California Lobster Hunt for 2024 Use Only Your Hands for Capture.

California Spiny Lobster Regulations Catch by Hand Cook, With Butter. 

See the current California spiny lobster regulations, consult the following websites: gear allowances and requirements(opens in new tab), season, size and bag limit regulations(opens in new tab), and report card requirements(opens in new tab).

• Season:Recreational lobster season opens at 6:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the first Wednesday in October and closes at 11:59:59 p.m. on the first Wednesday after the 15th of March.
• Recreational Bag and Possession 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 (3¼ inch carapace). Please see the lobster measurement diagram (PDF)(opens in new tab) on how to measure your lobster.
• License 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), unless fishing under the authority of a one- or two-day California recreational fishing license.
• 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.
• Vessel Fishing Gear Requirements: You may possess up to 5 hoop nets while fishing from a vessel, but the total number of hoop nets from a vessel cannot exceed 10, even if there are more than 2 people on the boat.
•     
• So you need Gloves. A Lobster Bag, a Lobster Measuring Gauge and A couple of Dive lights. Also you need some common sense. Night dives make it easier to find lobster and catch them but are you up to the task. Get some night dives done before you show up to hunt lobster for the first time. Buddy Seperation is a common issue, entanglement and or lack of  focus on the basic safety procedures become lax as the hunter feels as though they MUST catch a lobster. 
• Survive lobster hunting first. You can always pop into Malibu Seafood and buy some freshly caught bugs over the next few weeks if you get skunked. With some butter and lemon they will taste even better if you and your hunting  buddies don’t have post dive trauma issues because one of you ran out of air trying to put a large lobster in a bag at a depth too deep to safely ascend because you had 200 PSI remaining.  
  The Cal Department of Fish and Wildlife will be out there enforcing and educating divers who have violated or need clarification. On Lobster Hinting regulations.  Please be sane, be safe and don’t be peer pressured into doing a dive that is above your skill level. The Season lasts until March so take it easy.