise that lasted for weeks. At least I know that you can scream through a regulator. My buddy just pointed and laughed when he realized what had happened.

I got lucky, though 2 inches to the right and he would've got my wang.

I used to clip my bag too but decided against it literally last time out to avoid entanglement and to prevent getting my wang pinched. (ha ha)

--Matt