Each year, Mini Lobster Season in Florida kicks off on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July, marking one of our favorite times to catch lobsters in the Keys. The season starts several days before the commercial season, giving us a head start. Typically, we prefer bully netting at night. During this time, lobsters emerge from their hiding spots to forage on the grass flats, and we’re often one of the few boats out on the water. We use underwater lights to slowly troll across the flats in 1-3 feet of water, searching for lobsters. Once spotted, we quickly place a net on top to capture them.
This year, however, high winds and storms made the water clarity poor, so we shifted to daytime diving. Diving for lobsters is also exhilarating. We search for ledges or structures where lobsters might be hiding. Once we locate one, we use a tickle stick to coax the lobster out of its hiding spot and position a net behind it. When the lobster tries to escape by shooting backward, it ends up in the net.
Regardless, this is certainly one of our favorite times of the year to enjoy the beautiful Florida Keys and especially the amazing food you can cook with the fresh Lobsters!
