urmaddad
Contributor
I was wondering how the lobster season opener went. The National Weather Service called for a gale warning. Did anyone actually manage to get into the water?
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California Lobster Season Opening Report
- Thread starter urmaddad
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jlyle
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Opening night and Saturday morning were fine. Wind and waves started picking up Saturday night and shut us down. We went out Sat morning (I'm too old to get up at midnight to chase lobsters) and limited.
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The Magican came in Sat morning with 70 total for the boat.
Tailchaser
Contributor
Good job on your limit Jlyle
dpbishop
Contributor
I got 2 on a shore dive. Mobility was somewhat hampered by having only one fin. Visibility was really good, and I saw an octopus, guitarfish, and many other denizens of the deep. Also saw a blue seaweed that I don't recall seeing before. Looked sorta like leaf lettuce.
Gale force winds forecast, but they never appeared here off Catalina. Unfortunately I had canceled a night dive... but it was to film rather than take. I haven't personally caught a lobster since 1975. However, when my buddies do and they feel like sharing, I'm all teeth and mouth and stomach! During an average season I only consume 1-2 lobbies.
Chugwhump
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Are you allowed to use a net/tickle stick/bugger like we do here in South Florida in order to catch these guys in California?
Curious...
Chug
Curious...
Chug
jlyle
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No! On scuba or free diving, lobsters have to be taken by hand only, no sticks, no mops, no handnets, no hooked devices, no etc.
The only other option is a hoop net for the let's-do-this-without-getting-in-the-water group; this is, unfortunately, becoming very popular and a newer hoop net design is more like a trap. I'm hoping DFG will curtail the use of these nets before the hoopers decimate the local populations.
Chugwhump
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Taking them by hand only seems exceedingly abusive to me.
I often catch them a little small, and with a net they do not even lose a leg, much less a broken antennae. My experience is that the Carribean Spiny Bug will drop its body parts in order to aid escape.
Do your Pacific bugs react this way to the handling?
I think the bugger and the net are far more gentle and respectful in case yo need to put the bug back where you found it.
Chug
I often catch them a little small, and with a net they do not even lose a leg, much less a broken antennae. My experience is that the Carribean Spiny Bug will drop its body parts in order to aid escape.
Do your Pacific bugs react this way to the handling?
I think the bugger and the net are far more gentle and respectful in case yo need to put the bug back where you found it.
Chug
fnfalman
Contributor
These spiny lobsters seem to be pretty tough. Heck, one of the techniques for catching them is by grabbing them at the base of the antenna and shake them loose.
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