Info on Key West Activities |
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Lobstering
The commercial season for lobstering in Florida begins the first week of August. All over Key West commercial lobstermen are busy preparing their traps and bouys for the opening day. Once their season opens, lobsters all over the reef will be lured into the wooden traps set out by the commercial lobster boats. Lucky for the amateur lobster catcher, there's also the Lobster Mini Season. That's two days in July before the commercial traps get put out, when anyone with a recreational license can go out and get lobsters. Here, in a nutshell, is go lobstering in Key West.
Basics of Lobstering in Key West
First of all, know what you're looking for. Get acquainted with the size limits so you don't take any undersize lobsters. Second, know that you can't take any females with eggs: you'll see the eggs easily because they are bright orange. Just look at the underside of the lobster and if you see bright orange small granules, put her back. Most lobstering kits come with a measureing took attached to the tickle stick so you have it in the water with you. Measure a lobster by hooking the front part of the tool between his eyes, where the hard part of the shell begins. If the other end of the measuring tool hooks on the back of the body shell, then he's big enough. It's around three inches from head to tail, or carpace.
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| Key West Lobster |
Lobsters can be found in any of three types of spots: ledges under water, patches of rock and coral, and the reef itself. Basically, if there's somewhere for it to hide, a lobster might go in there and live. If it's at the beginning of the season, you can simply look for antennae sticking out from under rocks and ledges. That's when lobsters are a-plenty and there might even be several layers of lobsters behind that first unlucky guy near the entrance to a rock or hole. The big ones will tend to push the small guys out in front of them. Pull the front guys out and reach in for the bigger ones, if you dare.
When you find a big one, use your tickle stick and poke him out of the rock. Annoy him with the stick so he exits his hole. Once he's out of the hole or rock, you can get him to shoot into your lobstering net. Remember, lobsters propel themselves backwards so put the net behind him. If you get him into your net, grab him, measure him, and stick him quickly into your lobstering bag. These are essential unless you want to swim back to your boat every time you get a lobster. They feature a one-way rigid flap you can push the lobster down into. Then the rest of the bag is like a ditty back only with a zipper for easy emptying.
Don't forget to show your dive flag while you are lobstering. Very important so other boats dont' run you over. Make sure you get a lobstering permit along with your Florida fishing license. Don't bag more than six per day per person in the Keys. That about covers the regulations, apart from the size rules. Now it's time to get out there and get some bugs!
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