Hooping it Up for Season Closer!!

I was San Diego bound before 11 am on Tuesday, stopping first at Hogan's Tackle for mackerel.  I met Jason at Fisherman's Landing at noon.  It was Jason's lunch hour so we decided to get a jump on the evening by launching his boat at Shelter Island then we raced out for a bucket of live sardines. We drove back to Fisherman’s landing and tied up the boat next to the Excel again and Jason went back to work (it’s boat work time on the Excel).

I loaded all my gear and our hoop nets (4 new ambush nets Hillary bought Jason for his birthday and my 6 ambush nets) into a cart and rolled it down to the boat. I set out the hoop nets on the dock, then attached the new quick release clips to the bait cages. The new clips make it easy to change out cages while hooping.  Next I cut up the sardines and mackerel, mixed them together then I stuffed them in the bait cages. I finished early so I sat in Jason's boat and read until he got off work which was a little after 5 pm. We had changed over to daylight savings time since our last hooping trip so it was going to be a late night since we couldn’t get started as early.

I had used all the bait so we didn't have enough bait to replenish the cages so we went back out to the receiver and got more sardines. We headed to our favorite spot and dropped our nets. We were in the water by 6:30. Now we had to wait for sundown, which wouldn’t be for another hour or so.

The weather had been very windy (15-20 knots) all day but was diminishing as the evening progressed. It was warmer than last time we were out. It had rained on Sunday and Monday, we had good tides and no moon so we were optimistic.

The sun finally set and it was dark enough by 7:30 to make a pull. I went first. It was a little early and we just got one short. We waited another 30 minutes and Jason made the next pull and got a couple legal sized lobsters. We were really excited now.

It was my turn again (just Jason and I hooping this night). I had a good pull - getting 4 or 5 legal lobsters. We had our dinner in between pulls - (homemade turkey sandwiches on jalapeno cheese sourdough bread, chips and sodas).

By 9 pm, the wind had died down to nothing and the harbor was grease calm - so calm that the lights from the San Diego skyline glistened so brightly on the waters that it was difficult to locate our buoys. It was beautiful though - thoroughly pleasant on the water.

We had each done two pulls by 11 pm and our count was 9. We decided to stay for another two pulls before calling it a night. I pulled first then Jason made the last pull which rounded our catch to 12 with one big lobster at 3 lbs. 5 ounces. It was a great way to end the lobster season - which ended at midnight, March 21st.

We drove over to the Excel and tied up the boat to unload gear and lobsters. Jason helped load my gear in a cart and put it in my car. I left San Diego at 2:45 am and got home around 3:45 - just as Mike was leaving to workout at the club. It's been many years since I pulled an all-nighter! I did manage to sleep a few hours before cleaning gear and dispatching the lobsters.

I BBQ’d the big lobster for dinner Wednesday night.  I used the method the commercial lobstermen (aka John Coniff and Brian Kyohara) use – drizzle garlic butter on the lobster tail while grilling.  It was superb and plenty for three of us!  Michelle joined us again and we had saffron rice and brussels sprouts with it.  Yummy!

Hooping it Up Again!!

I headed to San Diego around noon, stopping at Hogan's Tackle for a dozen mackerel ($13) and met Jason at Fisherman's Landing at 1:30 Wednesday afternoon. We loaded my hoops and gear in his Trophy, drove to Shelter Island and launched the boat. A quick run to the bait receiver for sardines ($35 for a scoop - ouch) then we tied up the boat next to the Excel. We set out all the hoops then Jason went back to work.

I cut up the sardines and mackerel, mixed them together and Jake (Jason's Nephew) and I stuffed them in the bait cages in the bottom of the hoops. We loaded the hoops in the boat and when Jason got off work, we drove out in the harbor and dropped our nets.

The weather was much colder than last week and windy as well. It had rained on Monday and we experienced a few sprinkles this evening too. Rick Maxa and Pete Gray had hooped the bay Tuesday night and said they had limits by 9 pm. They had a couple 6 pounders too. We were very optimistic!

The sun finally set and it was dark enough by 6:30 to make a pull. Jake went first and got us started with two, one was about 2 pounds. We waited another 30 minutes and I made the next pull and got a couple legals as well. We were really excited now. We drove back over to the Excel and picked up Justin.

The next pull Justin drove while Jason pulled the nets. He added more to our catch.  At this point, we were getting legal sized lobsters on each pull. We continued fishing until midnight with each of us making two pulls a piece and by evenings end, we had 17 lobsters and nice sized ones too.

We drove over to the Excel and tied up the boat to unload gear and lobsters. We split up the lobsters - Justin said he just wanted 3 for his family so Jason and I kept 5 each and Jake kept 4. Justin, Jason and Jake decided to stay on the boat. Jason and Jake helped load my gear in a cart and put it in my car. I left and got home around 2:30 am but was too excited to sleep until 3:30.

Next day, after cleaning the hoops, I dispatched the lobsters. They were so big, I had to have Mike hold the lobster tails while I twisted off their heads. I cleaned the lobsters, chopped up the heads and legs and cooked them down for a bisque.

Friday night Michelle joined us for Lobster Bisque, Lobster Tails with drawn butter, baked stuffed potatoes and broccoli. Drunken berries for dessert!  What a feast and I had the pleasure of catching the lobsters too.