Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lobsterly?

Lobsterly is your guide to recreational lobstering in South Florida and the Keys. Our goal is to help you catch your limit of lobster any day the season is open.

What’s in the free version?

• Interactive map for navigating South Florida and The Keys
• All No-Take Zones in Miami-Dade & Monroe counties
• Offline navigation and routing
• Trip Log for Lobstering, and everything else
• Reusable Pre-Trip Checklist
• Lobster Zones from St. Lucie Inlet through Key West
• Save waypoints anywhere. Discover spots or input favorites and save them on your own device
• Download your saved waypoints and your trip logs as a CSV file for your own records
• 100+ free waypoints to lobstering spots
• Florida public artificial reefs and associated info
• Detailed regulations reference and advanced lobstering tips

What does the paid version include?

• 3,000+ precise waypoints to lobster spots from Haulover Inlet to Key West
• Waypoint descriptions, exact coordinates, and approximate difficulty
• From coral heads on the reef to holes in the backcountry, there's a lobster spot everyone can enjoy
• The perfect guide to help divers of all skill levels catch their limit
• Dive where you want, when you want. Avoid crowds, poor visibility, and strong currents. Dive spots for the whole family

How does premium pricing work?

• Waypoints are a one-time purchase, never a subscription
• All Waypoints ($34.99): every premium lobster spot from Haulover Inlet to Key West
• Or buy just your region for $19.99: Miami & Biscayne, Upper Keys, Middle Keys, or Lower Keys
• Already own a region? Upgrade to All Waypoints for $14.99
• Lobsterly Bathymetry ($29.99 per year): high-resolution shaded relief of the bottom plus offline map downloads, sold separately from waypoints. It renews yearly, and you can cancel anytime from your App Store or Google Play account settings
• Restore any purchase on another device signed in to the same App Store or Google Play account

What areas does Lobsterly cover?

• Free: No-Take Zones, Lobster Zones, and Florida public artificial reefs
• Paid: All 3,000+ curated waypoints from Haulover Inlet to Key West
• Detailed chart coverage of Miami-Dade & Monroe counties

Can I use Lobsterly on another device like my tablet?

Yes. Premium purchases can be restored on another device using the same App Store or Google Play account, though a purchase made on one store will not unlock the other. Data saved locally to your device, like waypoints you create, favorites, notes, or trip log entries, will not transfer over automatically. You can move your own waypoints across by exporting them to a GPX file from My Waypoints and importing that file on the other device. Lobsterly has its own layout for iPad and Android tablets, with larger map readouts and controls, sheets that keep a comfortable width, and landscape support.

I want to kayak or shoredive for lobster. Can I still use Lobsterly?

Absolutely. Many spots are close to shore and accessible from beaches or other launch points.

Does Lobsterly work without service?

• Your phone's GPS, Lobsterly waypoints, saved waypoints, favorites, and direct-to-waypoint navigation continue to work without cell service
• If you aren't using Bathymetry, choose Lobsterly Style and view the area you are headed to, at the zoom levels you plan to use, before heading out. Your phone will cache the map for use when cell service is spotty
• Bathymetry subscribers can save an area for offline use from Settings, which downloads the depth chart, NOAA nautical charts, and Lobsterly Style for the box you draw
• Satellite imagery is more likely to be incomplete without service, so do not rely on it as your only map offshore
• Cached map coverage varies by device. Always carry official charts or backup navigation

Why does my location sometimes take a minute to appear?

This is normal behavior for any GPS device. When your phone has been off or without signal, it performs a 'cold start'. It has to search the entire sky for satellite signals, which can take 30-60 seconds. For a faster start, try to open the app while you still have service before heading out.

Can I use Lobsterly for anything besides lobstering?

• Snorkeling: Many waypoints are excellent snorkeling spots. Most of the restricted no-take zones are well known snorkel/dive spots along Florida's reefline
• Fish, dive, or explore any of the marked spots
• Track catches and everything else in the easy to use trip log - download as CSV file for record keeping
• Save waypoints. Discover new spots, plan a trip, or help plot your course back to the marina - download as a CSV file for safe storage in case you lose your phone
• Plan diving, kayaking, hiking, or other adventures with saved waypoints and offline GPS navigation; prepare cached map backgrounds before leaving service

How does navigation work?

• Uses your phone’s GPS to guide you to spots. Heading comes from your GPS course over ground, so the boat icon and heading line point the way you’re moving once you’re under way (about 1.5 knots or more)
• Tech Tip: Enable Precise Location for best accuracy
• • iOS: Settings → Privacy → Location Services → Lobsterly → Precise Location = On
• • Android: Settings → Apps → Lobsterly → Permissions → Location → Allow precise location

Phone GPS vs. boat GPS - what should I use?

• Modern smartphones can get you within ~20 ft of waypoints in open‐sky conditions
• No need to import waypoints or convert to your boat's GPS format if using your phone
• Boat GPS: Reliability and rapid updates everywhere. Recommended for users with older phones
• Offline: tap the star icon in the waypoint info pop-up to save a favorite, then use the pencil to add notes
• Can still view all waypoints and your own favorites and spots while totally offline

Why does the map show a speed or course while I’m sitting still?

Indoors, or anywhere the sky is blocked, your phone works out where it is from Wi-Fi and cell signals or a weak GPS signal through the walls, and that estimate wanders a few dozen feet from one fix to the next. The phone reports the wander as movement, which can look like 2 or 3 mph and a course while the phone is sitting on the table. Lobsterly only shows speed and course from fixes the phone rates as accurate to about 25 m, which rules out most indoor fixes, but a fix near a window can pass that and still wander a little. Outside with a clear view of the sky the readings settle: a boat at rest reads 0, and a course only appears once you’re moving at about 1.5 knots or more.

What are waypoints?

• Precise coordinates to lobster spots like individual rocks, coral heads, ledges, patch reefs, etc
• Pro (orange stars): 3,000+ lobster spots with full details
• Free (teal stars): ~100 waypoints to get you started and aid in navigating to Lobster Zones
• Your Waypoints (dark-blue and red pins): Tap the Add Waypoint button below Re-center, then tap the map where you want to save a spot. You can also long press the map
• Artificial Reefs (purple stars): Florida public artificial reefs. Data provided by FWC, includes coordinates, county, name, description, depth, and deployed date

Can Lobsterly see waypoints I favorite or add?

No. Waypoints you favorite or add yourself are stored only on your device. Be sure to download them to back them up. This applies to trip log entries as well.

Do the waypoint names mean anything?

No. We used a simple alphanumeric combination of random letters and numbers. Our goal was to give each waypoint a unique name but also make it easy to enter that name in your boat's GPS if you so choose so that you have consistent data across devices.

How does sharing waypoints work?

Click the share icon in the My Waypoints section and a share dialogue will appear. You can text waypoints, including any notes you added, to friends or save them to your notes app. The download button at the top of the page allows you to bulk download all your saved waypoints in CSV format to save to a spreadsheet.

How does saving my own waypoints work?

Tap the Add Waypoint button below Re-center, then tap the map where you want to save a spot. You can also tap and hold the map. Zoom in for accuracy. View your saved spots in My Waypoints from the Menu, where you can manage or navigate to them. Lobsterly cannot see your spots; they are saved locally on your device.

I saved my waypoints as a CSV how can I bulk import them into my boat's GPS?

Depending on your boat's GPS manufacturer you may need to convert the format from CSV to GPX or another format that it uses. Search CSV to GPX converter on Google for sites where you can upload your file for conversion or alternatively ChatGPT can do it if you upload the CSV file. From there you can put them on an SD card or use your device manufacturer's app.

How accurate are the waypoints?

• Most are placed within 20 ft of productive structure
• Approach shallow spots carefully. Some may not be boat-accessible.
• Very shallow or otherwise hazardous spots are usually labeled as such - let us know if we missed one that needs this label
• Occasionally one waypoint serves two or more features like two nearby coral heads or multiple rocks. We tried to note this in the description
• Coordinates to artificial reefs (purple stars) are provided by FWC and while most are quite accurate, we've noticed a few to be off and corrected them (or the structure moved from where it was initially deployed).

How do waypoint descriptions work?

Each waypoint includes a general description of what you're likely to find when diving on a waypoint. Many waypoints marked coral head are individual coral heads away from a larger patch reef or rocky area. Feel free to let us know if a waypoint has an incorrect description using the Contact Us page.

Why are some waypoints clustered together?

Generally, multiple nearby features (coral heads, ledges, holes) each get their own marker so you can find them even in low-visibility conditions. We tried to keep about 100 yards between waypoints so if less than that we noted in the description that there may be multiple nearby points.

How far are waypoints from shore?

• 80% are within 5 miles of shore
• Farthest waypoint is ~15 miles west of Key West near Boca Grande
• Many can be easily reached by kayak

Will you add or remove spots over time?

• Yes, new spots are added as we find them. Existing spots are updated for accuracy
• We may remove spots that fill in, become unproductive, become part of a protected area, or are otherwise no longer suitable for lobstering
• Spots that have filled in today may not stay that way. Hardbottom and small rocks get buried and uncovered regularly and it may make sense to check a spot again, especially after a storm that moves around a lot of sand

What if I can't find the marked waypoint?

• We tried to make waypoints as precise as possible and described accurately. However, real world conditions can vary significantly.
• Small spots, like a single rock or coral head can be hard to find. Use your boat's depth finder while navigating over the waypoint and you might mark it.
• Look for a ring of sand from the surface, it's likely within that if the area is mostly seagrass.
• If you can't find it, try another nearby spot. Spots can be buried in sand or otherwise be inaccessible. There's often more nearby to check.
• Let us know. We aim to keep Lobsterly's waypoints as accurate as possible. If one is off or mislabeled let us know.

Do spots change?

• Nearshore waters are extremely dynamic and spots can change - sometimes significantly
• Storms can bury or expose hardbottom, holes & rocks
• ‘Hardbottom’ or ‘hole’ sites are most susceptible to sand movement
• New spots sometimes appear when sand is swept away
• Coral Heads, Reef, and Patch Reef spots generally remain consistent
• Ocean side spots significantly more consistent than Bay Side

What are most spots like?

• Most are small (single coral heads or rock patches)
• Almost all have foraging habitat (seagrass) nearby
• 80% are in <20 ft of water (ideal for freedivers)
• Shallow ‘easy’ spots (<12 ft) and some deeper ones (20–30 ft) for experienced divers

Why aren't any bridges marked in Lobsterly's waypoints?

Our goal was to provide unique spots for divers of all skill levels. Bridges are already well known lobstering spots. Bridge diving can also be quite dangerous between boat traffic on busy days and currents, which is part of the reason we chose not to include them.

Why aren't more grass ledges marked?

Grass ledges are fantastic spots to lobster. However, the exact ledges that are productive can change significantly from year to year as seagrass is less durable than say a rockpile or a coral head. With that said, we highly recommend exploring grass ledges, especially those in shallow water. For new divers, grass ledges are a fantastic place to introduce someone to lobstering.

Another boat is on the spot I wanted to dive, what should I do?

Be respectful to other boaters and divers. Always operate at idle speed if passing within 100 yards of a boat flying a dive flag. Try a different spot nearby, there are thousands of great lobster spots, don't ruin your day or theirs over a few bugs.

Are all No-Take Zones shown?

To the best of our knowledge all no take zones that apply to recreational lobster harvest in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties are shown. Finding accurate info about some of the smaller zones was quite difficult so we took the precaution of making them larger on the map than they likely are officially. Refer to the FKNMS Explorer app for a complete list of all zones within the FKNMS which includes all protected zones, even those that allow lobstering.

What types of No-Take Zones are shown on the map?

• General No-Take Zones: lobster harvest prohibited
• Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs): all harvesting prohibited
• Coral Nurseries/Restoration Areas: also no take, avoid anchoring—delicate structures
• Large protected areas marked with dashed outlines include Biscayne Bay/Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary, Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (dashed yellow line)

What do the boating restriction colors mean?

• Purple: No Motor
• Amber: Idle Speed/No Wake
• Coral red: Closed or No Access
• These small WMA overlays appear at close zoom and are separate from red lobster no-take zones
• Tap a marked area for its specific rule, and check current official NOAA regulations before entering

What are Lobster Zones?

Green overlays on map, productive areas to start looking for structure to lobster on. Usually nearshore or prominent areas that are easy to lobster on

Where can I find lobstering regulations?

Open the Regulations tab in the Menu. We covered the basics there but there are also links to the latest official rules at the bottom

Can I use SCUBA or a compressor?

Yes. Both work well for deeper or trickier spots or just to stay down longer to grab your limit.

Can I lobster at night?

• Monroe County: night diving for lobster is prohibited during Mini Season
• Rest of Florida: night diving allowed and can be a fun change of pace. Bully netting permitted where harvest is legal
• Night diving on shallow grass flats and rocks near them, where legal, can be incredibly productive. Dive lights and extreme caution of other boaters and your own vessel's location required. Make sure other boaters can see your vessel and dive flag.

Where should I anchor while lobstering?

• Choose sandy patches near your target spot to protect coral & seagrass
• Dense seagrass can be tricky to anchor in, aim for adjacent bare sand
• Likewise, some anchors don't set well in broken coral rubble that's found near reefs. Always make sure your anchor is set when you enter the water

Where’s the best place to start lobstering?

Nearshore coral heads, rocks, and sea grass ledges in shallow water are often great places to get the hang of lobstering

I’m new to lobstering, where do I begin?

• Read the Tips section for gear & techniques
• Check out the map to see Lobster Zones and free waypoints
• Use the Checklist section to make sure you have everything you need
• For paid users - look for ‘easy’ difficulty spots (<12 ft depth)
• Dive where the visibility is good if at all possible
• Watch YouTube videos - there's tons of fantastic lobstering content that covers everything you need to know