One of the most highly anticipated weeks in the Florida Keys is Mini Lobster Season. Even though Monroe County has a strict 6 per person limit, every vacation rental for miles is sold out, with families and friends flocking down to take part in this two day recreational season.
Two Legal Ways to Catch Lobster
There are two ways to catch lobster legally in the Florida Keys. During daytime hours, you can dive or snorkel using a tickle stick and net. Once the sun goes down, you can bullynet, which means staying dry in the boat and using a long stick attached to a net to scoop them up. As always, be sure you know the current FWC size and possession limits before you head out.
Mini Lobster Week is always busy with fishing charters and lobstering alike. We had several fishing charters leading up to lobster days, and several more after. Here’s how it all played out.
Monday: Battling the Weather
On Monday, July 27th, let’s just say we had to battle some gnarly weather. We woke up to thunderstorms, rain, and lightning. Once we could see a break coming, we got the Main One off and running offshore, while the Reel One took a half day trip toward the reef. It wasn’t super sunny, but it cleared up enough to be fishable. Most of the time, if you’re offshore, you can run around thunderstorms rather than sit and wait them out.
By the time the Reel One was ready to come in, it felt like the heavens opened up. Captain Alex and first mate Harris guided the Bryant family back to the marina safely, though a little soggy. This family stayed all smiles the whole time and were extremely good sports about it.
When the Main One came in from their full day offshore, they had a bounty to show off. They caught mahi, blackfin tuna, and did a little deep dropping for queen snapper. The Irwin family, repeat customers who fished with us around this same time last year, made it a trip to remember.
Tuesday: Sunshine and the Start of Mini Season
Tuesday, July 28th brought sunnier skies and great fishing. The Reel One headed offshore for a full day with the Reese family, and Captain Jonny stayed steady on the fish, keeping the action going all day long.
Then, at 12:01 a.m., mini lobster season officially kicked off. The Lee family, longtime repeat customers, filled their limit within the first hour. Huge success!
Wednesday: Windy Seas and Late Nights
Wednesday evening, we got out on the water a little earlier, but faced some windier seas. We made a quick adjustment and worked through it. The Lee family was back out again, this time bringing along some different family members to join in the fun. By 10pm, Captain Marty had guided the group to their limit.
Our good buddy Mark and his friends joined us around 10:30pm to head out and see what they could find. It made for a late night, but Captain Marty once again got the group to their limit.
Marty climbed into bed at 2:30am and was back up at 4:30am for his full day offshore charter. The man is a machine! Marty and Katie have been married for 11 years this November. “He’s a workhorse,” Katie says. “Even when he isn’t fishing, he’s fixing boats, thinking about what’s next, or working around the house or the marina. His work ethic is impeccable, and I’m really proud to be his partner in crime.”
Thursday: The Final Push
The last evening of mini season, you have to stop immediately at 12:00 midnight. As always, the final night is challenging since so many people have already been out filling their limits, both diving and bullynetting. The seas had calmed and the moon was out in full effect. The Lee crew once again filled their limit, well within the allowable hours, capping off another successful night. And that’s a wrap on the 2026 Mini Lobster Season!
Curious how last year’s mini season went? Check out our 2025 recap here.
Want to book a summer fishing charter, or a night bullynetting trip of your own? Give us a call at (305) 289-0071 or reach out through our contact page. Night bullynetting trips are available with Main Attraction from August through November, so get in touch to check availability. We’d love to have you aboard!
