BUGGIN' OUT

THREE DIFFERENT WAYS TO ENJOY LOBSTERING FROM YOUR BOAT

- JIM HENDRICKS, TOM SCHLICHTER AND RANDY VANCE

It's a celebrated item on restaurant menus around the globe. There are so many ways to prepare it-boiled, baked, stuffed, curried, thermidor, in a roll-and it's always delicious, though ordering it usually requires paying a rather outsize bill. But the great thing about lobster is that, in the right places, you can catch it and cook it yourself.

First of all, there's not just one type of lobster. Sure, the most well-known is the two-clawed American (or Maine) lobster found along the coast of New England and Canada. But there's also the California spiny lobster found on the West Coast, and the Caribbean spiny lobster found in Florida and the Caribbean islands. Fortunately, we have expert advice on how to catch all three from your boat. Start melting some butter.

WEST COAST

Hoop-Netting at Night 

California spiny lobsters represent a hot commodity in more ways than one. The state's commercial landings hover anywhere from 650,000 to 950,000 pounds each sixmonth season. Yet it's hard to find a California spiny lobster in a US fish market or restaurant. That's because of skyrocketing demand for these delectable crustaceans in Asia, France and elsewhere.

Though they might grow to 20 pounds, most California spiny lobsters are much smaller, usually around 2 pounds. Unlike the American lobster, spiny lobsters have no claws. Most are caught in the warmer waters of Southern California below Point Arguello, and many seafood aficionados claim the tail meat is the most succulent of all lobster species.

That's why most California spinys caught in commercial traps are shipped to gourmet outlets overseas, where diners gladly pay a premium for some of the world's tastiest seafood. If you can find a lobster to buy here, you'll pay dearly. Retail prices in the US for live California spiny lobster at press time ranged as high as $40 per pound.