Bug Hunter
If you know anything about serious bug hunters, they're nuts about
hunting and notice I said bugs not lobsters, cuz that's what
we tend to call them. It is a wild sport and about the most challenging
sport you can do in the water. A good bug hunter must be tough, quick and
smart. If you are careless, you get to take home
urchin spines in your hand as a souvenir. Unless you are pretty good,
that's likely to be all you get to bring home.
I've been lucky enough to know a lot of bug hunters, but it isn't all
luck. I have gone to the same places for the same reason. There are
only a handful of divers that I have known that I consider master lobster
divers. They have not only the required knowledge, water skills and stamina to
be good hunters, but also the devotion and perseverience it takes to be
great hunters. These are the guys that year after year go out during the
whole season, under all conditions, to do what they love doing best.
Of all the hunters though, I think Shel is the best of them
and I don't think I'll get a lot of disagreement. There is nothing
he likes to do better. He is a hunter and he is going to go hunt.
Then, when Shel gets a big one, he lets it go because they are the
best breeders. If he doesn't get the biggest one that day, he'll try
to trade some of his lobsters for the big one so that he can let it
go. He has also has convinced some of the other good hunters to release
their big lobsters. They do it because he shows such excellent style.
If I sound like a fan of his, it's because I am, but then I love bug
hunting and I respect the guy that can show us all how to do it.
In any case, in a few places I've written a bit about what I know of
his adventures, as they must be called. Occasionally, when he has a
good trip, he sends a note to his friends to give them something to
think about. I put together a few of his notes here and I think they
make fun reading. I think that first, I'll put a paragraph that he
told me while we were on a trip to San Nicolas. This is part of a longer
essay, but I think it tells something about what it takes to be as
devoted a hunter as Shel... Besides, he's no where near as wordy as
me.
Enjoy, seahunt
For Another Excellent Short Story Of What A
Determined Hunter Will Do To Get His Game
This Is What They Told Me
This is what Shel told me after the dive at Nic....
I had swam through the Boilers and was coming back around the
right side at 57 feet when I saw this nice bug in a hole back
in the rocks. My pressure gauge was already pegged, but I
wasn't having trouble getting air, so... The bug was back out
of reach but I thought 'well, I could move this rock and I
could move this rock and then I could move this rock and
there I am'. The main thing was not to get excited and start
breathing hard. I took off my tank and put my bag in my other
hand. It already held two bugs. I then dove in the hole and was
able to get a good grip on the bug. I got out quick and headed
for the surface with my tank hanging from my mouth by the regulator.
Three kicks and I was up to about 30 feet. Since my hands were
full, I used my fin to turn my gauges over so I could watch my
ascent rate. Once on the surface, I shoved the bug under my arm
and got hold of my tank. Then I could turn on my side and spit
out my regulator so that I could get some air.
It was a nice 5 pounder.
For The Full Story Of The Trip
Back To Nic
13 1/2 Pounder From Nic
Went to shoot a big fish on Wed. the 6th with Seamus and Skip.
Conditions were ideal but nobody saw or heard anything. Skip knows
the joy that catching lobsters gives me so he brought back a 4-5
pounder from the first spot. It took him 20 minutes to dig it out!
That guy must have some breath hold!!! At the 2nd spot there were
still no fish so I tried my luck with lobsters. I haven't done that
much lobster hunting without a tank but have recently been pestering
some friends to arrange a trip. It wasn't that different...only
shallower and a lot harder! I was able to capture two from the same
reef in about 15'. The bigger of the two weighed in at 5.7 pounds. I
am happy. :) Shel
Gone down lately? Then go diving!
Donna and I drove to Ventura on Tues. nite (the 5th) to board the
Peace for a trip to Santa Rosa on Wed. Weather seemed threatening
but nothing materialized until the ride home. After one deep dive
with a tank, I decided to try my luck again with breath hold. It
was very calm in the shallow water...I mean no surge to speak of.
I caught several nice sized lobster including this 8lb. 8oz. (see
attachment). That was my "personal best" at the time for biggest
lobster caught using breath hold. Luckily he was very shallow...
~4' deep. Stay tuned for a report from Sat.'s trip to Nic. :) Shel
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