Lobster: Thoughts and tactics

[tribs]

Hi,

I have seen more and more lobster coming onto the forum pages but have never really tried to find them as a quarry. Please post as much advice as possible. For instance when potting I know they drop in close for lobster so should I hunt around the normal low tide level even when the tide returns?

Tribs

[sunfish]

I've been waiting to read advice from more experienced people than myself but here's mine, though I'm no expert.
First off, just find an area of rock with holes and cracks and just keep looking. If you keep dives fairly short while looking for good crevices, your surface times will be shorter.
Reefs close to shore are ok and I think the inside (less exposed) is better.
When you're on the surface and see a vertical crack in the rocks, maybe a metre or more wide, swim down it shining your torch in. These usually get narrower and eventually close up a few times, making a series of little dens for crabs and lobsters. Lobsters seem to prefer the lower ones but crabs like any.
This could be a really useful thread so come on and get posting lads.

[tribs]

Originally Posted by sunfish

I've been waiting to read advice from more experienced people than myself but here's mine, though I'm no expert.
First off, just find an area of rock with holes and cracks and just keep looking. If you keep dives fairly short while looking for good crevices, your surface times will be shorter.
Reefs close to shore are ok and I think the inside (less exposed) is better.
When you're on the surface and see a vertical crack in the rocks, maybe a metre or more wide, swim down it shining your torch in. These usually get narrower and eventually close up a few times, making a series of little dens for crabs and lobsters. Lobsters seem to prefer the lower ones but crabs like any.
This could be a really useful thread so come on and get posting lads.

Thanks for replying sunfish, was beginning to get the feeling i'd mentioned a big Taboo!!!!!
You mentioned using a torch so do you go mainly at night or just look in the darker places?

cheers again
Tribs

[fleshy]

Whatever you do, dont lower yourself to using bleach or other chemicals to choke them out of their homes. It hurts the reef, and how anyone that can do that with a clean conscience is beyond me.

[Spaniard]

OMD and Foxfish know a thing or two about the lobsters, hopefully they will post here!

[sunfish]

The torch is to see back into the dark recesses of cracks and holes. I'd second what Fleshy say's about bleach of course, though I've never heard of anyone doing it. I sometimes use a hook made of stainless steel wire and taped to a piece of cane but this isn't infallible. If you do use a hook, be careful not to hurt the lobster with it, in case you can't get it out. You don't want to leave it behind damaged and it could turn out to be undersized too. Size isn't that easy to judge when all you can see are the antennae and claws.

[foxfish]

I think Sunfishes first post is quite a good description, I cant add that much apart from be very careful!
I have been using a torch in recent years but we always managed without one befor.
You will discover that good holes are very quickly re inhabited. Sometimes a new resident will appear the next day so it pays to remember exactly where you find the holes.
Other creatures live in the same terrain as the lobsters, edible crabs & congers are always a possibility. We dont kill congers anymore but they are always exciting to come across!
It is also possible to find lobsters by simply turning over big boulders, I have found quite a few this way but the most productive way is looking inside suitable holes. Diving on to the edge of a kelp covered reef you can search around the base & lower edge by parting the kelp. If you spot a lobster it might be a good idea to mark the hole with your float wieght & compose yourself on the surface before attempting to grab the creature.
If the lobster has a big hole he might well reverse in to deep but sometimes there is a back entrance, you might be able to hook him out with your spear barb but be careful if you are extending you arm in deep holes - scary stuff!
I dont know if there are any laws in England that stop you shooting lobsters? But as a last resort it might be necessary to spear the creature, I must admit this is not my method but plenty of Guernsey divers shoot lobsters.
If you are lucky the lobster will be in a shallow hole so you can just crab him from behind the claws, you will need a bag to carry him in & if you are confident about catching more than one you will need separate bags for each lobster. You can also band the claws, stretching elastic bands over the lobsters claws will prevent him crushing anything but this wont work with an edible crab.
I seem to remember my brother Derek using a road cleaners grab to help him extract deep holed lobsters?

[James T]

Foxy - I guess the separate bags are to stop them killing each other? I heard that they fight to the death in confined spaces?

This is something that has happened to mine before but I was told it is a known trait

[sunfish]

Lobsters aren't so common around here at the moment-too much potting is my opinion.
Here's a couple from 2 or 3 years ago.
Co-incidentally, both had lost one claw.

[fleshy]

Sunfish's strategy is the most commonly accepted. Depending on the rules and regulations in your area, you might not be able to spear lobster, or you may be able to. I dont know. Using a "tickle stick" though, is common procedure.

[Robbo66]

Good report Sunfish.

Just a quick note, torches and spearing for lobsters along with night fishing are banned in France

[stuckinsurrey]

I'm terrible at getting them out but I do see a few each year. Quite often I've seen bits of crushed crab shells around their holes so always worth a look out for this. Often their holes are quite small at the front but cavernous at the back, you get one chance to tempt them out before they disappear back out of sight - guess a torch would be handy for this. Depending on the light sometimes you have to get your face right up to the hole before you can see in it as they aren't always at the front.

Seen a few in holes not at the bottom of the reef but mostly around the bases. It can be very hit and miss, you can look in every nook and cranny at some spots and not see a thing yet have been other places where I have seen 4 or 5 in a very small area.

You can tempt them forward in the hole often by wiggling your fingers in front of them. Another thing, are blooming fast in the water if they come out of their hole and get away before you grab them. Be quick!

I was lucky enough to catch my first one as he took a stroll across the sand! Never seen one again doing this!

[dave]

It is illegal to spear shellfish in the UK.
Ditto all the above advice, particularly Foxfish's point about learning productive holes.
As regards actually catching them, the main thing is to be quick, and not worry about getting pinched. If you are nervous, it is worth taking the first one you catch to a rockpool where it cant escape and practising catching it.
An alternative to a bag is to tie the lobster on your float line using a clove hitch. If you aren't using a float, another option is to wrap the lobster in insulating tape (a roll stuffs up the jacket easily and is a lot less hassle than a bag), leaving a loop to thread it on your belt stringer

cheers
dave
Spearguns by Spearo uk ltd finest supplier of speargun, monofins, speargun and freediving equipment

[foxfish]

Well Guernsey is part of the UK but we do have different laws, you can spear & sell any type of fish caught from the shore. We can also shoot game fish like salmon & spear shellfish if you so please.
However no fish can be sold if they have been caught from a boat, unless the boat has a licence to do so.

[Mr. X]

I'm hopeless at spotting lobsters and edible crab. Only ever seen one edible crab (small, one clawed it quickly jammed itself hard into a nearby shallow, horizontal crack). I've only seen lobsters in pots. Worst of all, I know that several of the places I dive do hold lobster! I did manage to catch one recently in one of the £6 fold-up lobster/bait pots, which I placed close to shore before going out diving (for around 3 or 4 hours). I reckon placing one overnight would likely work better. Using a separate, large bait pot might have helped (only trapped blennys & small crab before using it, might be coincidence).

A word of warning, I used to come across lobster fishing fatality reports on the web. There is an open season somewhere (Florida/Carribean?), and every season some of the lobster divers drown. Perhaps the temptation of a big lobster at the end of a long breathhold is too much for some to resist.

As for using chemicals - what's the point of diving on breath hold for good, fresh, free-range food with poison Unsurprisingly, it is illegal under UK & EU law, and if you get caught don't expect sympathy from anyone.

If they ban spear fishing, they better ban diving for lobster too because that's what will be left. And potting: I have just put together a 2 pot rig for our Summer holiday trip. The law of unintended consequences will strike again.