Lobster Question

[foulhook]

Next week I am going on a sportfishing boat to Catalina. Half the day rockfishing the other half will be lobster fishing. I know how to rockfish and I am sure the crew will teach me how to lobster fish. My question is after I catch it, do I need to keep the lobster alive? For the long drive home do I put it in a cooler or wrap it up in wet towels? Once I get in home do I put the lobster in the refrigerator or are there other ways to keep it alive? Any easy ways to cook it the next day?

[KamWalsh]

Best way to do it is to keep it in a damp cooler with maybe some wet towels or over seaweed. As long as they're kept in a cool, dry place and don't dry out or are kept submerged in water (where they will suck up the O2 and suffocate) they will be fine for a couple days. An easy way to prepare them is to twist off an antenna, stick the "fat" end up its anus all the way, give a couple quick twists, and pull it back out. This will remove the digestive tract. Afterwards, split their entire body in half with a cleaver, use a knife to gently separate the meat from the shell while leaving the meat in the shell, brush with garlic butter, and grill or bake. Another option is to twist the head off the tail and just do this with the tails, but you'll be missing out on plenty of good head meat.