By Paul Lebowitz

So you bought some hoop nets, dragged them out to the nearest harbor breakwall, sat in the cold dark waiting for the crawl, then weeded out a progression of unwanted bait stealing eels, sculpin and other pests. Among an army of “shorts” you managed to nab a few tasty lobsters. The itch is far from scratched.

Lobsters haunt your dreams. Your mouth waters every time your thoughts stray to lobsters. Grilled lobster, steamed lobster, boiled lobster. Lobster, lobster, lobster! You’ve got lobster fever. The only cure is to get back on the water to satisfy the craving for more delicious “bugs.” Increase your catch by using these tips from some of the Southern California lobster hooping experts.

The “Pull”
Promar pro staff member and Saba Slayer.com kayak fishing guide Jim Salazar says how you pull up your nets is the key to lobster hooping success or failure. According to Salazar, it is crucial not to disturb the net until you are ready to pull it to the surface. If lobsters are on your net snacking on bait, they may jet off if they feel the net jolt or jiggle. All it takes is a quick flip of the tail and it’s bye-bye lobster dinner. 

Salazar approaches his nets from the downwind or down-current side, carefully pulls all the slack out of the line, and then makes a steady even pull. Since Salazar is right-handed, he tends his nets on the right side of his boat or kayak. It helps him get a good first pull when lifting a net. That initial pull that lifts the outer hoop, essentially erecting a fence around the center of the net, is crucial. Don’t stop to rest on the way up. “If you allow any slack the hoop net can flatten out, allowing the lobsters to escape,” warns Salazar.

Kayak fishing guide Jason Morton of Kayak Sportfishing adds another key point, “Try to get right over your net before you pull. The net should come up as vertically as possible.” Lobsters have an easier time escaping from the lowered edge of a tilted net.  

Hoop Tuning
Too much main line is too much of a good thing. The popular Promar model hoop nets come with 100 feet of main line. That is far too much for the typical lobster hooper who probably sticks to water less than 50 feet deep. The extra line complicates hoop net recovery. Once the hoop is on the bottom, if the slack line is not coiled neatly the excess line trails out down-current of the net. Not only is it a hazard to powerboat navigation, that excess line must be collected before the net can be pulled up vertically. There are more chances for the lobsters to feel an odd vibration or bump and scatter.

Kayak fishing guide Jeff Krieger cuts his main lines down to size. Krieger typically uses 30 and 60 foot long main lines on his nets. Salazar prefers sets of 22, 45, and 75 feet. You have to be careful where you drop nets with shorter ropes! This is one way a fishfinder comes into play for lobster hooping, for determining water depth. “Pay attention where you drop them or they will sink out,” reminds Krieger. Depending on the size of the swell or the speed of any current, Krieger leaves a minimum of 5 feet of extra line.

Seasoned lobster hooper Jeffrey Vinquist has an elegant way to control excess line. He ties a 4 ounce torpedo sinker to the tag end of the main line. When the net is deployed the sinker pulls the excess line underwater and out of the way. The line must be able to move freely through the floats, allowing for enough play in the ropes to handle swell. The sinker is too big to slip through the floats, so there is little risk of losing the net.

Although Promar model hoop nets come with built-in pouches for holding bait, Salazar prefers to use a wire bait cage. Not only do the wire cages deter thieving sea lions, they add weight to the nets. The weight might be unwanted by the end of the night when arms are tired, but the extra weight also causes the net to drop more quickly to the bottom.

plastic food storage bags, and keeps them in the freezer ready for the next hooping outing.Salazar believes it is impossible to have too much bait. “You want the lobsters to stick around. They will as long as they have something to eat,” he explains. A lobster might stop by to check out a can of cat food, but won’t linger once it finds there is nothing but metal to chew.

Frank Nielsen has seen it for himself using an underwater infrared camera. Although a lobster might be lured onto a net by the scent of food, Nielsen says “If they don’t find food they can get to right away they tend to leave.” Those who prefer to use bait cages should stuff them so full pieces of bait stick out.

Oily fish are Salazar’s favored baits: sardines, mackerel, bonito, and tuna scraps are all suitable for lobster bait. Score the bait so the current will carry a scent trail to lead lobsters to your offering.

Some people prefer to use bait that has been “seasoned” in the sun, reasoning that it will emit a stronger scent trail. Vinquist disagrees. “Get the freshest bait you can rather than rotten or frozen,” he advises. Vinquist prefers to get on the water early enough to catch his own bait for that night’s hooping. You can’t get much fresher than that.

There are other baits, secret ones that effectively catch or at least attract lobster. I’m sworn to secrecy, but if you should hear a rumor or two about odd or strange lobster baits it might be worth your while to give them a try.  

Most of the experts consulted for this article recommend replacing the small float that comes standard with most hoop nets with a larger model. Alternatively, double or triple up on the small floats. Numerous smaller floats, or one larger commercial grade float are easier to spot in the darkness and harder to sink.

Those who do a lot of hoop netting might also want to upgrade their main lines. A thicker, limper line is easier to grasp and coil. Before switching to a thicker line it would be wise to consider where you will be dropping your nets. Nielsen reminds us that thicker lines exert more drag in the water, so they may not be suitable for use in areas with strong currents.

Lobster Hunting Strategies
Lobsters live amidst rocky structure. Once the sun sets the lobsters venture out of their nooks and crannies to search for food. More nets equal more chances to catch lobsters, so try to set out the maximum allowable number of nets. The current limit is 5 nets per person, with a maximum of ten nets per boat. Remember, the possession limit is seven lobsters per licensed angler.

Salazar starts by dropping his nets close to the visible above-water structure. How close depends on the bottom contour. Before he lowers each net he checks his fishfinder to make sure he is dropping on a level bottom. Once a net hits bottom he gently lifts it just off the bottom and then slowly and carefully sets it back down. “You want to make sure the net is flat and the hoops are properly spaced,” explains Salazar. If Salazar pulls up an eel he knows he is too close to the structure, so he relocates that net into deeper water.

On his initial spread he leaves from 50 to 100 feet between his nets.

Krieger deploys his nets up-current of structure. That way the chum slick drifts right to the lobsters in their dens, hopefully luring them directly to Krieger’s nets. Krieger distributes his nets in a staggered pattern shaped like the letter W. Two nets go shallow, no deeper than 25 feet. His other nets are dropped in deeper water. Once he determines where the lobsters are crawling he moves his other nets nearby. “It is a process of elimination. Keep moving the nets until you find the lobsters,” advises Krieger.

HOOPER'S DELIGHT, a 4-lb lobster in the net.

JIM SALAZAR demonstrates how to use a lobster gauge to measure lobsters. This one is just legal, as the tail end of the gauge is striking the carapace.

SURPRISE! - If you are pulling up eels instead of lobsters, you are dropping your net too close to structure. Back off to deeper water. PHOTO COURTESY JIM SALAZAR

READY TO GO - The author’s kayak rigged for a night of lobster hooping.

JASON MORTON heads out before dark so his hoops will be in place when the lobsters start to crawl.

JIM SALAZAR lowers his nets carefully into the water.

“Some people say they don’t want to disturb their chum lines, so they leave their nets in place. Just as with fishing, if you are in an unproductive area you should move. Ten yards can make all the difference,” adds Morton.

Just as anglers downsize their baits to increase their bites during a slow pick, Vinquist recommends an equipment change during a slow crawl. If you are using bait cages, consider removing them and relying on the built-in bait pouches. Sure, there is a chance sea lions might rob your nets. On the other hand, it could be the difference between taking home one or two lobsters or remaining empty-handed.

lights, a full moon, or a diver’s underwater spotlight scares lobsters. It is best to seek out darker waters.

There doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to explain when lobsters will go on the crawl. Some water movement is preferable. The current stirs up the marine food chain, perhaps encouraging the lobsters to come out of their hidey-holes to forage. Morton says lobsters seem to be more active when the water is cloudy and mucky with low clarity. He doesn’t worry about tides, moon phase, or when it last rained. “I go hooping whenever I can,” he admits.

Nielsen maintains there is one consistent factor that triggers a good crawl. He looks for a big swell. “People can go out Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with poor results. Then a big swell rolls in and they get limits or near-limits on Friday and Saturday. By Sunday when the swell is gone so are a lot of the lobsters,” explains Nielsen.

 Salazar says much the same thing as Morton. Don’t wait for someone to report a good catch. Get out and make your own reports. More time on the water increases your chances of encountering an all-out crawl. Limits anyone?  

Dealing with Trouble
Strong currents or big swells sometimes pose a problem Nielsen refers to as “hopscotching.” If the combined drag of the floats, line, and bait cage is too much for the weight of the net, the entire assemblage will be dragged or hopped down current or with the swell. When a net is moving, the baited inner hoop will often end up underneath the trailing edge of the outer hoop. If a lobster manages to climb on, it will wind up on the outside the net when you pull it. Remember, for the best chance to catch lobsters which crawl onto your net, the inner hoop should be centered within the outer hoop. The net should look like a bulls-eye target.

To prevent hopscotching, Nielsen recommends people use smaller or fewer floats or thinner diameter line. Some people add weight to the outer hoop. A pound or two of lead sinkers, or a length of chain attached to the outer hoop might be enough to put you back in the game. Try not to use too much. As Vinquist says, a heavier net means a slower pull and a better chance for lobsters to make their escape. 

Once in a while you’ll pull on a net but it won’t budge. While we’d like to imagine the net is so full of lobsters it is too heavy to lift, it is more likely stuck on a rock. Don’t pull harder, you might just wedge your net so tightly it is irretrievable. Instead Morton suggests letting out as much line as possible and then moving up-current or against the swell before trying again. Moving to the limit of your main line flattens the angle of the rope, allowing you to pull the net away from whatever obstruction has grabbed it. A gentle pull will usually free the net and save your $20 investment. 

Bagging Your Bugs
When Salazar finds a lobster in his net, he pins it to the net with one hand then works his other hand underneath the lobster and grasps its body. The lobster usually curls its legs over the top of his bottom hand and clings there quietly. “Lobsters calm down when they have something to grab onto,” says Salazar. A calm lobster is a snap to measure. Undersize bugs go back into the water. Legal lobsters are stored away for safekeeping.

Whether you choose to store your catch in a diver’s game bag or a hard-sided container such as a 5-gallon bucket or an ice chest, take care how you put your bugs away advises Morton. Remember, lobsters use their tails to flip backwards out of danger. If you place them in your container tail first, then carefully seal the bag or close the lid, there will be little chance of a lobster jailbreak.

Keeping Your Catch Fresh
You had a good night. Lobsters are coming home for dinner. The only problem is once you get home from lobster hooping it is after midnight, long past the dinner hour. No problem! Morton says lobsters will live for a day or two if placed in an empty ice chest and then covered with a towel wet with saltwater.

Don’t put any water in the ice chest or the lobsters will suck it up and expire. Prop open the lid and keep the ice chest in a cool place. Lobsters go downhill fast if they get warm. Salazar avoids overheating his live lobsters by placing a partition in his ice chest. Lobsters go on one side; sealed bags of ice or ice substitute go on the other.

There is an alternative to storing live lobsters. Uncooked lobster tails freeze well for later consumption. Simply cut an incision on each side of the lobster’s tail at the base of the carapace. The tails twist right off. The tradeoff is wasting the morsels of lobster meat in the body, inside the legs, and at the base of the antenna.