Got up super early yesterday to go out at the beginning of mini-season. My neighbor Al had been out scouting and had come back with big news of a large area where there where tons of lobster. He was so excited it was infectious. So I agreed to take my boat first thing in the morning along with some of his friends to the spot so we could pillage it.
We got up around dawn and headed out to the spot, unfortunately the spot was well known being close to Key West and there where already a bunch of boats on it. Some of the boats already had divers in the water with flashlights, before dawn. It was a bad sign. We jumped in at dawn, caught a few lobsters, but then it started to ridiculous This guy mike and I where diving on a rock in about 12 feet deep, i had already pulled a lobster out of it, and there where more. We were catching our breath on the surface and this guy on scuba goes right underneath us and starting working the rock we are on top off. Then my other friend get a lobster out of rock and this other guy swims in and tries to take it. At this point I am thinking we should get out if here, if we want to get some lobster and avoid possible confrontations.
So we got out of there, which is kind of pain in the ass with a group of people. Everyone has a schedule that they want everyone else to follow. So essentially Dustin and I bailed on everyone and went out to the reef.
What a difference a little drive makes, flat calm blue crystal clear water on the reef , a few boats but everyone minding there distances. The lobsters where everywhere, we pretty much limited out in no time. We started getting picky just trying to find bigger lobsters. It was great, peaceful, and productive. As much as its cool to catch lobsters a stones throw from Key West , it doesn’t seem worth it to deal with the yahoos.
