Lobster suggestions needed.

[Bang*Splash]

Hi Guys,
I'm a nube and would like to try hoop netting from my yak. I've been reading the threads on here but need suggestions on the following:

1. What kind of hoop nets do u recommend?
2. How many should I get? (Probably b hauling by hand this season).
3. Where's the best place to buy them, (the hoops)(i live in encinitas so someplace in north county is preferred).
4. When is the best time to go and bait to use?

Any other tips, techniques, or things to avoid?

Thx!!

[Saba Slayer]

Bang*Splash...go to one of the free Promar Hoop Netting Seminars in the next couple of weeks and all your questions will be answered. I'll be down in SD at the Point Loma Sport Chalet on Oct. 15th and at the Mossy Ford Dealership in PB doing the Let's Talk Hook-Up radio show on Oct. 8th 7am to 9am.
Or get a copy of my book, "Hoopin' It UP". You'll find all the answers to your questions there. OEX should have the book, and while you're there, ask the guys in the shop some of your questions, they'll have the answers, and some great prices on the hooping gear and nets you'll need.
Jim / Saba Slayer

[oneyedeer]

can i get a signed copy

[oneyedeer]

Anybody have the current schedule for the seminar I checked on promar site and it's 08 09 schedule...also any extra discounts on their stuff during the events?

[Bang*Splash]

Thanks for the info Jim. I'll pick up ur book and try to make one of the seminars. Looks like I have some cramming today before the opener!!
BTW- I enjoy let's talk hook-up. Keep up the good work.

[Willy]

Welcome to BWE!

Do a search on this site, using in your search many of the words you used in the 4 questions in your post.
There have been tons of posts like yours over the years just before lobster season, and there have been many insightful replies.
Good luck.

Willy

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by Bang*Splash

Hi Guys,
I'm a nube and would like to try hoop netting from my yak. I've been reading the threads on here but need suggestions on the following:

1. What kind of hoop nets do u recommend?

Ambush Nets

2. How many should I get? (Probably b hauling by hand this season).

I would start with two and play with them for a bit. There is a very good chance you wil find yourself tweaking a few things until you're comfortable with them. What you want to look for is easy setup and easy transport. The last thing you want to do is find yourself trying to get things setup while you're on the water.

3. Where's the best place to buy the? (i live in encinitas so someplace in north county is preferred).

Where to buy the bait? Any Asian market will have bait. Some guys prefer to make bait but I always buy it. I usually spend between $5-$7 dollars and that will be enough bait for 4-5 bait cages. Some guys stuff their cages with bait, I just stick a few pieces in there and call it a day.


4. When is the best time to go and bait to use?

Whenever you're available. I don't follow tides or moon phases, I just go when I'm available.

Any other tips, techniques, or things to avoid?

Safety First, Safet First and Safety First.


Thx!!

[Saba Slayer]

3. Where's the best place to buy the? (i live in encinitas so someplace in north county is preferred).

Where to buy the bait? Any Asian market will have bait. Some guys prefer to make bait but I always buy it. I usually spend between $5-$7 dollars and that will be enough bait for 4-5 bait cages. Some guys stuff their cages with bait, I just stick a few pieces in there and call it a day.

Sorry jorluivil, but I think you are a bit off base here...
Catch your own bait...have a Sabiki Stick ready at all times and when you find some Macks, put the wood to em and load up on the slimey buggers. Save your tuna trimmings if you get on a party boat tuna trip...Bonito also make a great bloody bait...The Red Baits are the best baits...Bonito, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines and Macks are all oily bloody baits and they work great to stimulate the anntenules...these are the smaller pair of antennas that the Bugs have in-between the two large spiny antennas. This is the "nose of the lobster. Think shark fishing and get a good strong chum line going out from your net to attract the Bugs. I think you get a better chum line if you stuff your bait cages as full as you can. I literally jam the bait in the cage with a stick until it's pushing out of the sides.
In doing my Promar R&D with a underwater camera, jorluivil I've noticed that the bugs may be attracted to your nets with just a few pieces of bait but if it's hard to get to, they will leave and look for a meal that's easier to access. I once hooped with a guy who used a half a salmon head in each cage, I limited out and he only had one or two bugs at the end of the evening. Most of his bait was untouched because the lobsters couldn't reach it. Yes I know there will be some evenings when the bugs are really crawling and you could have just some scent in there and score a limit but why not increase your odds by filling that cage to the max?
I just bought a #50 box of medium size Macks yesterday from New Fish All Bait Co. for a friend. It was a much better deal than the Asian market. You can order bait like this through your local tackle store. #50 is a lot of bait but you can split it with a friend so you can fit it in your freezer.
The Ambush nets are a great net but a lot of guys do better in the shallow water with the traditional flat nets. Lobsters are not the sharpest knives in the drawer and it takes them a while to figure out how to get in the conical style nets... sometimes they don't even it figure out. With the flat nets they just walk right in.
if you are serious about hooping get yourself 5 nets. If you buy the Ambush nets get the Hoop Net Pro Kit with them. It has a large commercial float, a bait cage, 75' of some good quality braided hollow rope, and a light stick.
Go hooping when you can but there are better moon phases, and swell or weather conditions and tidal movements to target when the Bugs will be moving better.
Lastly...Don't count on any individual or forum to inform you about the DFG rules...get the DFG Saltwater Regulations booklet for 2011-2012 and carefully read the regs yourself. I have noticed some bad info on the web about regs. Recently, someone quoted the Dungeness crab regs. as the regs for our local crabs...not true and the limit on crabs is 35 not 25 as reported in the same thread.
Hope this helps!
Jim Saba / Slayer
Good Luck
Jim

[YakMedic]

Very cool Jim,
I'll be at todays seminar for more good info.

[oneyedeer]

good idea or bad idea?

stuff the bait cages and throw them in the freezer until you use it

[Saba Slayer]

Preloading and freezing your full bait cages works great and you don't even have to thaw them out. Sometimes I'll leave some of the slghtly used bait in the cage and refreeze the cage with the open side up so it's easy to add some fresh bait the next time out. Using bait cage clips makes attaching the cages a "snap"! Leave the clips attached to the cages and it takes no time at all.
Jim / Saba Slayer

[jorluivil]

Jim, my replies were based on my preferences and personal experience. However, you do bring up many great points especially when it comes to the regulations.

T-minus 6days

[wiredantz]

See you at the wall!!!

[danjor]

Where's a good place to go? I was thinking of trying dana harbor but iv never gone hoop netting before. Anyone going out opening day want to meet up somewhere? I could use some pointers

[Bang*Splash]

Hey Guys, thanks for the tips. I wound up buying 5 Ambush nets, a Scotty pull easy, headlamp, hand held spotlight, 1 hoop net pro kit (only had one in stock if anyone knows place n town with more, pls share), a bunch of glow sticks, etc.
Sounds like macs or fish heads are the way to go and I plan on stuffing the cages.
A guy I talked to suggested putting my glow sticks in a plastic milk jug and attaching to my line. He said it keeps the.stick from getting submerged and makes the whole container glow making easier to see.
Confirmed local blue water tackle has Hooping it up in stock so have to swing by there. .
I'm not 100% sold on the Scotty pull-eaze. Seems small and like the pullly angles are limited. Would prefer having the block above my head and have seen some guys talking about using the sail mast receiver to mount it. I like that idea and think I could whip something together in time for the opener but have some concerns the torque might crack the hull of my PA.
Has anyone tried this themselves and actually pulled a lot of pots with it? I'd like to know how the yak hull and mast base have held up. Thx!!

[Saba Slayer]

Don't get too hung up on having a hauler on your yak for the opener. You should be hooping fairly shallow at the start of the season, so the pulls should be pretty easy...15' to 45' is a quick pull if your pulling at 175' to 200' a minute.
The conical nets put a lot of torque on the spot where you mount your hauler. Private boaters need to make sure they have solid welded pole holders where they mount their haulers so I'd be careful on a yak.
Jim / Saba Slayer

[Bang*Splash]

Thanks Jim. I expect to only be pulling in 15'-40'. Should I even bother with the Scotty pull-eaze?

[Tman]

Right on what the Saba Master said...

I use the flat nets, have more luck with either zip-tying the larger baits to the net or pinning them under the pouch some flat nets have. As was said, the easier access they have the better.

I used to have a blast at Cardiff, unfortunately, way too many divers of late. Moonlight is a barren wasteland, as is S Cbad...think reefs.

For local bait, best to keep your macs, have a freezer to store up, but a last minute option for you locally is to hit Leucadia liquor, their front bait freezer usually has big macs beginning of the season, pricey, and they soon sell out of them.

Or swing by my place and I'll sell ya a bunch, even throw in the freezer...

[Fiskadoro]

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

3The Red Baits are the best baits...Bonito, Tuna, Salmon, Sardines and Macks are all oily bloody baits and they work great to stimulate the anntenules....I just bought a #50 box of medium size Macks yesterday from New Fish All Bait Co. for a friend. It was a much better deal...Preloading and freezing your full bait cages works great and you don't even have to thaw them out.

This is all very sound advice. I have some macks from Fish All Bait pre-frozen in cages in my freezer right now.

Originally Posted by Bang*Splash

A guy I talked to suggested putting my glow sticks in a plastic milk jug and attaching to my line. He said it keeps the.stick from getting submerged and makes the whole container glow making easier to see.

More good advice. This works very well especially with semi translucent half gallon milk containers, and it's a great simple way to start out. I'd recommend having a standard foam egg float in front of them as the milk containers do sometimes crack especially when run over by boats, and if they crack they can sink down, and get pulled under by the current.

Originally Posted by Bang*Splash

Would prefer having the block above my head and have seen some guys talking about using the sail mast receiver to mount it. I like that idea and think I could whip something together in time for the opener but have some concerns the torque might crack the hull of my PA. Has anyone tried this themselves and actually pulled a lot of pots with it? I'd like to know how the yak hull and mast base have held up.

I've used a boom but not in a hobbie or PA. My take is I would not try it with that type of mount. The sail mast receiver is not designed for that kind of torque at that angle, and it could fail. That said you might be able to incorporate the sail mast receiver into a design that had additional bracing to spread out the load.

Booms an haulers are being discussed in another thread, and you can see my boom there: http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/showthread.php?t=11419

The two issues to think about with a boom are placement and mounting structure. Bad placement can make it hard to use but poor mounting can rip apart your yak.

Like Saba says.... you don't need a boom to hoop, especially if your just starting out.

Jim

[Bang*Splash]

Jim, I saw the hauler you assembled, it's a beaut! Much better idea to disperse the torque but no time to do before the opener/ not going to risk damaging the boat so will try the pull-eaze for now or by hand.