New to Lobstering

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

pwierz

Registered
Messages
18
Reaction score
0
# of dives
50 - 99
Hey, everyone. I see one of the main reasons for diving up here is to grab lobsters. I'm just starting out shore diving up here and was wondering if all of you could tell me what you know about lobstering. I've tried searching the net for info but I'm not getting any really good sites. So can you share your wisdom with me. I've got my permit, I've got the measuring stick to tell me what's legal. And I know to look under boulders and in cracks. Now what? What's a good technique for grabbing them? What am I allowed to keep? What is a V-notch? What else do I need to know that I haven't asked? Thanks for your help.

By the way, I've tried searching the threads but searching on "catching lobsters" turns up a few hundred threads.
 
If you can get above them (they don't have upward mobility) push down on their carapace while grabbing. This works great when they're perfectly positioned. One note: Went out last evening and saw claws all over the place. Don't grab a lobster by the claw-it will release the claw (which you cannot bring back with you)

Good Luck
 
I haven't done any lobstering myself, but this is what I have read.


Find the lobster
Stick a stick under them to get the out of the crack they are hiding in
Quickly grab their back
 
V notched is a no no in taking...they are heavy breeders. Make sure you measure them really good cause if you get caught with shorties you're in big trouble.
 
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
 
paulthenurse:
Remember your OWD instructor told you how everything looks 30% bigger underwater?
Definately... lobsters have a remarkable ability to shrink 30% as soon as you touch them. Having your hand in the picture for perspective sort of ruins the illusion.

After a while, you get used to it though, and can tell pretty easily by sight if a lobster is probably legal, or just a waste of time.
 
NEVER GRAB THE CLAWS!! If you get your hand on the carapace (top of ot like rapiddiver suggested) and the bug is all yours!

Also you may want to place a shortie back in their "bug-den" rather than just toss away. Why you ask? I have seen strippers follow a diver (dive buddy & I) around and then dart in after a rejected lobster. Seriously, if you want a chance at'm next year it may be wise to "stow, then go"...

good luck
 
rapidiver:
If you can get above them (they don't have upward mobility) push down on their carapace while grabbing. This works great when they're perfectly positioned. One note: Went out last evening and saw claws all over the place. Don't grab a lobster by the claw-it will release the claw (which you cannot bring back with you)

Good Luck

don't know about mass. law on claws but in ny if you have the right number and type of claws for lobsters in pocession you are good to go..attached or not
 

Back
Top Bottom