Lobster Mini Season (Florida): All You Need to Know

Last Updated on July 3, 2024 by Boatsetter Team

Lobster Mini Season, also known as the Florida spiny lobster sport season, is a highly anticipated, two-day event held annually in late July, attracting thousands to the Florida Keys. This year, the Lobster Mini Season will take place on July 24 and July 25. Additionally, there will be an exclusive day of lobstering for Florida residents on July 14.

Boat rentals & guided fishing experiences for Lobster Mini Season

Lobster Mini Season rules & regulations

We strongly suggest fully reviewing the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spiny lobster webpage.

• Licenses and permits: A recreational saltwater fishing license and a spiny lobster permit are required.

• Bag limits: 6 lobsters per person per day. Rest of Florida: 12 lobsters per person per day (applicable to Monroe County and Biscayne National Park).
• Size limits: Carapace must be larger than 3 inches, measured in the water. Use a measuring device at all times.
• Prohibited areas: No harvesting in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during Lobster Mini Season. Year-round no-take zones include Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, certain areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and Biscayne Bay/Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary.
• Possession limits: Possession limits on the water are equal to the daily bag limit. Off the water, the possession limit on July 14 and 24 is equal to the daily bag limit, and on July 25, it is double the daily bag limit.
• Dive rules: If diving, the boat must display a “Diver Down Warning Device” including a flag and/or dive buoy. Divers must stay within 300 feet of their dive flag in open waters and within 100 feet in a channel.
• Practice boat and dive safety: Ensure all safety equipment is on board and operational.

Pro tips for Lobster Mini Season

• Lobsters must be measured while still in the water.
• Don’t touch the coral, and especially don’t drop anchor on it.
• Lobsters with “berries” (eggs) visible on the underside of their tail have to be released immediately.
• Look for yellow buoys, which are used to mark areas where lobstering is off-limits.
• Night diving is prohibited in Monroe County during the Lobster Mini Season.

How to catch lobster

Lobsters like to hide in holes and under coral or obstructions. To catch lobster in the Keys, most people use two tools: a net and a tickle stick.

1. Once you’ve spotted a lobster, slide the end of your tickle stick into the hole, or crevasse, and tap the lobster on the tail. If that doesn’t work, try using the stick to push it out of the hole.
2. Once it’s out of the hole, place the net behind the lobster.
3. Tap the lobster on the head with the tickle stick. It will pump its tail and shoot backwards.
4. The lobster should shoot right into the net. If not, try tapping it on the head again.

Another method you can try is snorkeling or diving for spiny lobster. Remember that whenever you’re snorkeling or diving in Florida (whether you’re chasing after lobster or not), the boat must display a “Diver Down Warning Device” including a flag and/or dive buoy. This is a particularly important rule to remember if you visit the Keys and rent a boat to go out and catch lobsters, since it won’t necessarily come equipped with a diver down warning device.

Find guided fishing experiences for Lobster Mini Season

How to grill a lobster (including lobster seasoning recipe)

Some say the best part of Lobster Mini Season is the catching. Other says, it’s the feasting. Using a special lobster seasoning recipe, follow the steps below for a lobster cookout.

Ingredients

• Spiny lobster
• Stick of butter
• Minced garlic
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Cumin

Grilling instructions 

1. Make lobster seasoning: Melt a stick of butter to mix in a tablespoon of minced garlic. Add a pinch of salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin.
2. Split the lobster, or just the tail, down the middle with a stiff knife.
3. Baste the meat of the lobster with the butter mix.
4. Place the lobster shell-side-down on the grill, close the grill cover, leave it for five minutes.
5. Baste the meat with seasoning and flip the lobster. Leave for another five minutes.
6. Squeeze a fresh sliced lime or lemon over the meat for added flavor.

What to read next: Boating in Key West, Florida: Everything You Need to Know 

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Lenny Rudow

With over three decades of experience in marine journalism, Lenny Rudow has contributed to dozens of boating and fishing publications and websites ranging from BoatU.S. Magazine to BDOutdoors.com. Rudow is currently the Angler in Chief at Rudow’s FishTalk, he is a past president of Boating Writers International (BWI), a graduate of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design, and has won numerous BWI and OWAA writing awards.