? on lobster diving

[gorock]

Ok, so its almost time for me to go home to CT/MA and Im newly certified and def want to do some lobster dives. i just have a couple of questions.

1. Can you find lobsters on shore dives?
2. When you go hunting, do you need one of those lobster poles, or can you creep up on the buggers and just grab 'em?
3. Whats the trick of finding/catching them.
4. are there any books out that would help me learn this new art?
5. Anyone going lobster diving on day i might be available that wouldnt mind me taggin along, I can buy the after dive beer or something.

thanks for the help
Jason

PS i know i do know i need a lobster license and i have a MA residence.

 

[Soggy]

gorock once bubbled...

1. Can you find lobsters on shore dives?

Yes

2. When you go hunting, do you need one of those lobster poles, or can you creep up on the buggers and just grab 'em?

Some people use a "tickle stick" to encourage a lobster out of a hole/under a rock. Then you grab them behind the back. "Just grab 'em" however makes it sound a lot simpler than you may think. Remember...they have big claws and you don't (ouch!)



I can't help you much with the rest of your questions, since I'm not exactly a pro myself.

 

[Spectre]

gorock once bubbled...

1. Can you find lobsters on shore dives?

Definately. However it's a lot easier if you can get to remote places where they haven't been picked over.

2. When you go hunting, do you need one of those lobster poles, or can you creep up on the buggers and just grab 'em?

A 'tickle stick'. They definately help. The inexperienced have a tendancy to go in frontally with the tickle stick, and this won't work... if they are under a rock, you want to try and tickle 'em from behind to trick them into coming out of the den. Then you grab them on their way out.

3. Whats the trick of finding/catching them.

Experience. You start to recognize what holes a lobster would like to hide in. Peek under rocks and stuff like that. You'll see claws, or sometime's you'll catch the glimpse of an antenna. You'll see plenty of little ones shore diving, so you'll start to learn where they like to hang out. Remember, if it doesn't look scary, it's probably going to end up being too small!

4. are there any books out that would help me learn this new art?

Not that I know of no....

5. Anyone going lobster diving on day i might be available that wouldnt mind me taggin along, I can buy the after dive beer or something.

There are quite a few of us that go out lobster diving, so you can just hang out here and jump in on any of the get togethers. Another idea is talking with decapoddiver. Scott has a club called Decapod Divers that get together and go lobster diving. I'm sure he'd be happy to let you dive with them as long as you understand their rules. [Which are trivial anyway, as they all apply to being properly licensed, following the laws, and not taking more than you personally plan on eating].

 

[gorock]

thanks for the great help. hopefully i can get together with someone to get more experience well, that and just get out diving a bunch!

anyway, thanks guys

 

[richhagelin]

What I found (after much experimentation) worked best was: a paint roller handle (remove the roller) you then have a wooden handle with an S-shaped metal extension. Lash to that a BBQ skewer. So, when you hold the handle, the "paint roller" comes out one end of your hand (the thumb end) and the skewer comes out the other side of your hand.

Then, use the skewer to come from behind to force the lobster out from his/her hiding place. Then use the "paint roller" part to pin it to the bottom (if it "runs", forget it, you will never catch it). Hold it in place and reach from the rear and pick it up. Measure it and if legal, stick it in your bag and start hunting again. When I was lobster diving regularly, I could almost always get 2 or more legal lobsters on a dive.

Enjoy,

Rich

 

[decapoddiver]

1. I get most of my lobsters on shore dives. The trick is to go places that are either not very well known or too hard/scary for most folks.

2. I always bring a tickle stick since there are times when the lobster is more than an arm length back in a hole or in an opening that I can't fit my hand through.

3. There is no real trick other than experience. One of the reasons a diver might do better than his/her buddy is that they have learned to "eyeball" a lobster on the fly and decide if it warrants trying to catch it. Far too many divers try to catch every lobster. My opinion is that I have a finite amount of time/air and I don't want to waste any of it. If it looks short (here's where experience comes in) or too difficult, I keep going.

4. There are no books that I know of.

5. You're welcome to tag along on one of our dives. Check out the site and rules. http://home.townisp.com/~stat12/. As Spectre said, they're pretty obvious (you would think)

There are 3 things I will never go bug hunting without :

A really good/bright flashlight PT Surge is great
A good tickle stick
A (bright color) Trident Catch bag with spring loaded top. I have seen many buddies lose their catch when the clasp on their catch bag let go and they never knew it

These are just my opinions and there are many, many ways to bug hunt. Be open to everyone's way and you'll do fine

 

[shellbird]

Don't bother with CT, big lobster die off, you won't find any... Very sad...

 

[MASS-Diver]

Don't rip claws off. It's considered very bad form to do so. Using the "just grab" them tech., I will grab a claw, but, I won't pull too hard on it, instead I'll work my hand up the bug's body and then pull him out.

Learning how to spot shorts (and not waste your time catching them) is another important skill.

 

[Spectre]

MASS-Diver once bubbled...
Don't rip claws off. It's considered very bad form to do so.

And, if you accidentally do pull a claw off but the bug gets away, you can't bring that claw up. If you get the bug, but can bring him and the detached claw, but not just the claw since you need the bug to make sure it's of legal size.

[e.g. you can't go down, rip the claws off all the shorties and bring up the claws!]

 

[gorock]

do most the dive shops up there have lobster bags and tickle sticks? or should i find a sight like leisurepro to order them off of. Im in western PA at school right now and the LDS i go to doesnt have lobster stuff...dont think its qute a big draw out here.

Thanks