California’s recreational spiny lobster season is set to kick off Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at 6 a.m.

M

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#4
#4
3. Recreational Bag Limit: Seven lobsters per person.
It should read "possession limit" not bag limit. Thus, the seven lobsters include the ones at home. If any. They should be consumed before more can be caught.
 
Ken Jones

Ken Jones

Administrator
Staff member
#7
#7
My, my, saying Saturday the 2nd was the opener really confused things and made for a really dumb press release by the Dept. Fish & Wildlife and a dumb move on my part for not catching and clarifying it.

Saturday the 1st should have been the opener based upon the following:

Recreational Lobster Fishing Information

California's coastal waters are home to a multitude of invertebrates (species lacking a bony skeleton). The California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) takes a particularly special place within this group as a highly sought-after target of both California's recreational and commercial fisheries. Learn more about California spiny lobster biology, regulations, and fishing in the California Spiny Lobster: Fishing and Life History Information Brochure (PDF)(opens in new tab).
  • Recreational lobster season opens at 6:00 a.m. on the Saturday preceding the first Wednesday in October and closes at 12:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday (night) after the 15th of March. **The season no longer starts at midnight for safety reasons** For current regulations, please visit the Current California Ocean Recreational Fishing Regulations for Point Conception to the U.S. - Mexico Border.
  • Recreational Bag Limit: Seven lobsters per person.
  • Minimum Legal Size Limit: Three and one-fourth inches, measured in a straight line on the midline of the back from the rear edge of the eye socket to the rear edge of the body shell (3 ¼ inch carapace). Please see the lobster measurement diagram (PDF)(opens in new tab) on how to measure your lobster.
  • Permit Requirements: CDFW Spiny Lobster Report Card and California recreational fishing license, available at CDFW's Online License Sales and Service. An Ocean Enhancement Validation is also required if fishing in ocean waters south of Point Arguello (Santa Barbara County).
  • Skin and SCUBA Diver Gear Requirements: All skin and SCUBA divers must only use their hands to take lobster.
  • Pier Fishing Gear Requirements: You may use up to 2 hoop nets while fishing from a public pier.
 
moonshine

moonshine

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
Mahigeer said:
3. Recreational Bag Limit: Seven lobsters per person.
It should read "possession limit" not bag limit. Thus, the seven lobsters include the ones at home. If any. They should be consumed before more can be caught.
Click to expand...
This and other requirements listed make the whole process sound very complicated. Bag and posession; I imagine bag is the only one that could be accurately enforced.
I don't know how often I'd see people on the pier hooking and keeping undersized and/or out of season lobsters.
It's one of the reasons I never targeted them. Haven't eaten one in years, but I suddenly am thinking of the flavor. Might make the trip to Costco.
Anyone know how the spiny compare to their Atlantic cousins, flavor-wise?
 
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