first lobster. San Diego Bay
 

Completed my first attempt at lobster last night at Shelter Island. Traps in at 7 and off the water at about 11. Got one lobster and two stingrays early on. The lobster was a five pounder at least so a good way to break the bug cherry. Now I was having an issue with my traps flipping over in the current. What is the best way to ensure the hoopnets stay right side up on their way down?

Hoop Net Heavies
 

Leadmasters makes a 1 pound weight that is moulded to fit the outer hoop and it has a couple of holes at each end for the zip-ties to attach it.
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...0/P5271355.JPG
I usually add two pounds when I'm hooping deep in S.M. Bay but you may want to add 3 or 4 pounds if the water is really flowing in the bay during a big tide change.
Some guys go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy some lengths of galvanized chain that fits the circumference of the hoop and then zip tie that to the inside of the outer hoop.
If it's shallow enough and the conditions allow, I give the net a quick lift and drop after it's hit the bottom, to make sure it's sitting flat down there.
Good Luck Hoopin'

Hi D14,
Good advice from Slayer.
I find if I keep my lines untangled, and drop relatively slowly, I don't have a problem, if I do hit something or the hoop twists, I can feel it.
IMO, even after cooking those large Bugs different ways they aren't as sweet, not to mention they are the largest brooders.
Good Luck, BC

Breeders ?
 

After over two years of meeting with the DFW on the Lobster Advisory committee, I learned a few facts about our spiny friends...yes the big female bugs do produce a lot more eggs but they will only mate with the same size large males...a smaller male will be eaten or ignored...wheresas a smaller size female will mate with a larger variety in size and will mate more often. For that reason we made a slot limit a very low priority in any reg change discusions.
When you eat those big bugs I find its best to try not to cook the whole tail at once as the center is usually overcooked or undercooked...I like to use the bigger tails in stirfry recipes or other cooking methods where you chop the tail into smaller pieces so it cooks more evenly.

Jim- You hit on the nose. We had a 6 lber last year and it was delicious. Being a chef does has it's advantages.

Another cheap method to weight your traps down is several metal links for a chain. We do 1lb on each side and zip tie them on. Good luck

Thanks for all the advice. I will likely go with the hoop heavies since those will likely work without adding tons of weight like the chains would. Hopefully with time I will be able to feel when it is flipped over. My eclipse net seemed to have this problem the most while myflat net never had an issue.

I hate eclipse nets, I have caught plenty of lobster with the normal flat nets. Plus those plastic risers and stupid hooks get caught all over the other nets and everything else.

eclipse
 

If you guys have the Eclipse net...cut off that dumb bungee and hook...it gets caught on everything. Replace it with a zip tie attached to the leg and around the hoop and you'll be much happier.
You might think about getting an Ambush net if you want to use a conical style. With their smaller size, they are easier to handle on the kayak. The Eclipse is 36" wide and sits up higher and the Ambush is 32" and sits lower.
Those flat style nets are more efficient in shallow water and with a shorter soak time but they require better pulling technique. The conicals excel in the deep water and a longer soak time and are more forgiving on the technique.
As Destroyer said, you can use short pieces of chain or use a galvanized chain with a smaller diameter. Try to get about 3 or 4 pounds on there.

I cut those dumb hooks off days after I got the eclipse. Actually Jim I got it in a raffle at one of your seminars:notworthy:. I just have the two hoopnets so even if I got some ambush's, I would still use all of my nets until I have enough of the ambushes. And to a college student that is a lot of money so not really an option. On another note I can easily say that California lobsters are delicious:D

Good tip on the weights. Was out at Shelter Island last night and the current there is crazy.

Had the same problem with the eclipse, next time out I'll try the traditional net and an eclipse as a test. Upside is I really like the way the kits come with literally everything you need except the bait basket & bait.

D14,
My only experience is with flat hoop nets and haven’t had problems with “flipping in the current”, but I will consider that one more advantage. I assume that you are on a kayak and that adding weight would feel heavier after pulling a bunch of nets. Another plus to flat hoops is that twice in the past 10 years, I’ve caught large bugs and found it difficult to dislodge them from the net while on the water. I stowed the bait center ring, with lobster clinging, into the front hatch and was able to put on the hatch cover and easily separate the bug from the net on shore later.
Matt,
My bigger bugs, perhaps in a shedding cycle, had the thick orange layer of material covering their tail meat, I’ve never had that with the more typical sized bugs. My preferred method of cooking is butterfly and grill. Do you have a method of removing that less tasty/tough layer?
Thanks,
Ed