Load Up On Delicious Keys Lobsters the Easy Way!
During the day, when Florida Keys spiny lobsters hide from predators under ledges and in holes, harvesting them requires diving to the bottom in three to 20 feet of water and catching them by hand.
At night, though, when they feel safer from predators, lobsters venture out of their hiding spots and crawl across the shallow grassy flats to feed.
That’s when, if you have the right equipment and know where to look, you can catch them from a shallow-draft skiff using a pole-mounted net called a “bully net” — without even getting your feet wet.
Key West Bully Net Charters is one of just a handful of professional charter operators in the Keys specializing in lobster bully netting. Join us for a unique, exciting and fun night on the water!
Key West Bully Net Charters on Instagram
Diving is for the Birds!
Diving for Florida Key lobsters is productive, but it isn’t easy. You have to be comfortable free diving to at least 10 or 15 feet, know how to find lobster holes, and know how to “tickle” them out and net them once you find them.
Compared to diving, bully netting is like shooting fish in a barrel. We slowly drift or motor over flat, grassy bottoms, using specialized underwater lights to spot lobsters. Then we use a net mounted on a long bamboo pole to catch them and bring them aboard.
A bully net consists of a metal hoop net around 20” in diameter attached to the end of a long pole at right angles. In other words, when the pole is straight up and down in the water, the hoop is flat on the bottom.
To catch a lobster, you simply lower the net until it’s just above the lobster and then quickly strike downward, trapping the lobster inside the hoop and netting. You might miss a couple until you get the hang of it, but virtually anybody can fill a cooler with their limit of 6 lobsters this way.
“The ride out was both exciting and suspenseful as we headed into the dark night and away from the lights of the city. There is something to be said about running a boat at night time into open water. After 20 minutes, we slowed down and turned on the lights. The yellow hue of the LEDs gave the water a natural looking glow. Within seconds, the crustaceans started to appear. We were able to get a 4-person limit in 20 minutes. Talk about a fast and furious experience!”
Let’s Go Fill Your Cooler!
We offer bully netting charters nightly after sunset from the beautiful Oceans Edge Resort & Marina, during lobster mini-season (last Wed. and Thurs. in July) and regular season, Aug. 6 through March 31. Later trips, departing around midnight, can be arranged too.
Cost is $500 for 1 or 2 people plus $50 per additional person, including fishing licenses. We typically net for about 3 hours, or until everybody catches their limit. Learn more on our Trip Details page.