Maine Lobster Season

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Maine Lobster Season

Lobstermen Parking Although year round you will find some of Maine's hardiest fishermen lobstering off the state's rugged coast, there is a period of time when lobsters are more active, making them a bit easier to harvest. So, just when is the Maine lobster season?

According to the Maine Lobster Council...

...the majority of Maine lobsters are caught between late June and late December, with the season's largest harvest produced in the fall. But, it's not just the increased activity of these crustaceans that make the summer and fall months prime Maine lobster season. Other factors contribute...

The waters are warmer and so is the air, making it easier for the Maine lobster fishermen to navigate the waters of the northern Atlantic - to set and haul their lobster traps, or "pots" as some people call them.

Also, demand for fresh Maine lobster is higher during that time of year, as lobster lovers flock to Maine and other parts of New England in search of their favorite lobster recipes, or try to re-create memories of them in their own kitchens and backyards.

When to Buy Maine Lobster

There is no need to wait until the Maine lobster season to prepare your favorite Maine lobster recipes, When the mood strikes, eat lobster!

Even if you are having a hard time finding fresh Maine lobster in your local store, frozen lobster tails are always in abundance, either in your grocers freezer or shipped to you from an online lobster store that will usually also ship fresh live Maine lobsters.

However, when buying fresh lobster locally...

At certain times of the year, often during the Maine lobster season, you will have a choice as to what types of lobsters to buy.

Types of Lobsters

Lobsters molt. As many as 25 times during the first 6-7 years of its life a lobster will outgrow its shell.

Lobster Fish Uncooked on Ice Thereafter, around every two years a female will outgrow hers, and once a year the male will outgrow his. When this happens, most often in the spring or fall, a molting process begins.

The result...

Soft shell also referred to as new shell or shedders. You'll recognize them. As their name suggests, their shells are not nearly as rigid as those of a lobster that has not recently molted. As a matter of fact, the shells are so soft that you can often crack them with bare hands.

Not sure which to buy - soft shell lobster or hard shell lobster?

Ask the question in a crowd and everyone will claim to know all the facts about lobster. You are sure to spark a lively debate, with endless opinions as to which type of lobster produces the best lobster meat.

You are likely to hear the argument that the meat of the soft shell is sweeter, but that the meat of a hard shell lobster is more plentiful, or that...

...the meat of a soft shell is not as robust as that of a hard shell, making the soft shell lobsters difficult to use for some lobster recipes, such as those that call for grilling lobster tails.

The arguments go on and on...

My suggestion - don't take someone else's word for it. Try both, and you will have your own facts about lobster. Try them during Maine lobster season AND during the winter months, as lobster taste can vary throughout the year.