Lobster Reports.

[ClassAction]

I did stop to grab one and in my haste to keep moving, left a Home Depot tickle stick on the rocks. I used a piece of aluminum boat trim on the second dive - it worked just as well.
QUOTE]

What do you use to make a Home Depot tickle stick? I went to HD one day and couldn't find anything that looked right. I've been ordering them online for $3.00 -- I know, this is pretty silly. But at least it beats $10.00 at the LDS!

 

[jchaplain]

I did stop to grab one and in my haste to keep moving, left a Home Depot tickle stick on the rocks. I used a piece of aluminum boat trim on the second dive - it worked just as well.
QUOTE]

What do you use to make a Home Depot tickle stick? I went to HD one day and couldn't find anything that looked right. I've been ordering them online for $3.00 -- I know, this is pretty silly. But at least it beats $10.00 at the LDS!

At Home Depot in the hardware section you can buy the sticks they use in the winter to mark curbs or driveways. They are about 4 feet long and bright orange or yellow.
$2.00 each and you can cut them in half to make two sticks. They are just straight dowels, no bends. Use aluminum rods if you want bent ones.

John C.

 

[mello-yellow]

I bought a 6' long aluminum dowel from True Value Hardware, cut it in half, and bent the ends to make two tickle sticks. But that was 2 or 3 years ago -- and I stopped using tickle sticks since then.

 

[jchaplain]

I bought a 6' long aluminum dowel from True Value Hardware, cut it in half, and bent the ends to make two tickle sticks. But that was 2 or 3 years ago -- and I stopped using tickle sticks since then.

I can see why you stopped using the tickle sticks. After you showed me how to just reach at them fast I can see that is the best way to go after them. I have had VERY little luck using tickle sticks ( I've only been lobstering for a couple dives so far anyway.) With a tickle stick you get less claw bites, but way less lobsters too!

John C.

 

[yak]

At Home Depot in the hardware section you can buy the sticks they use in the winter to mark curbs or driveways. They are about 4 feet long and bright orange or yellow.
$2.00 each and you can cut them in half to make two sticks. They are just straight dowels, no bends. Use aluminum rods if you want bent ones.

John C.

I use the rods and bend em.

 

[LobstaMan]

Jack, you're up awful late. I guess that would mean so am I..........Been out recently?

LobstaMan

 

[scubafisch]

SN:

made a backhanded garb on his head!! My buddy had just attempted to spear and missed with his knife and couldn't believe the catch! It was pretty sweet!

OK, I didn't know it was legal to spear flounder... can someone give me a thumbnail version of regulations, or tell me where to look?

Thanks,

Fischman

 

[lord1234]

cheapest tickle stick ever...find a retractable antenna at a junk yard....

 

[ClassAction]

I can see why you stopped using the tickle sticks. After you showed me how to just reach at them fast I can see that is the best way to go after them. I have had VERY little luck using tickle sticks ( I've only been lobstering for a couple dives so far anyway.) With a tickle stick you get less claw bites, but way less lobsters too!

John C.

Tickle sticks let you get at lobsters that you COULD never reach by just grabbing. The whole point is to tickle them out into the open so you're able to grab them. Once I see a lobster in a hole, I look for the back door (there usually is one) of the hole. Then, you put the stick into the back door (this is starting to sound dirty) and gently tickle him out to where you can grab him from behind. If you have enough patience, there's no reason that you'll ever miss one (unless they retreat so far into the hole that you can't tickle any more). And when I say patience, I'm not talking about waiting 10 minutes! The whole process shouldn't take more than a minute. I've learned to stop and plan before reaching in or even tickling. If there's no back door, you can sometimes make one. You should never tickle head on or else the lobster will just retreat. There really is a trick to all of this -- even spotting the lobster in the first place. My buddy is a machine when it comes to lobstering.

I guess this is a personal preference issue, but I've had a lot of luck lately with the stick. And I've been eating enough lobster lately to prove it!

 

[localdivah]

What alternatives have you all had other than steaming/boiling/grilling your bugs? Those standards are getting a little old, and it would also be nice to have something to do with the extra meat left over.

I've thought that it would be great to do some dips, chowder, etc, but have never really followed up on it.