Cortez Banks Lobster

i know its not common to see lobster but people do. working at the dive shop i have folks come by telling me where and a few spots would be monastery north, monterey breakwater, , linda mar, and other places in carmel.

i dont know if i would spend a day looking for them but they are around.

Spearing them is a no-no, though I guess you're allowed to have a spear on you and there's a 'don't ask - don't tell' policy about what you do with the spear when you're down there as long as the lobsters don't have holes in their heads.

What we did back in the 60's: lash a large treble hook onto the tip of two feet of fishing pole, then insert it into a hole were you see the tentacles waving from and drag the bug out. Was shown the trick by a friendly local in Baja. Worked so well it became illegal so we switched to diving at night when the bugs come out into the open and are much easier to catch. I only dove at night for them after that.

I read up a bit and supposedly if they're holed up you can shake the bejesus out of them and they'll get discombobulated and let go.  I guess that beats pulling off all their legs until they can't hold on anymore.

I guess I'll just have to figure it out, appearantly you need a specialized game bag and a gauge for the lobsters, plus one or two flashlights to see down in the holes or at night. 

Oh my that is one huge Bugzilla! I wouldn't know where to put a monster like that. I like the 'little' ones that run around 5 lbs. Lotsa meat and it isn't older than your grandparents.

I've written quite a few articles on hoop netting for lobsters, but I don't know the first thing about diving for them. Except for this - when the DFG regs state they may only be taken by hand, they mean with your paw and five fingers and maybe a glove. No backscratchers, cattle prods, or other appliances.

Bugs are a handful even from a 'yak, especially the big ones. It's a rodeo! They will get their digs in. The basics are thus:

Pull your net to the surface, taking care not to put it right on your lap. Who knows what's in there? Could be a PO'd eel, a puffed up sculpin, a small shark, or any number of creepy crawlies.

If you've got bug, bring the hoop onto the kayak. Now's the time a 3rd arm would be useful. Taking care not to collapse the net, put one hand on top of the lobster's body and slip the other one BENEATH it. They'll curl their legs around your hand. At that point they ususally calm down and stop slapping their spikey tails. If you don't have good gloves, this is when you'll pay the price!

Next, grab your mandatory lobster gauge (we'll have a bunch on board) and measure. If it makes the grade, drop your bug in the hull, in a game bag on deck, or in an empty bait tank if it has a lid.   

More lobster hoop reading:

http://www.kayakfishingplanet.com/articles/advanced-tips-lobster-wranglers

http://outdoorscribe.com/WONPromar.htm

http://www.thelog.com/news/newsview.asp?c=171241

http://www.kayakfishingplanet.com/articles/buggin%2526%2523039%3B-out%3A-braving-dark-fall%E2%80%99s-sweet-lobster-treats