Florida Keys Lobster and Dolphin Fishing
Topic:
Your Florida Key's Lobster Kit and Dolphin Tips
By, Captain Bret Gamrot
I have to thank my parents for introducing me to the Florida Keys as a youngster. Back then Dad would tie the 12 foot aluminum Jon boat to the top of the Toyota Corolla station wagon and shove the 10 horse Johnson in the back seat between my sister and I. We would stay in Venture Out on Cudjoe Key, lobstering and diving around mangrove islands and bridges. It took us some time to perfect the art of grabbing the quick, delicious spiny lobsters, but after a couple seasons my parents became old pros.
All through my high school years and into my crazy twenties and thirties, my buddies and I would still head down to the same place, year after year. Now we are into our semi crazy but slower forties and we have the art of lobstering perfected. We also enjoy a little of the offshore dolphin fishing while we are down there. Now, gone are the days of heading down for sportsman weekend. We found the traffic and regulations are far from favorable that weekend, but we still miss the crazy good times in Key West. Now we usually hit the keys the day before the lobstering season opens. This year that falls on August 6th. After thirty years of lobstering, we no longer find the need to scout for the spiny critters. These days the spots are logged right into our GPS', however, a first time lobster grab- ber should look for a few things before heading out.
Maps! Get a good one of the area that you plan to be lobstering. Study the washes in the Gulf between mangrove islands. The washes, from heavy currents, erode perfect ledges and holes for the lobster to seek shelter. Always remember to watch for tides, as it can be quite dangerous with the ripping currents around the new and full moons. I like to have a guy in the boat drifting, keeping an eye on all of the snorklers, with lines hanging out and an anchor ready as you drift. Once you come across a hole filled with antenna sticking out looking like hair, those are lobster, toss out the anchor and get em! Grab your tickle stick and a net and just relax if you're fighting a current. Don't get fatigued and be sure to stay hydrated!
If you are operating in a large area try getting a planer and riding behind the boat slowly. Two planers and two snorkelers are better than one for spotting holes. Remember that lobster march and move in the night, so holes you found today may fill up tomorrow. Check them again. Lobstering attire is important. Good Gloves will save your hands. A long sleeve shirt is a must. I duct tape my shirt to my wrists each day. This protects your arms if you're reaching into a hole to grab a lobster. If you don't wear that shirt, sleeping at night may be tough when your arms will be on fire. That shirt also protects your back so it won't cook up like a lobster in a pot. That will surely ruin your week! New and old lobster grabbers need to know your regulations! You must have a measuring stick on your person while in the water. There must be a dive flag in clear sight of your boat. Only six lobster per licensed person per day can be taken. If you stretch that law you will find yourself heavily fined or behind bars in Miami, so follow the laws and don't be greedy. Johnny law is out there in full force and they don't take attitudes or ignorance of the laws too lightly. With every lobster trip we eventually start to feel a little water logged after days of diving for those delicious tails. When that happens, we take a break and head out for our favorite Key's pastime, dolphin fishing. In the past, we always used the common tactic, slow trolling skirted bally hoo. These days we take a slower more enjoyable approach. When it's early August, chances are the blue waters out past the reef are as calm as our lodge's pool and very hot. Almost always, we are using our bay boats or even big flats boats, so the calm conditions are favorable for our smaller boats.
As we clear Looe Key and head into the Atlantic, within five miles we are entering dolphin grounds. These days we just cruise around heading south while look- ing for anything and everything floating providing shade for the dolphin. Whether it is a simple 2 x 6 piece of wood, a five gallon bucket, or a big grass line, it often proves dolphin pay dirt! Once we spot some floating debris or grass, we come down off plane, shut down the outboard and drop the trolling motor. We then cruise the floating structure while looking for the florescent electric blue missiles darting around. A simple small floating structure can hold dozens of fish. We don't carry our big rods at all; we just use our simple redfish/snook rods with 6 feet of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader attached to a ¼ oz. Mission Fishin jighead. We choose any bait from our tackle bags from a Mir- ror Lure's Lil' Jon's to stinky Gulp baits. Once we see the fish holding under structure we just start casting, let it sink 15 feet, jig it up and down and it's game on. We throw out some chum to keep the school hot and of course we always leave one dolphin on the hook.
That holds the
school for a while. We haven't trolled
with the big rods in more than 10 years.
The Dolphin reports as of July 20th, 2011
are right on as usual. Many fish are being
caught, but many of them are of smaller
size. A big dolphin is in the 12 to 15
pound range, many chickens, a.k.a. small
dolphin are in the 2 to 3 pound range.
All dolphin make great meat for the dinner table to go along with your succulent lobster tails! Good luck this lobster season and get your limits!
By, Captain Bret Gamrot
I have to thank my parents for introducing me to the Florida Keys as a youngster. Back then Dad would tie the 12 foot aluminum Jon boat to the top of the Toyota Corolla station wagon and shove the 10 horse Johnson in the back seat between my sister and I. We would stay in Venture Out on Cudjoe Key, lobstering and diving around mangrove islands and bridges. It took us some time to perfect the art of grabbing the quick, delicious spiny lobsters, but after a couple seasons my parents became old pros.
All through my high school years and into my crazy twenties and thirties, my buddies and I would still head down to the same place, year after year. Now we are into our semi crazy but slower forties and we have the art of lobstering perfected. We also enjoy a little of the offshore dolphin fishing while we are down there. Now, gone are the days of heading down for sportsman weekend. We found the traffic and regulations are far from favorable that weekend, but we still miss the crazy good times in Key West. Now we usually hit the keys the day before the lobstering season opens. This year that falls on August 6th. After thirty years of lobstering, we no longer find the need to scout for the spiny critters. These days the spots are logged right into our GPS', however, a first time lobster grab- ber should look for a few things before heading out.
Maps! Get a good one of the area that you plan to be lobstering. Study the washes in the Gulf between mangrove islands. The washes, from heavy currents, erode perfect ledges and holes for the lobster to seek shelter. Always remember to watch for tides, as it can be quite dangerous with the ripping currents around the new and full moons. I like to have a guy in the boat drifting, keeping an eye on all of the snorklers, with lines hanging out and an anchor ready as you drift. Once you come across a hole filled with antenna sticking out looking like hair, those are lobster, toss out the anchor and get em! Grab your tickle stick and a net and just relax if you're fighting a current. Don't get fatigued and be sure to stay hydrated!
If you are operating in a large area try getting a planer and riding behind the boat slowly. Two planers and two snorkelers are better than one for spotting holes. Remember that lobster march and move in the night, so holes you found today may fill up tomorrow. Check them again. Lobstering attire is important. Good Gloves will save your hands. A long sleeve shirt is a must. I duct tape my shirt to my wrists each day. This protects your arms if you're reaching into a hole to grab a lobster. If you don't wear that shirt, sleeping at night may be tough when your arms will be on fire. That shirt also protects your back so it won't cook up like a lobster in a pot. That will surely ruin your week! New and old lobster grabbers need to know your regulations! You must have a measuring stick on your person while in the water. There must be a dive flag in clear sight of your boat. Only six lobster per licensed person per day can be taken. If you stretch that law you will find yourself heavily fined or behind bars in Miami, so follow the laws and don't be greedy. Johnny law is out there in full force and they don't take attitudes or ignorance of the laws too lightly. With every lobster trip we eventually start to feel a little water logged after days of diving for those delicious tails. When that happens, we take a break and head out for our favorite Key's pastime, dolphin fishing. In the past, we always used the common tactic, slow trolling skirted bally hoo. These days we take a slower more enjoyable approach. When it's early August, chances are the blue waters out past the reef are as calm as our lodge's pool and very hot. Almost always, we are using our bay boats or even big flats boats, so the calm conditions are favorable for our smaller boats.
As we clear Looe Key and head into the Atlantic, within five miles we are entering dolphin grounds. These days we just cruise around heading south while look- ing for anything and everything floating providing shade for the dolphin. Whether it is a simple 2 x 6 piece of wood, a five gallon bucket, or a big grass line, it often proves dolphin pay dirt! Once we spot some floating debris or grass, we come down off plane, shut down the outboard and drop the trolling motor. We then cruise the floating structure while looking for the florescent electric blue missiles darting around. A simple small floating structure can hold dozens of fish. We don't carry our big rods at all; we just use our simple redfish/snook rods with 6 feet of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader attached to a ¼ oz. Mission Fishin jighead. We choose any bait from our tackle bags from a Mir- ror Lure's Lil' Jon's to stinky Gulp baits. Once we see the fish holding under structure we just start casting, let it sink 15 feet, jig it up and down and it's game on. We throw out some chum to keep the school hot and of course we always leave one dolphin on the hook.
That holds the
school for a while. We haven't trolled
with the big rods in more than 10 years.
The Dolphin reports as of July 20th, 2011
are right on as usual. Many fish are being
caught, but many of them are of smaller
size. A big dolphin is in the 12 to 15
pound range, many chickens, a.k.a. small
dolphin are in the 2 to 3 pound range. All dolphin make great meat for the dinner table to go along with your succulent lobster tails! Good luck this lobster season and get your limits!
