So how did you do during mini-season MrChen: I did terrible. Didn't see all that many lobster and mostly pulled out egg bearing females and shorts. Only went out Thursday afternoon and ended up with a single stinking bug, though it was a pretty big one. Jupiter/Juno had a cold water upwelling and south bound current on Thursday and I froze my rear off in a 3MM (fortunately I just happened to have brought my 2MM vest but didn't have a hood with me). Some poor sap only had his bathing suit on: I can't imagine he enjoyed the diving all that much.
I joined JDC on Wed at 12:30 for a 3 tank trip out of Jupiter. The first two dives were very active dives. I had a couple eggers and a few shorts. There were a few I just couldn't catch. The most important thing is, I had fun! Anyways, to the story, on the first dive I surfaced with 2 keepers. As I was climbing the ladder, my net caught in the ladder and pulled the net out of the rubber handle. I didn't see it, I just felt the handle smack me in the head. I left my snare in the car.
On the 2nd dive, my buddy had his tickle stick in his lobster hotel. On entry, it came out and he lost it. So at depth, he handed me his net knowing we only had one set of gear between the 2 of us. Again, shorts, eggs, a few I couldn't catch, and I surfaced with 2 again. If I could have caught and kept each one, I'd have easily reached my limit.
On the 3rd dive, we only saw 2 lobster. I caught the first one, it was a short. I handed the gear to my buddy and he caught a keeper. 5 lobster on the 3 dives. But they were very active dives, except the 3rd.
The thermocline was BRUTAL. I was so glad I had my hood. There was also a diver diving in shorts and t-shirt. I don't know how he did it. My wife cooked a nice soup to eat with the tails the next day.
