Just like last year we drove down to Key West for a week of lobstering and hanging out during the opening week of the 2005 Lobster Season (8/06-8/14). We left Gainesville early Saturday morning at 4 a.m., to maximize the enjoyment (mine) of a couple hours of quiet as our two young kids slept. In Key Largo we picked up our 24 foot boat, the Bare Necessities, and headed to Key West. After launching the boat we hit a couple of lobster spots in the Gulf (off Mud Key), but were extremely disappointed with the water visibility in 10 feet. You had to dive down about 3-4 feet to even see the bottom. With the wifer and kids on board I managed 6 bugs snorkeling and headed back in to check into our hotel.
On Sunday we checked into our Key West house rental with 3 other families and the next 7 days were spent trying to figure out where the lobsters were hiding and where the visibility was better. We never quite figured either out but managed 3-6 lobsters each day, with the exception of our best day lobstering, when we managed 20 bugs with 5 divers towing off Boca Grande Key. The kids enjoyed dragging on the towline and it was neat to see them chasing lobsters underwater. Ten-year-old Cody caught his first lobster (!!!) as well as his father getting his first too, in addition to a few more. Events like this made the trip even more memorable and fun.
Two other events certain to stick in our minds occurred in the span of 30 seconds and also about 4-5 minutes after dropping off a friend named Armon to tow a deep channel next to a shallow tidal flat immediately north of Boca Grande Key. Upon entering the water a good-sized cuda struck just under his chin and made a huge boil at the surface next to his face. That was quite a pucker factor for Armon who had not lobstered before. Most likely, the cuda slashed at the silver metal lobster gauge hanging off the tickle stick. I learned something from that and I plan on changing the silver aluminum lobster measuring tools I prefer to non-reflective black plastic ones!! The second incident occurred just a couple of minutes later when we got underway towing Armon and a 10 foot hammerhead glided in behind the outboards and in front of him on the tow line. As the word “SHARK!!!â€
Key West lobster report & family trip summary w/pics. 8/
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Big Bend Brian
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Tidedancer
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Super report! Glad your trip timing put you down there before the storm. I'd like to speak with you some time about the possibility of hir'n one of the young'ns to ride with me on some tournaments to "re-re-re measure" some fish 
"Good Judgement" comes from experience, ... and a lot of that..... results from "Bad Judgement".