# lobster?



## mg_cook

well i'm going diving this weekend (YES!!!!) anyway i've seen pictures of people spearing spiny lobsters i think they are called. well here are the questions are they in season, what's the size and bag limit, how deep are they and whats the best place to find them on a wreck. how should i spear them.i'm new to diving so i don't have a clue. if anyone has good pics that would be helpful also. and are they good to eat. i think we are going to the freighter and the new i-10 bridge rubble so could i find any there. 

thanks for the help


----------



## Deep South

They are illegal to spear. You will have to catch them by hand. Best spots will usually be natural bottom area. However, you can get the shovelnose lobster by either night diving or looking inside tires, on the roof of any overhang, etc.


----------



## Miami Matt

better be carefull with those spears fwc will rape you for a lobster, I once saw them take not only the guy to jail for a few shorties, but they were also kind enough to wait until his boat was back on the trailer so not only his boat got taken, but also the guys truck and trailer. I grew up in key largo where the bugs as we call them are thicker than the mosquitos in the everglades....not tring to burst you bubble, just giving you a friendly piece of advise.. Oh by the way, look for reefs and wrecks, also they walk at night so you can use a flounder lightrig and scoop them up like big shrimp(google bully netting lobster)if you know where they are generally located, believe it or not down there I got most of mine in less than 10 feet, shoot me a pm if you need any more help, I have litterally caught thousands...


----------



## Orion45

You'll need a tickle stick and a bag. You also need a lobster stamp for your license and a measuring tool. Spiny lobsters have to be measured as you catch them and released if undesized. Do not bring them on the boat and then measure them. If the FWC is waitng for you and you surface with undersized lobsters or lobsters with eggs, you'll be fined. Do not spear or gig *any* lobsters. Shovel nosed lobsters have no mimimum size,no bag limit, and a stamp isnot required. You do need asaltwater fihing license. The no spearing, no gigging, no egg bearing still applies to shovelnosed bugs. *Make sure you know how to measure a spiny lobster*.


----------



## lobsterman

Spearing them takes all the fun out of it anyway. Go down a wrestle with them and have fun. You do have to carry a measuring device but I have been diving here since 1985 andI have never seen or caught a short up here in the panhandle. Good luck and go get em.


----------



## Telum Pisces

You are not going to find too many spiny lobsters here. I have heard of a few reports over the years of people finding one spiny. But that's it. If you do find one, it's a big one and easy to see them antenna. Shovel nose lobster are everywhere on the natural bottom spots. That's not to say that they are not on the artificial wrecks, just less of them. 

Look under ledges. Get down and look up under them. They can and will be hanging on the underside of a ledge. Inside tires is a good spot for shovel nose as well. The shovel nose are very hard to see at first. They simply look like part of the structure.

But I would not be going to an artificial reef if my main purpose was lobster. Head to a natural bottom spot.


----------



## Kingfish514

Are the shovel nose as good to eat asa the spiney?


----------



## Gator

Way better in my opinion, much sweeter. Similar to royal red shrimp. They ain't pretty but they taste mighty fine


----------



## Telum Pisces

> *Kingfish514 (9/17/2009)*Are the shovel nose as good to eat asa the spiney?


I can not compare them, because I have not had both. I do know that the shovel nose are very tasty.


----------



## lobsterman

Shovelnose are indeed much sweeter but no where near as impressive.


----------

