Sport Lobster 06: Key Largo/Family Reunion
Posted: August 4th, 2006, 9:21 am
July 21 – 30, 2006
Our annual family reunion in the Florida Keys (Key Largo area) was excellent with all 5 families participating (wifers side, n=20 people). I can’t think of a better way to spend time together. This time we went down a couple days early with the goal of doing a more thorough job of lobster scouting before the two day Sport Lobster Season kicked in.
With the Bare Necessities in tow the trip down started ominously as we had two flats on the trailer (front axle) within 100 miles of home (we carry 2 spares). Once we found 2 new tires in Tampa to replace the spares we got back on the road (we didn’t have another problem the entire trip).
Saturday - Monday: Scouting was productive (towing snorkelers) and we found some new areas. It was obvious that the 2006-2007 lobster season would be a good one.
Even caught legal lobster fishing (see hook)
In between scouting the kids fished the dock daily playing with snappers, cudas, lobsters, nurse sharks, and assorted other fish. We took the kids out a couple of times patch reef fishing and the kids enjoyed catching reef fish. One of the more memorable moments was when 8 yr old Nicky was reeling in a small reef fish when his drag started pulling hard. Two adults reached over and helped him palm the reel and after a fun fight on a light 10 lb rig a 21 inch red grouper made it over the gunnel with a small yellowtail hanging from the hook (pictures were taken but not with my camera). At the end of fishing I threw the cast net for the ballyhoo that had worked their way close to the stern and netted ~ 30 large hoos. That night they got rigged and brined for Tuesday’s trip offshore.
Chummed in bally
Tuesday morning we hit the blue water in search of dolphin but we only managed one short strike and a large cuda. On the way out we saw very little weed so we ran out to 1200 ft looking for that elusive weedline. At 1200 ft there was a lot of flying fish so lines went in but we didn’t draw any strikes so we worked our way in. At 800 ft Casey (7) was a bit sick and wanted to come in. We trolled to 480 ft with no strikes and headed in. The same morning the second boat with us headed out on a different heading, staying around 400 ft, and didn’t draw a strike either. Not much in the way of weed or birds, but there was more sargassum shallow then deep.
Wednesday, Sport Season opener: We left the dock with the kids aboard to run 3 miles out (Atlantic side) to find 2-3 foot seas. This wasn’t gonna work for the kids so we returned to the dock to drop off the kids (5-10 yrs of age). We headed back out with the second boat party aboard (they had a smaller boat) and worked some previously known spots along with a couple of new spots. By the afternoon the winds had dropped a bit and lobstering was grand. We came in with our limit of 54 lobsters (plus a large slipper, 9 people) and we were all elated with the days work.
Wednesday morning (6 snorkelers/36 bugs)
Lobster boys
Slipper
Slipper
Thursday morning the seas were still 2-3 foot but we thought we would try lobstering with the kids. If they didn’t like it we would return to the dock. On the way out the kids were riding in the bow and it was starting to get bouncy. On a bounce Kaitlyn hit her chin on the bow and we had to turn around so mom could take her to the hospital for the stitches that were obviously needed (3 stitches/$275). At the dock the kids got off and only four of us headed back out. We tried a new area in a bit deeper water (snorkeling in 15 ft) and managed only a few. Towing was unproductive in this area and the visibility had deteriorated so we came in early with only eight. In the afternoon, the winds dropped a bit and 10 of us headed back out (some of them lobster newbies). We stayed in 9-11 feet of water and everyone snorkeled the two spots we stopped at. By the end of the afternoon we had 13 lobsters, a couple of green people, and one snorkeler that had caught her first legal lobster-a milestone for sure. A few pictures were taken with the featured guests and we headed in quite pleased that we had such a great sport season and that the lobsters had cooperated (n=76 lobsters for the two day season).
Thursday afternoon
One thing I thought interesting was the amount of molting lobsters we caught. A number of them had just molted and were quite soft, a couple were prepping to molt (second underlying skin), and two were caught that had their original carapace still attached and hanging on top of the new exoskeleton. Neat. Overall, we found very few lobsters to be berried (eggs) (immediately released or passed by).
2 headed lobster (molting)
Both carapaces were legal
Friday: It stormed most of the day with lightening and thunder. By 5:30 p.m. it cleared up and we went out for a short evening patch reef trip. Just a few snappers, sharks, and an eel. The snappers were invited home for dinner.
Saturday the entire family (n=17, except grandparents and Kaitlyn (stitches) went snorkeling at Carysfort Reef. Ducking behind the reef flattened the seas and made for comfortable snorkeling. In the afternoon a couple of cousins and I stayed back and did a dive, while most everyone else went to Robbie’s to feed the tarpon. On the way back to the dock we stopped to snorkel a couple of new patch reefs and found more lobster on nice bottom (9-15 ft) so we added these spots for next years trip…….we’re already looking forward to next year’s reunion.
HooYah!!
Brian
Carysfort Reef.
Dinner Finale: beef tenderloin, lobster, broccoli salad, snapper, & fettuccine
Our annual family reunion in the Florida Keys (Key Largo area) was excellent with all 5 families participating (wifers side, n=20 people). I can’t think of a better way to spend time together. This time we went down a couple days early with the goal of doing a more thorough job of lobster scouting before the two day Sport Lobster Season kicked in.
With the Bare Necessities in tow the trip down started ominously as we had two flats on the trailer (front axle) within 100 miles of home (we carry 2 spares). Once we found 2 new tires in Tampa to replace the spares we got back on the road (we didn’t have another problem the entire trip).
Saturday - Monday: Scouting was productive (towing snorkelers) and we found some new areas. It was obvious that the 2006-2007 lobster season would be a good one.
Even caught legal lobster fishing (see hook)
In between scouting the kids fished the dock daily playing with snappers, cudas, lobsters, nurse sharks, and assorted other fish. We took the kids out a couple of times patch reef fishing and the kids enjoyed catching reef fish. One of the more memorable moments was when 8 yr old Nicky was reeling in a small reef fish when his drag started pulling hard. Two adults reached over and helped him palm the reel and after a fun fight on a light 10 lb rig a 21 inch red grouper made it over the gunnel with a small yellowtail hanging from the hook (pictures were taken but not with my camera). At the end of fishing I threw the cast net for the ballyhoo that had worked their way close to the stern and netted ~ 30 large hoos. That night they got rigged and brined for Tuesday’s trip offshore.
Chummed in bally
Tuesday morning we hit the blue water in search of dolphin but we only managed one short strike and a large cuda. On the way out we saw very little weed so we ran out to 1200 ft looking for that elusive weedline. At 1200 ft there was a lot of flying fish so lines went in but we didn’t draw any strikes so we worked our way in. At 800 ft Casey (7) was a bit sick and wanted to come in. We trolled to 480 ft with no strikes and headed in. The same morning the second boat with us headed out on a different heading, staying around 400 ft, and didn’t draw a strike either. Not much in the way of weed or birds, but there was more sargassum shallow then deep.
Wednesday, Sport Season opener: We left the dock with the kids aboard to run 3 miles out (Atlantic side) to find 2-3 foot seas. This wasn’t gonna work for the kids so we returned to the dock to drop off the kids (5-10 yrs of age). We headed back out with the second boat party aboard (they had a smaller boat) and worked some previously known spots along with a couple of new spots. By the afternoon the winds had dropped a bit and lobstering was grand. We came in with our limit of 54 lobsters (plus a large slipper, 9 people) and we were all elated with the days work.
Wednesday morning (6 snorkelers/36 bugs)
Lobster boys
Slipper
Slipper
Thursday morning the seas were still 2-3 foot but we thought we would try lobstering with the kids. If they didn’t like it we would return to the dock. On the way out the kids were riding in the bow and it was starting to get bouncy. On a bounce Kaitlyn hit her chin on the bow and we had to turn around so mom could take her to the hospital for the stitches that were obviously needed (3 stitches/$275). At the dock the kids got off and only four of us headed back out. We tried a new area in a bit deeper water (snorkeling in 15 ft) and managed only a few. Towing was unproductive in this area and the visibility had deteriorated so we came in early with only eight. In the afternoon, the winds dropped a bit and 10 of us headed back out (some of them lobster newbies). We stayed in 9-11 feet of water and everyone snorkeled the two spots we stopped at. By the end of the afternoon we had 13 lobsters, a couple of green people, and one snorkeler that had caught her first legal lobster-a milestone for sure. A few pictures were taken with the featured guests and we headed in quite pleased that we had such a great sport season and that the lobsters had cooperated (n=76 lobsters for the two day season).
Thursday afternoon
One thing I thought interesting was the amount of molting lobsters we caught. A number of them had just molted and were quite soft, a couple were prepping to molt (second underlying skin), and two were caught that had their original carapace still attached and hanging on top of the new exoskeleton. Neat. Overall, we found very few lobsters to be berried (eggs) (immediately released or passed by).
2 headed lobster (molting)
Both carapaces were legal
Friday: It stormed most of the day with lightening and thunder. By 5:30 p.m. it cleared up and we went out for a short evening patch reef trip. Just a few snappers, sharks, and an eel. The snappers were invited home for dinner.
Saturday the entire family (n=17, except grandparents and Kaitlyn (stitches) went snorkeling at Carysfort Reef. Ducking behind the reef flattened the seas and made for comfortable snorkeling. In the afternoon a couple of cousins and I stayed back and did a dive, while most everyone else went to Robbie’s to feed the tarpon. On the way back to the dock we stopped to snorkel a couple of new patch reefs and found more lobster on nice bottom (9-15 ft) so we added these spots for next years trip…….we’re already looking forward to next year’s reunion.
HooYah!!
Brian
Carysfort Reef.
Dinner Finale: beef tenderloin, lobster, broccoli salad, snapper, & fettuccine
