Grand Manan fisherman has Lucky win

Craziest lobster winner donated to Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews

Lucky, the lobster that won Grand Manan fisherman Robinson Russell $250, now resides at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews, N.B.

A Grand Manan fisherman has won the Craziest Lobster contest with his entry of Lucky: a light- blue tinted, 38- centimetre-long, almost translucent lobster.

Robinson Russell posted his lobster picture to Murray GM’s second annual contest on Facebook in November. It garnished the most likes (536) in the album that had close to 100 entries.

“It was no big story, man,” said Russell, who landed the lobster aboard his boat, the Guardian.

“I was just cranking traps like we do year- round here on Grand Manan and that beautiful lobster came up in a trap with a bunch of other ones,” he said.

The crew immediately noticed the lobster was extraordinary and set it aside.

Russell had never seen one that colour before in his 20 years of fishing, so he decided to take it to “Bernadine’s restaurant,” Harbour Grille in Grand Manan, where there was a live holding tank.

The lobster, dubbed Lucky, had many admirers at that location but eventually moved on from there to a more permanent home at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre in St. Andrews.

“Now it’s over at their live tank facility, living out the rest of its days with a bunch of coolcoloured other ones.

“That’s kind of cool because my kid (Oaklee) goes there a fair amount and enjoys the place,” said Russell, who has been fishing lobster for 20 years from Grand Manan.

Murray GM marketing manager Billy Mole says the contest was a big success once again this year.

“We saw results very similar to last year with a huge response of very unique-looking lobsters,” he said.

Submissions of lobster pictures were received from around the world, from as far away as Berlin.

“We’ll definitely be doing it again next year,” said Mole.

Russell’s prize was $ 250 in cash. He says he hasn’t made plans for the money yet.

“It is kind of cool knowing that out of all the lobsters caught that one was voted the best, though,” he said.