Monster lobster Weigh in..(show em if you got em)

[xjeslesx]

We just shove 'em in the bag. Sometimes seaweed is added to the bag so the lobsters do not fight each other. Most people band the claws once they are back onboard, or on shore. And yes, if you lobster alot you will get pinched and yes it does hurt quite a bit.

 

[Johnoly]

...... Friend got a 16 and a 14 this past year....

He should have certified the 16, I think the Florida record is 15.

 

[Ryan Y]

11 pound SENC Spiney.

 

[AfterDark]

Of course many of us in the SoCal dive community would ask why you keep such monster bugs. Taking the larger ones removes individuals which have a higher reproductive potential and skews the age distribution in the population towards the small ones. They used to be much more common in the 50s and 60s and many of us are trying to get divers to return them to the sea after a photo op. Maybe you did.

If you ate both of them, which one tasted better?

With ya there Dr. Bill. Trout unlimited recommends the same with fish. Leave the big ones (breeders) and take the smaller ones. In RI and I think MA there are now limits on the MAX size as well as min bugs. Of course where there are no regulations relating to size it is a personal choice, which I support. I do remember in the 60's leaving 2 lbs bugs for bigger ones. Whatda know at 17?

 

[corvettejoe]

For those in Florida, how far out/deep are you going to get the larger ones?

So far my buddies and I have just done a lot of shore diving for lobsters. We come back with quite a haul each time, but they are just barely legal size. Never seen any of the huge ones except once in a while when on deeper reef boat dives (and of course never have any lobster gear then)

I think our last haul was 11 Spinys and 2 Spotted Spinys a couple weeks ago. They weren't big, but they paired well with a strip steak

 

[CaptRam]

Of course many of us in the SoCal dive community would ask why you keep such monster bugs. Taking the larger ones removes individuals which have a higher reproductive potential and skews the age distribution in the population towards the small ones. They used to be much more common in the 50s and 60s and many of us are trying to get divers to return them to the sea after a photo op. Maybe you did.

If you ate both of them, which one tasted better?

Im also with you here- we need to release these big guys so we can get there offspring in a year or two!

 

[The Chairman]

The Florida record is over 20#. I caught a 16# 4 oz in 2001. It was no where close to the record. Like Bill indicated, it did not taste that good.

He should have certified the 16, I think the Florida record is 15.

 

[Rhone Man]

The Florida record is over 20#. I caught a 16# 4 oz in 2001. It was no where close to the record. Like Bill indicated, it did not taste that good.

Is that right? I have always wondered what the biggest Caribbean spiney on record was (no amount of Google searching on my part could find an answer). I have never seen a spiny bigger than 9.5 lbs, and they fight hard enough. I can scarce comprehend wrestling a 20 lb bug into a bag.

I have heard the bugs are even bigger in North Carolina - if they have one bigger than 20 lbs I don't want to know...

PS. 16 lbs is pretty immense too...

 

[SeeHawk]

Good question, that crusher looks like it could break an axe handle. I wouldn't want that just chillin in my game bag without straping down.