Keeping lobsters alive on the way home

[localdivah]

What methods have you all found work best keeping bugs kicking until you get home? We've been using icebags or packs in small coolers, but that doesn't seem to work very well.

Guessing that a few possibilities for the high mortality:
1. Weight of the ones on top crush the ones below
2. Not cold enough -- I've noticed that refreezable cold packs don't work nearly as well as bags of ice.
3. Not enough moisture in the air -- even though we do put seaweed in the cooler.

We did several times fill the cooler with ocean water, which kept them all alive, even though we've heard that this is not recommended because oxygen gets used up quickly without agitation. The other possibility is to stop using the Igloo style coolers and stick with the big rectangular coolers to provide more space.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

 

[jchaplain]

What methods have you all found work best keeping bugs kicking until you get home? We've been using icebags or packs in small coolers, but that doesn't seem to work very well.

Guessing that a few possibilities for the high mortality:
1. Weight of the ones on top crush the ones below
2. Not cold enough -- I've noticed that refreezable cold packs don't work nearly as well as bags of ice.
3. Not enough moisture in the air -- even though we do put seaweed in the cooler.

We did several times fill the cooler with ocean water, which kept them all alive, even though we've heard that this is not recommended because oxygen gets used up quickly without agitation. The other possibility is to stop using the Igloo style coolers and stick with the big rectangular coolers to provide more space.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

I'm new at lobstering myself, but I've heard fresh water is major bad and that they should be in an OPEN container ( not closed up inside of a cooler.)

John C.

 

[Damselfish]

Fresh water definitely bad. Some people at work tried to keep some in a cooler of fresh water/ice for the lobster races and that batch all died. (Needless to say they didn't win, although the jockeys stayed on those lobsters backs much better.)

 

[DTB1981]

Put them in a 5 gal bucket with holes in the lid or no lid at all they will be ok for hours. It seems to work for two or three. Then put the in the bath tub tell you are ready to cook. No water in either one.

 

[MASS-Diver]

I used a decent sized cooler with (closed) ice bags or refreezable packs on the bottom. I then add the bugs and cover with wet seaweed. I (knock on wood) never lose bugs, even with multiple hour drives. Turning on the A/C in the car is also a good move.

 

[yak]

I just fill the cooler with ocean water and don't open it. Of course, I live two miles from the ocean.

 

[swampy]

I fill the bottom of my cooler with ice place the lobsters up to 15 at a time on top of the ice. they last through all 3 dives and the ride home in the boatthen the ride to the house. When I get home they go in the crisper draw of the fridge where they last for days.

Swampy

 

[rexford]

You guys are lucky to have this problem! Catching lobster while diving is highly illegal here! (Canada) Although I "hear" snow in the bottom of the cooler with seaweed on top works well for a couple of hours. Just don't get caught cause it costs you your dive gear, your ride and a hefty fine!

What methods have you all found work best keeping bugs kicking until you get home? We've been using icebags or packs in small coolers, but that doesn't seem to work very well.

Guessing that a few possibilities for the high mortality:
1. Weight of the ones on top crush the ones below
2. Not cold enough -- I've noticed that refreezable cold packs don't work nearly as well as bags of ice.
3. Not enough moisture in the air -- even though we do put seaweed in the cooler.

We did several times fill the cooler with ocean water, which kept them all alive, even though we've heard that this is not recommended because oxygen gets used up quickly without agitation. The other possibility is to stop using the Igloo style coolers and stick with the big rectangular coolers to provide more space.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

 

[MadisonK]

If you have a boat get a live well. If you are bringing them home in your car and your ride is under an hour put them in the same kind of bag a store would give you, brown paper bag. Put them in the fridge when you get home and eat them that night.

 

[Hank49]

I used a decent sized cooler with (closed) ice bags or refreezable packs on the bottom. I then add the bugs and cover with wet seaweed. I (knock on wood) never lose bugs, even with multiple hour drives. Turning on the A/C in the car is also a good move.

Excellent idea using the wet sea weed, Mass Diver. There is a similar method used for transporting shrimp, live, to the high end restaurants in Tokyo for sashimi. They lay them in cool, wet, saw dust and ship them for up to 24 hours. No problems with low oxygen and you don't have the bulk of water.