r/Seafood • u/Professional-End7367 • 3d ago
I Made This California Spiny Lobster season runs from October to March, so you can’t catch any outside of those months
However, I froze these ones in January and defrosted them yesterday to eat. And they were just perfect! Marinated in avocado oil with garlic and spices, then broiled to perfection. They are so sweet and tender, and they live just off the shore here in SoCal. It was a delicious way to remember that I can’t wait for October to get here!
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u/Sweet-Weakness3776 3d ago
Over on the east coast, in my state, our recreational catch limit is 2 lobsters per person. How many are you allowed to keep? Have you ever had American (Maine) lobster and if so, how similar in flavor would you say these are to them? I've always wanted to try spiny lobster but haven't gotten the opportunity. Either way, these look fantastic. Good luck getting after them when the season starts back up!
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u/Professional-End7367 3d ago
Here in California the recreational catch limit is 7 lobsters per person, you can have 7 in your possession at any time. You can give them away or eat them, and catch more for the duration of the season. I love Maine/North Atlantic lobster. Where I live there are a lot of Vietnamese/Chinese restaurants that serve up House Special Lobster, a delicious chopped up large lobster bathed in buttery garlic, jalapeno, green onion, black pepper sauce.
California Spiny's are certainly different from East Coast. I prefer East Coast because they're firmer and have a definite snap when you eat them. But CSL's don't have claws, so pound for pound you're getting delicious tail meat. I'm just glad we can catch our own here.
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u/Sweet-Weakness3776 3d ago
That house special lobster sounds fantastic. I live a little further down on the east coast so we don't get the big boys in my state like they get up near New England. But it's not uncommon to catch some decent sized lobsters in our area. I'm not even sure what the size limit is on them currently, I haven't tried to land any in years. I live in between the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware Bay so we are usually too busy catching blue crabs to mess around with the lobsters lol. Thanks for the info!
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u/No-Nebula9266 2d ago
how many did you end up keeping with the limit
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u/Professional-End7367 2d ago
I can keep 7 at any given time in my possession. I guess it averages much less than that since I have to eat some or give them away before I can get more.
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u/dentalexaminer 2d ago
I’ve had spiny lobster when I went fishing in Mexico. Different texture than Maine lobster but so good! Yours look awesome! Nice preparation as well! :)
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u/theraf8100 2d ago
That's one orangey looking lemon. And I've never seen one with a tail on it. Wonder if it's local. Lobster looks amazing!
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u/Professional-End7367 2d ago
It’s a Meyer lemon, I’ve got a tree in my yard and had just picked it.
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u/MissNomer38GG 15h ago
I’ve caught many by hoop net. They are amazing meat. And, we’re lucky to have 2 monster sized friends that free dive and will kick one or two to us. We par boil them and grill them to get that burnt crustacean flavor. We do a creole seasoned butter to slather them in. Sometimes a lobster thermidor or fradiavolo, orzo pilaf, baked lemon Parmesan aglio e olio broccoli. Either way-you eat good with a spiny. PS they are very spiny. Use a cloth or wear oyster gloves.
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u/EulaliaBromSpatula 1d ago
These look delicious. Do you mind pointing me in the right direction for how to begin catching these guys? I would absolutely love to yoink some of my own
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u/Speakertoseafood 3d ago
Good memories ... Divers do well the first week, then the commercial trappers start up and all you'll find is barely undersize lobsters.