The Tampa Bay Times
Finding fish to spear in the offshore waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico has been a little tough with a lot of hit and miss diving. Just this past week our divers who ventured to the ledges and wrecks just north of Sarasota found very few snappers, hogfish and other bottom fish to spear. But two other groups who went south of Sarasota did very well with the snappers and hogfish. Most of these divers were in water deeper than 50’. The divers in the bay and inshore areas are still doing well with sheepshead. The best target species, of late, in the offshore waters have been lobsters. Both Florida spiny lobsters and slipper lobsters are being caught. The spiny lobster season is still open until the end of March. The slipper lobster season is all year long. The slipper lobsters, also known as shovelnose and bulldozer lobsters taste great and when you find one there are usually few more in the same area. These slipper lobsters are harder to see but easier to catch. They tend to hang upside down under rocks and ledges and their camouflage shell blends perfectly with the rocks. To find them, take a little more time and look very close for a bulge on a rock, that bulge just might be a slipper lobster. Slipper lobsters are slower than spiny lobsters, so a quick grab and in the lobster bag they go! No lobster snares or nets needed for slippers.
- Jay Mastry - March 26, 2024
- Captains Corner, Gorta - March 23, 2024
- Dave Zalewski - March 12, 2024
