On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 08:38:17 -0500, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:

Now that that is cleared up, I'll flip sides! While I've generally been a
strong supporter of the Down East fishing communities, in recent years the
number of lobster pots has increased dramatically. I've heard people being
frustrated by traps in the Chesapeake, where you hardly ever see two within 100
feet; in some parts of Maine (Stonington and Tenants Harbors stand out) there
are fields that have one every 10 feet. One's sympathies start to diminish when
you're trying to maneuver through that. Remember that Down East pots have a
toggle - a second float connected to the first with a 20 foot line that lurks
below the surface, usually down current from the pot. Fortunately my catamaran
can be powered on one engine - its impossible to survive such field with both
engines running.

The other issue I have is with pots in the inner areas of commercial harbors or
marinas. In the old days, when Boston Harbor has heavily polluted I used to
watch local lobster boats pull up to the dock at Bay State Lobster. However, if
you went in the front door, you were told that all the lobster were from Maine!

And I can't for the life of me fathom why someone would put a trap in a marina
fairway!

I have cruised the Maine coast since the late 1970s, and have gone
into Tenants and Stonington on many occasions. I haven't noticed any
vast increase in trap density.

The last time I snagged a potwarp was in 1981, on a chartered boat
with a non-folding prop. Indeed, all three of my snags were with that
same boat. Never a problem since.

When the tide is flowing hard enough to pull a toggle under water, it
is very easy to tell which side to pass the potbuoy on.



Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a


"In this house we _obey_ the laws of thermodynamics." --Homer Simpson

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message I have cruised
the Maine coast since the late 1970s, and have gone
into Tenants and Stonington on many occasions. I haven't noticed any
vast increase in trap density.

The last time I snagged a potwarp was in 1981, on a chartered boat
with a non-folding prop. Indeed, all three of my snags were with that
same boat. Never a problem since.

That's not what the State of Maine says.

Lobster traps have tripled in the last 35 years. I've only gone Down East a few
times since our daughter was born (we go to the Vineyard more now) but to my
eyes they've increased a lot. And the stats say the number of traps has
increased 50% since 1990.

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/lobster/lobdata.htm

Perhaps Tenants hasn't got worse - I don't think its physically possible to get
worse since you can almost walk across on the pots. Stonington harbor itself
isn't too bad, but there are areas in and around Merchant's Row that have become
saturated.

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message I have cruised
the Maine coast since the late 1970s, and have gone
into Tenants and Stonington on many occasions. I haven't noticed any
vast increase in trap density.

The last time I snagged a potwarp was in 1981, on a chartered boat
with a non-folding prop. Indeed, all three of my snags were with that
same boat. Never a problem since.

That's not what the State of Maine says.

Lobster traps have tripled in the last 35 years. I've only gone Down East a few
times since our daughter was born (we go to the Vineyard more now) but to my
eyes they've increased a lot. And the stats say the number of traps has
increased 50% since 1990.

http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/lobster/lobdata.htm

Perhaps Tenants hasn't got worse - I don't think its physically possible to get
worse since you can almost walk across on the pots. Stonington harbor itself
isn't too bad, but there are areas in and around Merchant's Row that have become
saturated.

Jeff Morris wrote:

Now that that is cleared up, I'll flip sides! While I've generally been a
strong supporter of the Down East fishing communities, in recent years the
number of lobster pots has increased dramatically. I've heard people being
frustrated by traps in the Chesapeake, where you hardly ever see two within 100
feet;

You haven't been in the Northern Chesapeake Bay. There are some fields
(Middle River, Sassafras, and Bush River) where I often brush traps away
on both sides of our about 6' beam (at the waterline). It's highly
seasonal, though. Between one weekend and the next, hundreds of traps
can be set or pulled.

100' between traps is a real luxury and pretty much rates as open water.

in some parts of Maine (Stonington and Tenants Harbors stand out) there
are fields that have one every 10 feet. One's sympathies start to diminish when
you're trying to maneuver through that. Remember that Down East pots have a
toggle - a second float connected to the first with a 20 foot line that lurks
below the surface, usually down current from the pot. Fortunately my catamaran
can be powered on one engine - its impossible to survive such field with both
engines running.

The other issue I have is with pots in the inner areas of commercial harbors or
marinas.

Thankfully, there's some sort of law on the Chesapeake that eliminates
most floats once into an anchorage and many creeks/rivers. It could be a
variant on Darwin: With the number of boats on the upper Bay, a float in
a marina approach wouldn't last long. As it is, we move 2-3 crab traps a
quarter mile or so elsewhere each season.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

I've been through there a few times but perhaps not in season. It don't
remember any pots in the Sassafras (week after Labor Day). Do they come out in
the Fall?



"Jere Lull" wrote in message
...
Jeff Morris wrote:

Now that that is cleared up, I'll flip sides! While I've generally been a
strong supporter of the Down East fishing communities, in recent years the
number of lobster pots has increased dramatically. I've heard people being
frustrated by traps in the Chesapeake, where you hardly ever see two within
100
feet;

You haven't been in the Northern Chesapeake Bay. There are some fields
(Middle River, Sassafras, and Bush River) where I often brush traps away
on both sides of our about 6' beam (at the waterline). It's highly
seasonal, though. Between one weekend and the next, hundreds of traps
can be set or pulled.

100' between traps is a real luxury and pretty much rates as open water.

in some parts of Maine (Stonington and Tenants Harbors stand out) there
are fields that have one every 10 feet. One's sympathies start to diminish
when
you're trying to maneuver through that. Remember that Down East pots have a
toggle - a second float connected to the first with a 20 foot line that lurks
below the surface, usually down current from the pot. Fortunately my
catamaran
can be powered on one engine - its impossible to survive such field with both
engines running.

The other issue I have is with pots in the inner areas of commercial harbors
or
marinas.

Thankfully, there's some sort of law on the Chesapeake that eliminates
most floats once into an anchorage and many creeks/rivers. It could be a
variant on Darwin: With the number of boats on the upper Bay, a float in
a marina approach wouldn't last long. As it is, we move 2-3 crab traps a
quarter mile or so elsewhere each season.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

I've been through there a few times but perhaps not in season. It don't
remember any pots in the Sassafras (week after Labor Day). Do they come out in
the Fall?



"Jere Lull" wrote in message
...
Jeff Morris wrote:

Now that that is cleared up, I'll flip sides! While I've generally been a
strong supporter of the Down East fishing communities, in recent years the
number of lobster pots has increased dramatically. I've heard people being
frustrated by traps in the Chesapeake, where you hardly ever see two within
100
feet;

You haven't been in the Northern Chesapeake Bay. There are some fields
(Middle River, Sassafras, and Bush River) where I often brush traps away
on both sides of our about 6' beam (at the waterline). It's highly
seasonal, though. Between one weekend and the next, hundreds of traps
can be set or pulled.

100' between traps is a real luxury and pretty much rates as open water.

in some parts of Maine (Stonington and Tenants Harbors stand out) there
are fields that have one every 10 feet. One's sympathies start to diminish
when
you're trying to maneuver through that. Remember that Down East pots have a
toggle - a second float connected to the first with a 20 foot line that lurks
below the surface, usually down current from the pot. Fortunately my
catamaran
can be powered on one engine - its impossible to survive such field with both
engines running.

The other issue I have is with pots in the inner areas of commercial harbors
or
marinas.

Thankfully, there's some sort of law on the Chesapeake that eliminates
most floats once into an anchorage and many creeks/rivers. It could be a
variant on Darwin: With the number of boats on the upper Bay, a float in
a marina approach wouldn't last long. As it is, we move 2-3 crab traps a
quarter mile or so elsewhere each season.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

x-no-archive:yes


Jere Lull wrote:

Jeff Morris wrote:

Now that that is cleared up, I'll flip sides! While I've generally been a
strong supporter of the Down East fishing communities, in recent years the
number of lobster pots has increased dramatically. I've heard people being
frustrated by traps in the Chesapeake, where you hardly ever see two within 100
feet;

You haven't been in the Northern Chesapeake Bay. There are some fields
(Middle River, Sassafras, and Bush River) where I often brush traps away
on both sides of our about 6' beam (at the waterline). It's highly
seasonal, though. Between one weekend and the next, hundreds of traps
can be set or pulled.

100' between traps is a real luxury and pretty much rates as open water.

Also going in to Bodkin Creek and around Galesville.

On the ICW, the crab pots act as a sort of extra channel markers,
although I did see one out in the middle of the Rebecca Shoal (on the
way to Ft. Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas) where the water is several
hundred feet deep.

in some parts of Maine (Stonington and Tenants Harbors stand out) there
are fields that have one every 10 feet. One's sympathies start to diminish when
you're trying to maneuver through that. Remember that Down East pots have a
toggle - a second float connected to the first with a 20 foot line that lurks
below the surface, usually down current from the pot. Fortunately my catamaran
can be powered on one engine - its impossible to survive such field with both
engines running.

I've heard that here in the Keys (FL) there are some fishermen that
put the pot floats just a foot or so below the surface and locate the
pots with a GPS in order to keep people from stealing the crabs. If
that isn't illegal, it ought to be although the person who told us
that might have been making the story up.


The other issue I have is with pots in the inner areas of commercial harbors or
marinas.

Thankfully, there's some sort of law on the Chesapeake that eliminates
most floats once into an anchorage and many creeks/rivers. It could be a
variant on Darwin: With the number of boats on the upper Bay, a float in

We took a mooring earlier this week and there were crab pots
interspersed among the moorings. Totally stupid if anyone used the
moorings as it was almost impossible to approach the mooring without
running over a pot. I'm not sure whether we snagged one or not - it
was blowing about 25 knots and the boat is hard to handle under those
circumstances.

We've had a crab pot boat on the Posoquan River come along putting out
pots and drop one right behind our anchored boat and then motor
alongside our boat and drop one right in front of the boat over the
anchor. We've also anchored off the upper Keys in Hawk Channel and
when we got up in the morning the crab pot float was wrapped around
our anchor chain. In all those cases we were able to get underway
without harming the crab pot or float

a marina approach wouldn't last long. As it is, we move 2-3 crab traps a
quarter mile or so elsewhere each season.

The charts sometimes have a 'free zone' where you are supposed to be
able to get into the channel, and if you can find it, there's less of
them there. One guide book says you don't usually find them in more
than 30 feet of water, but that's not always true.


grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id2.html

x-no-archive:yes


Jere Lull wrote:

Jeff Morris wrote:

Now that that is cleared up, I'll flip sides! While I've generally been a
strong supporter of the Down East fishing communities, in recent years the
number of lobster pots has increased dramatically. I've heard people being
frustrated by traps in the Chesapeake, where you hardly ever see two within 100
feet;

You haven't been in the Northern Chesapeake Bay. There are some fields
(Middle River, Sassafras, and Bush River) where I often brush traps away
on both sides of our about 6' beam (at the waterline). It's highly
seasonal, though. Between one weekend and the next, hundreds of traps
can be set or pulled.

100' between traps is a real luxury and pretty much rates as open water.

Also going in to Bodkin Creek and around Galesville.

On the ICW, the crab pots act as a sort of extra channel markers,
although I did see one out in the middle of the Rebecca Shoal (on the
way to Ft. Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas) where the water is several
hundred feet deep.

in some parts of Maine (Stonington and Tenants Harbors stand out) there
are fields that have one every 10 feet. One's sympathies start to diminish when
you're trying to maneuver through that. Remember that Down East pots have a
toggle - a second float connected to the first with a 20 foot line that lurks
below the surface, usually down current from the pot. Fortunately my catamaran
can be powered on one engine - its impossible to survive such field with both
engines running.

I've heard that here in the Keys (FL) there are some fishermen that
put the pot floats just a foot or so below the surface and locate the
pots with a GPS in order to keep people from stealing the crabs. If
that isn't illegal, it ought to be although the person who told us
that might have been making the story up.


The other issue I have is with pots in the inner areas of commercial harbors or
marinas.

Thankfully, there's some sort of law on the Chesapeake that eliminates
most floats once into an anchorage and many creeks/rivers. It could be a
variant on Darwin: With the number of boats on the upper Bay, a float in

We took a mooring earlier this week and there were crab pots
interspersed among the moorings. Totally stupid if anyone used the
moorings as it was almost impossible to approach the mooring without
running over a pot. I'm not sure whether we snagged one or not - it
was blowing about 25 knots and the boat is hard to handle under those
circumstances.

We've had a crab pot boat on the Posoquan River come along putting out
pots and drop one right behind our anchored boat and then motor
alongside our boat and drop one right in front of the boat over the
anchor. We've also anchored off the upper Keys in Hawk Channel and
when we got up in the morning the crab pot float was wrapped around
our anchor chain. In all those cases we were able to get underway
without harming the crab pot or float

a marina approach wouldn't last long. As it is, we move 2-3 crab traps a
quarter mile or so elsewhere each season.

The charts sometimes have a 'free zone' where you are supposed to be
able to get into the channel, and if you can find it, there's less of
them there. One guide book says you don't usually find them in more
than 30 feet of water, but that's not always true.


grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id2.html

, when Boston Harbor has heavily polluted I used to watch local lobster boats
pull up to the dock at Bay State Lobster. However, if you went in the front
door, you were told that all the lobster were from Maine!

Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay are part of the Gulf of Maine! Many people
in Massachusetts do not realize that Massachusetts Bay is a part of the Gulf of
Maine, so when they hear fishermen, fisheries management people, or scientists
talking about the Gulf of Maine, they think it has nothingto do with them.
Wrong! So in effect, the lobsters caught in Boston are from Maine; the Gulf of
Maine!



"Listen to the live broadcast of 'Nautical Talk Radio' with Captain Lou every
Sunday afternoon from 4 - 5 (Eastern Standard Time) on the web at
www.959watd.com or if you are in Boston or Cape Cod set your radio dial to
95.9FM.

On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 08:38:17 -0500, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:

Now that that is cleared up, I'll flip sides! While I've generally been a
strong supporter of the Down East fishing communities, in recent years the
number of lobster pots has increased dramatically. I've heard people being
frustrated by traps in the Chesapeake, where you hardly ever see two within 100
feet; in some parts of Maine (Stonington and Tenants Harbors stand out) there
are fields that have one every 10 feet. One's sympathies start to diminish when
you're trying to maneuver through that. Remember that Down East pots have a
toggle - a second float connected to the first with a 20 foot line that lurks
below the surface, usually down current from the pot. Fortunately my catamaran
can be powered on one engine - its impossible to survive such field with both
engines running.

The other issue I have is with pots in the inner areas of commercial harbors or
marinas. In the old days, when Boston Harbor has heavily polluted I used to
watch local lobster boats pull up to the dock at Bay State Lobster. However, if
you went in the front door, you were told that all the lobster were from Maine!

And I can't for the life of me fathom why someone would put a trap in a marina
fairway!

I have cruised the Maine coast since the late 1970s, and have gone
into Tenants and Stonington on many occasions. I haven't noticed any
vast increase in trap density.

The last time I snagged a potwarp was in 1981, on a chartered boat
with a non-folding prop. Indeed, all three of my snags were with that
same boat. Never a problem since.

When the tide is flowing hard enough to pull a toggle under water, it
is very easy to tell which side to pass the potbuoy on.



Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a


"In this house we _obey_ the laws of thermodynamics." --Homer Simpson