Lobster season
 

It's coming, Oct.2. :lobster:

Anyone going out of Dana Point?

It starts oct1

Saturday
 

It starts the first Saturday preceding the first Wednesday in October! :doh::luxhello::luxhello::luxhello::lobster:

You know how we roll.......
:lobster::lobster::lobster: :lobster: :lobster::lobster::lobster:

We are having a reef cleaning party...come one come all , leave with limits..
MLPA!:the_finger:

me me but I'm a newbie any info for orange county launching will be awesome gotta upgrade my fishing license too! and put all the night saftey stuff on my yak fun fun

its october 1st (a saturday) and since there is no minus tide my dad and i will be free diving LJ cove :lobster::lobster::lobster:
CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!!

I'm dropping my nets @ 2200 on Friday 9/30 and picking the 1st one up at 0001 on Saturday 10/1

And ill be at the other end filling the holes that george missed :p on Friday 2200

Im intrested in going I just need to pickup some nets and learn how to catch these tasty bugs. Do you guys catch any good crab while hooping for lobster? cause I am also intrested in crab

I've caught my fair share but the crabs out here are kinda small. Be careful when hooping for crabs because they have a different opening day than the spiny lobster

Dungeness Crab Openers and Closures

Through the 2011-2012 Season
First Day of Season Last Day of Season

Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino Counties
Saturday November 6, 2010 Saturday July 30, 2011
Saturday November 5, 2011 Monday, July 30, 2012

All Other Counties
Saturday November 6, 2010 Thursday June 30, 2011
Saturday November 5, 2011 Saturday June 30, 2012


Don't get cocky when hoopnetting......its dangerous, its dark and your chance of taking a bath is far greater than that of fishing. The beginning of the season has great weather but as fall ends and winter begins it gets cold, I've been out in 42degree weather and thank God I was prepared. Have ALL your eyes dotted and your tee's crossed, the DFG is no joke and will not give you a chance or a slap on the hand, there is no IFs, ANDs or BUTs in the regulations. ALWAYS measure twice, if you have to measure a third time throw it back.

The crab we get in SoCal are red and yellow rock crabs, not dungeness. They are open year round with a bag limit of 25 and size of 4" across the back. They're tasty but a lot of work...

And then there's spider crabs. I've never kept 'em but a few guys do. I'd just toss them back.

Good luck!

Didn't realize I was looking at the wrong crab....thanks for the correction;)

I've kept less than a handful:(, I wasn't impressed:confused:. Don't get me wrong:rolleyes:, crab meat is delicious:cheers1: but to me its not worth the trouble:mad:, lobster on the other hand.........:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D




P.S. this is one goes on the top of the THINGS TO BRING LIST, don't forget a pen, or two. Make sure its one that can write on a wet report card, I just use a fine point sharpie.

Take your GoPro when you dive I want to see you and your dad in action.

:rolleyes:Can't wait for FRIDAY NITE!!!:lobster::lobster::lobster::cheers1::cheers 1::cheers1::lobster::lobster::lobster::lobster::si fone::sifone::sifone:

I think you will find that EVERYONE seems to go to Dana Point:)

Then I won't be out there alone! I have never gone hoop netting before and could use some pointers.

Check out lobster guru Jim Salazar he has a book and does kayak guide svcs for lobster. Sabaslayer.com

I second that, Jim is a great guy and has mastered yak bugging! His book "Hoopin It Up" is very informative fun reading, and gives every detail down to the best way to rig and even what kind of rope to use! After reading this you could probably guide!:rolleyes:

For you beginners , I learned the Hard way..

When your emptying out the kelp from inside your traps, be careful there isnt a hidden Sculpin in it...
A few years ago, I made that mistake a few miles out @ midnight & had to paddle back in one handed in serious pain..:doh:

We did a Pre-Bug C&R last week on 3 different reefs to check this years quality..
All fatso's waiting to be Nueveo'ed!!.......
:lobster::lobster::lobster::lobster::lobster: :lobster::lobster:

Thanks mate!

to him

how many hoops do you guys usually bring?

2-3 is plenty for the beginning of the season,..
then 4-5, as the good pickins start to dwindle down .....


What is the Commercials start state this year?

Spiders are tasty
 

My first trip out of Dana netted us hoops full of monster spider crabs, also known as Sheep crabs. They scared the hell out of us, but a quick call to a buddy educated us that there is no size or take limit on them. We dumped 5 of the beasts into the livewell and made for home.

I won't say that cooking and cleaning crabs is easy, or fun, but we got nearly 10 pounds of sweet, firm crab meat, that even my finicky wife (a personal chef) enjoyed. We froze it in small 1 lb. batches and enjoyed it for weeks.

I like lobster, but the incidental catch can be tasty too. They're just a shitload of work. But then again, we're kayakers, so we're not known for taking the easy way out of any situation.

Point well made

LOBSTERS ??
 

WHERE ARE THE GOOD SPOTS IN SD FOR LOBSTER HOOPING?? LA JOLLA

I think the commercials start the 5th this year:)

Any were there is reef

Fyi-From what I was told on the regulations you cannot legally drop your nets until 001 on October 1.

I don't think that's correct. You can drop early, but just can't have any bugs in your possession or under your control before 12:01 AM. I wouldn't even bring anything onboard your kayak for release before the official start time otherwise you're asking for trouble.

PapaDCh - I'll probably be going out of Dana. Be sure to bring a good light for visibility - the traffic on opening night at Dana point is always insane. Everything from kayaks to 60' luxury cruisers will be out in full force. There will probably be 100+ boats out working the jetties and headlands.

I actually had emailed DFG a few days ago about this and just got their response. :lobster:

"Hello my name is Dan Sforza I am the DFG captain for the LA/OC area. The answer to your question regarding the setting of hoop nets for lobster prior to the midnight opener is no. The definition of "Take" is "hunt, pursue, catch, capture or kill or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture or kill, F&G Code 86. The setting of nets would be an attempt to take.

Hope this helps and good luck on the opener!"

You can drop them unbaited but if there is bait you are in pursuit.

A DF&G officer I spoke with told me this quite simply, If the lobster net is in the water...your fishing ...period.... :eek:

Kinda like salmon fishing....the date is the date...and not a minute eariler... remember the State is BROKE and they need the money. so if you want to give a bonus check :D

unlees you want to donate....then hell... send me the cash:cool:

:lobster::lobster::lobster::lobster::lobster::lobs ter::lobster:

If you drop early, baited or unbaited, you're much more likely to get DFG hassels. I won't chance it to be honest, it dont even thing dropping unbaited nets before midnight Oct 1st is legal.

Technically you can say you are fishing for crab and you are legal. It is all a big hassle though and not worth it, i wouldnt drop before midnight personally.

Its kind of like Open Carry on Firearms. I used to open carry. Totally legal to carry with the firearm completely exposed. It however draws attention and eventually the hassle of uneducated officers I had to quote penal code to drove me to stop.

Is it worth it to you to risk having to deal with it over a couple minutes?

So which would be better for first time out for lobster? Dana harbor or Newport harbor? Going opening day.

Good weather, tides cooperating..all set..

& i call GREEN glow sticks for the reef cleanin party.:lobster:

If your headed with , grab anything else red, orange , blue, ect ...

I call Green in Waters N of WADE, WAY WAY NORTH:luxhello:

ok Dibbs on Blue non flashing!!