The first storm of the year is coming at me as I write this. The roads are jam packed for miles, grocery stores are getting hit hard and the intensity of daily operations has increased X 10. Not for a hurricane, but for the 30 to maybe 40,000 lobster hunters here to play the game and catch the most expensive lobster dinner of their lives. Spend a moment to add it all up you’ll understand what I’m talking about!
A big thank you to all my customers and the many, many inquiries that I have had for lobstering charters. I have found myself in a unique growing pain as I have had to turn away many families seeking lobster trips because the volume of interest is beyond what I believe the area can support. In short, it is going to be like carpet bombing out there. I see a strong opener with plenty of lobster, but if the weather is nice, there may be quite a temporary depletion on the resource. That is a nice way of saying there is likely going to be a massive wipeout. I don’t know what to expect, but here I am required to err on the side of caution. I want all of my trips to be successful and bring back plenty of lobster to justify the effort and cost, but there is a fine line of how long it will take the lobster to fill in again after the mini season madness.
At this time, the majority of my August is booked for lobstering charters. I have some openings the last week of August, but I say let the buyer beware! I have tons of spots and they all hold lobster. It comes down to how many other people hit my spots too, how many lobster are out there and how fast are they filling in. All questions I don’t have an answer for. It is a wait and see situation.
For now, any of my customers that may be reading this need to be on top of their homework!!! Time to check your snorkel gear thoroughly and study my lobster YouTube videos to visually connect and practice what you are about to be immersed in. This is an earned activity and if you are not skillfully working hard to catch your dinner, then the results will not be there. Keep in mind that I bring you to the spots, but you have to catch them. Those lobster are fighting for their lives and are experts at hurting your feelings if you didn’t put in your time and prepare.
Fishing on the edge of the reef has been awesome the past few weeks. With stable weather, we should see this continue all summer. Nice big snapper in good numbers are holding on spots with consistency. Day to day they are there willing to cooperate when the conditions(medium current) are right. My average reef trip is 15 keepers, but lately we have cleared 30 keepers or more. It is all about conditions!
I ask you all calling me to leave a voicemail during the daytime hours. Please refrain from calling me 10 times a day when I am on a charter, as I keep my phone in a dry bag and do not answer my phone when I am on the water with clients. It is getting a bit nutty and I am not likely to call you back if you drive me crazy all day before I even get to talk to you. Just leave me a message like a normal person and I will call you in the evening when I am finished cleaning the fish and boat. Makes sense, right? Your other option is call a guide that is sitting at home doing nothing. Best time to reach me is after 7pm if you need to talk.
Thanks everybody!! Please be safe out there and keep in mind we are all doing the same thing seeking the same goals. Don’t lose sight of common sense and make foolish, bad and deadly decisions in the name of catching a lobster. If you are so lobster crazy, stay where you live and order 10 lobster dinners online. It will be delivered to your door and you will likely save money vs. doing what thousands of others are doing the next few weeks. Be warned, I will protect my divers from reckless boaters at your cost should you be the reckless boater. This time of year there is no excuse for breaking the law or ignorance in the operation of your vessel. Period.
Kevin

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