Spiny Lobster Season Is Closer Than You Think

[tubeN2]

Saturday October 2 marks the season opener for California's spiny lobster, the colorful crustacean that inhabits coastal waters from San Luis Obispo County south, nearly to the tip of Baja California, Mexico. The season extends from October 2 to March 16, 2005.

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds anglers and divers that they must have a resident sport fishing license required for any ocean fishing south of Point Arguello, Santa Barbara County.

Persons diving from a boat or shore may have their license on the boat or within 500 yards from shore, respectively. The law now provides for a minimum $250 fine for fishing without a license.

Minimum size requirements allow the taking of any spiny lobster that has at least a 3 1/4 inch carapace, the rear edge of the eye socket to the rear edge of the body shell. Measuring properly is important as taking an undersized lobster is defined as poaching under Fish and Game regulations, punishable by a fine of $1,000 and/or a six-month imprisonment for each lobster illegally taken. The daily bag limit is seven, and no more than the daily bag limit may be taken or possessed by any one person.

While commercial fishermen use box-like traps made of heavy wire mesh to capture spiny lobsters, DFG advises divers and anglers that gear restrictions prohibit the use of traps or other appliances. For sport use, not more than three baited hoop nets may be fished by a person, not to exceed a total of 10 baited hoop nets from any vessel. Lobsters can be taken by divers by hand, and they may not possess any hooked device while diving or attempting to dive.
The body color of the spiny lobster ranges from brick red to brown with greenish overtones and in nature does not develop the bright orange coloration of the cooked lobster seen in the market. The male attains the greatest size of any of the world's spiny lobster. Records show males weighing more than 26 pounds and attaining lengths of over 3 feet. However, lobsters more than 10 pounds are now considered rare.
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[JapanRon]

Hi there TubeN2,

The guys in kayaks really put a hurt on the bugs along the breakwater.

I know some places I could go to hoop via float tube but have not tried them yet.

Hoop nets don't cost that much and it might really be fun although it's mostly a night-time activity.

The infared live cam of a hoop net should be on the internet again this year. It was really cool to see them come into the net then get OUT again after a snack! ha ha

JapanRon
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[tubeN2]

I learned a new recipe to keep the bugs hanging around the hoop for long periods of time. I will give it a try and then post the results with pics.[cool]

You are right about the yakers though. I have a hard time useing commercial traps without them getting destroyed by yakers and other PBers.

They cost a good penny and cost twice that when it is rendered useless.[pirate]
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[tubeN2]

I went out to Catalina for the Spiny Lobster opening day. There were bugs and bugs all over.

We caught a total of 30 but only 5 keepers. The rest ranged from 1/4 to 1/8ths shy of legal size.

The Boneheads were swarming like crazy and the dogs were chasing them all over. All we had to do was pitch and iron about 100 feet in from of a dog and it would be an instant hook up. They were hitting on Chrome and Blue/Chrome colors.

We ended up catching around 70 ranging in size from 17 to 22 inches. They sure tire you out after awhile. We cooked up 3 on the spot, made sashimi out of 2 more and ate them. We gave away lots of fish to other anglers that didn't have the right gear with them.
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