Spots for Lobstering in the Keys

[skippy]

headed for Duck Cay in a few days. anyone have any spots for lobstering? just going for a few tails(tales) and laughs. was hoping to find some shallow water to hang/anchor in and catch some bugs. too old for "extremes"
don't worry we won't share any "secret" spots!!!

[fjwiley1]

....you just missed the "miny Lobster" season. Duck , Grassy, Marathon all get bugged out quickly during those couple of days. The commercial season is on now and pots will be everywhere.

good luck

[skippy]

thanks!! we know they get spooked and cleaned out during the miny season. Going to get to the area about the 3rd week of August and hopefully can catch a few for personal enjoyment and catch a lot of laughs.
guess we will just dinghy around Duck to see if we can find some holes and have some recreation.

[Teknav]

Hiya Skippy! Some people "borrow" lobsters from commercial traps, usually around midnight. I have heard about lobsters jumping out of their traps into waiting boats, and then take a bath in awaiting boiling pots; very smart lobsters. An alternate solution, is to approach a fishing trawler and offer a six-pack of beer for a few tails. Don't forget the butter!

Mauritz
Going to behave now!

[mrohr]

Not just holes, but under any thing that will give cover. I.E. old debris like auto fenders etc. . Also inside those cone shaped sponges that are fairly common in shallow water. The first thing you will see are the 2 antennae looking up or pointing out.
....................Lotsa fun..............

[ShaktiGurl]

We were down in the Snake Creek area a couple of weeks ago. Lobster pots everywhere, even the channels. Some stray pot got pulled up into our prop (note to self - get line cutters!) and the damn thing was empty or we would have thrown it in the pot!
We also came in Angelfish Creek at night and there must have been more than 50 boats out shrimping in the channel. If we had more time we would have tried the 6-pack suggestion!

[skippy]

maybe we will find some of those lobsters trying to free them selves of their "cell/prison" and would like a nice "warm" bath!! thanks for the suggestions. Will make sure we have cutters, 6 packs and lots of butter in case of emergencies!
Thanks for the suggestions. Will be peering under "stuff" and in the sponges.

[Alecadi]

Please don't forget that our fishermen in the Keys are doing that for a living and not for fun. Don't steel the catch in the traps. Avoid as possible to cut their ropes, etc....
Life is not easy for them and the winter season, stone crabs season, has been one of the worst ever.

[ShaktiGurl]

Originally Posted by Alecadi

Please don't forget that our fishermen in the Keys are doing that for a living and not for fun. Don't steel the catch in the traps. Avoid as possible to cut their ropes, etc....
Life is not easy for them and the winter season, stone crabs season, has been one of the worst ever.

I would avoid as possible to cut their ropes if they would avoid as possible keeping traps out of the main channels and inlets! They are sometimes so thick and right in the narrow, shallow channels that they are very difficult to avoid.

[capngeo]

Skippy..... One of my favorite methods is to look for swash channels, go overboard on SCUBA (with flag of course), drift down the swash channel with the tide, have crew on boat chase the flag.

[Oogie]

seriously guys, i live above Cedar key in n. west Florida and i have alot of family and friends that are commercial fishers, i don't say this to start any flaming but i assure you they keep a fairly good watch over their livelihood and the consequences for being caught would be very severe. they do consider their selves the law when it comes to their traps. no insult meant to jokers.

[Teknav]

No one in their right mind should be stealing from the livelihood of fishermen; it is a very harsh livelihood being dependent on the sea. (I do not eat shellfish.) I'd gladly trade-in a few six-packs of beer for Groupers and Red Snappers; my favorites.

Having said that... if I am a guest on your boat and find a stash of Swiss or Belgian dark chocolates, in your galley...I'll not be responsible for what happens to them. ("Hi, I'm Mauritz and I'm a chocoholic!" - remembering Chocoholic Anonymous meeting) Case dismissed!

Mauritz
Going to behave now!

[ReMetau]

Originally Posted by Teknav

Hiya Skippy! Some people "borrow" lobsters from commercial traps, usually around midnight. I have heard about lobsters jumping out of their traps into waiting boats, and then take a bath in awaiting boiling pots; very smart lobsters. An alternate solution, is to approach a fishing trawler and offer a six-pack of beer for a few tails. Don't forget the butter!

Mauritz
Going to behave now!

Yeah, you get caught doing this in the Keys and you will end up in jail and then have to go back a couple of months later for court and pay your very large fine. They protect the commercial pots with heavy enforcement.

[ShaktiGurl]

Originally Posted by Oogie

seriously guys, i live above Cedar key in n. west Florida and i have alot of family and friends that are commercial fishers, i don't say this to start any flaming but i assure you they keep a fairly good watch over their livelihood and the consequences for being caught would be very severe. they do consider their selves the law when it comes to their traps. no insult meant to jokers.

I completely understand that. We have never stolen from any lobster pots (I don't particularly like sea bugs) but have caught a couple in our props over the years because they place them close together near and in the channels. We have also seen abandon traps where lines have been cut, covered in barnacles so it has been there for months, with live lobster within.

[Oogie]

Originally Posted by ShaktiGurl

I completely understand that. We have never stolen from any lobster pots (I don't particularly like sea bugs) but have caught a couple in our props over the years because they place them close together near and in the channels. We have also seen abandon traps where lines have been cut, covered in barnacles so it has been there for months, with live lobster within.

if i find abandoned or lost traps i cut them open so they want kill anything that cant escape, and try to sink them in deeper water " free the bugs "