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/

Jeff Morris wrote:

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?


Labor Day weekend from the south was our bad time. Just in from Howell
point, we ran into a field that I didn't feel safe running under power.
The dotted red line between the official buoys was pretty much free, but
the starting buoy is a bit further north than our path. Heck, we'd lived
on the Sass for some years and we were darned if we'd run from buoy to
buoy in such a safe area ;-) We can pass within yards of Howell point
with sufficient depth, which put us a mile or so south of the line
"between the buoys".

If you're coming in from the north, I suspect you miss the field
entirely. If you run the suggested path well away from Grove or Howell
Points, you probably won't notice anything.

--
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 run across traps in NE, long lines in Fla., Gill nets in various
areas and traps on the West Coast.
I've never heard of any of these people being held responsible for the
haul out, replacement, and repairs to stern tubes, cutless bearings, etc.
My opinion ..... If they are dumb enough to place their traps, etc. in
areas of known channels and boating, ship traffic, then it's their
problem if they lose them or suffer damage ...call it the price of doing
business.
When I am able to identify a trap, etc. that has damaged my shaft, prop,
etc. because it's in a known channel, if I can possibly do it, I'd hit
up the fisherman for his yearly profits, to pay for my damage .... it's
a two way street.

otn

Jeff Morris wrote:

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?


Labor Day weekend from the south was our bad time. Just in from Howell
point, we ran into a field that I didn't feel safe running under power.
The dotted red line between the official buoys was pretty much free, but
the starting buoy is a bit further north than our path. Heck, we'd lived
on the Sass for some years and we were darned if we'd run from buoy to
buoy in such a safe area ;-) We can pass within yards of Howell point
with sufficient depth, which put us a mile or so south of the line
"between the buoys".

If you're coming in from the north, I suspect you miss the field
entirely. If you run the suggested path well away from Grove or Howell
Points, you probably won't notice anything.

--
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 run across traps in NE, long lines in Fla., Gill nets in various
areas and traps on the West Coast.
I've never heard of any of these people being held responsible for the
haul out, replacement, and repairs to stern tubes, cutless bearings, etc.
My opinion ..... If they are dumb enough to place their traps, etc. in
areas of known channels and boating, ship traffic, then it's their
problem if they lose them or suffer damage ...call it the price of doing
business.
When I am able to identify a trap, etc. that has damaged my shaft, prop,
etc. because it's in a known channel, if I can possibly do it, I'd hit
up the fisherman for his yearly profits, to pay for my damage .... it's
a two way street.

otn