Swim around. Keep a sharp eye out.
Watch out for a couple of things:
Anteneas- Look for two skinny sticks poking out from under rocks or kelp/vegitation.
Teeth- You know, the white spots on lobster claws, surprisingley visible once you keep your eyes open for them.
"Claws"- duh! There are often Lobsters attached to lobster claws sticking out from under rocks.
"Strollers"- Ocassionaly you find a guy out for a walk. "Prepare to boil, Sucker! You're mine!"
"Know where to look." Under rocks. Between rocks. Under vegitation. Where you would least expect to find one. (often the best place to look.)
As far as how to catch them... Grow a sack and reach in and grab the sucker. Ya, he might bite you. It might hurt! It migh hurt a lot! It might hurt a LOT! It might cost you a few fingernails over the course of the leaning curve, and it might cost you a few more just cause you were a little too slow. (He who hesitates eats hot dogs) But get a perspective... He's gonna hurt hellk of a lot more when he takes his next hot bath. I figure it's a fair trade, I'm gonna bite him, if he wants to bite me, OK. He ain't dunkin' me in butter!
One more thing. Remember your OWD instructor told you how everything looks 30% bigger underwater? Ya! Everything except lobster. THose c0(#$u(#hrs defy the laws of physics. You're gonna stumble across a lobste your next time out that you swear is a ten pounder. You'll come swimming over a rock and ther he is. Just sittingthere half way sticking out from a rock about 5 feet away. "HOlY Sheet! Look at the SIZE of that monster!" Hopefully, you started kicking hard as soon as you saw him. You wait around, your supper runs away and you go hungry. You fearlessly thrust your arm into his hole and grabbed him before he scooted back out of reach. You turn him sideways and bring him out tail first. Holy Giant Green Spider, Batman! Look at that Sucker!! He's big enough to feed the whole family. Hellk, he's big enough to feed a whle village!
Do your self and him a favor and measure him before you stuff him into your bag. (Tail first, so when you let go of him and he swims like hellk away from you he swims into the bag, not out of reach.--Don't worry, it's happened to all of us.)
You will quickly learn that, if it doesn't make you stop and ponder for a second (thesecond you are accelerating towards him) "If I don't grab himjust right, he could put a real hurtin' on me!" he's not worth grabbing. Even if he is barely legal, it's not worth the bother. A chix lobster has about 3-4 ounces of meat TOPS! Let him grow up and make you a real meal someday.
Just my two cents worth, sitting in the sun, enjoying a nice Gin and tonic on a beautiful summer day.
P