www.kellys-stuff.com

My lobster boat being launched at the boatyard.

Lobstering in Maine

Lobstering in Maine is somewhat misunderstood even by people living in the state.

The lovely scenery and being on the boat are parts of it but this serenity is often changed by inclement weather such as fog, rain, wind, and other of natures forces.

Overall it provides an adequate income for many Maine families.

Most lobstermen catch lobsters in a similar manner but as time permits I will try to tell the basics of how I personally fish. There are variations but with all boats it is pretty much put traps in the water and catch lobsters.

I think the proper place to start is with the boats. My boat is 35’ and a quite common size although many new one’s are much larger.

Many newer boats are in the 38’ to 42’ range with some even larger. Engines are commonly 300+ horsepower and speed is getting more important. The larger boats

E-mail: kelly@kellys-stuff.com

are necessary when fishing further offshore and traps need to be moved around as the lobster move. This makes speed and carrying capacity much more important than fishing within the 3-mile limit in Maine waters. My boat has only 225 HP but cruises 10-12kts loaded or empty and consumes between 1.5 and 2 gallons per hour.

Although fuel is expensive it is relatively cheap compared to the cost of bait. Bait can run from $65-$170 per barrel depending on the type of fish. Pogies, herring, and redfish are the 3 more common types of bait.

I will explain more later about my opinions as to why the different baits are used. Often it isn’t the fact that lobsters like certain types of bait, it is more that other animals and fish don’t like some baits.

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