Catching & Keeping Lobsters

Lobster Boats

Today, the majority of lobster men and women haul out of a boat with a motorized hauler that brings the traps up out of the water without the need of manual hauling. A tradition among the children of lobster men is to have several of their own traps (licensed, of course) that they haul out of a punt (small row boat). Any one who has had the privilege (and work ethic) to do this knows that the modern automatic hauler makes the quest for harvesting lobsters a much easier ordeal. Before the lobster boat with an engine, lobstering was done out of the same boat used for seining fish, a dory (a flat-bottomed row boat with flaring sides). Oars were used to move this boat over the water. Since the dory, there have been other styles of boats that have come along. Now the "lobster boat" has an engine, cabin, and electronic hauler. Some of the boats even have showers and bunks.

The Season

The Lobster "season" for most lobster men is June through early to mid November. There are a few hearty souls (or a little off their rocker depending on how one looks at it) who haul year round. The season is based on the migration of lobsters. In the warmer months the lobsters come closer to shore. This allows lobster men to remain fairly close to home and come home on a daily basis. The colder months seem to move the lobsters off shore making it almost impossible for a lobster man to come home at night as the trip out takes many hours. Without these lobster men though, we would be unable to have fresh from the ocean live lobster year round.

Lobster Traps

Obviously, the boat is one of the most important tools to the lobster man. Next, would be the traps. Up until the last fifteen to twenty years, lobster traps were made of wooden slats. Many grandchildren of lobster men can remember their grandfathers knitting the heads with nylon string for the traps. This was the lobster man's job in the winter. Some of us even remember building traps in fish houses warmed by a small wood stove. Now many of the traps are made out of wire covered with colored rubber. Wired traps are purchased from local trap makers, where the heads are knitted and all ready attached when the lobster man receives them. Each trap can cost around forty-five dollars, multiply that by 800 traps (which is the limit per boat in Maine). Obviously, these traps are taken care of to the best of the lobster man's ability.

Buoys

Attached to the trap by rope are buoys which are painted in the colors chosen by the lobster man. The colors of the buoys are registered with the state. Each buoy color allows the boats to find their traps. Before Styrofoam came along, buoys were made out of wood. Now buoys come in different sizes and shapes so that each lobster man can choose what they want to look for in the water. Many buoys are branded with the initials or license number of the boat they belong to. Some lobster men attach one trap per buoy, others attach what are called stringers. Stringers are multiple traps attached to the rope between two buoys. Some of the lobster men that sell to Three Sons Fishing attach up to ten traps on a stringer.

Inside the Trap

Each trap has a small string attached inside that is used to keep the bait in the trap in order to lure the lobster inside. A bait needle (a larger version of a knitting needle) is used to thread the bait onto the string. Bait is caught by large fishing boats out at sea (think the boat in The Perfect Storm), salted and brought in to Bait Dealers who distribute the bait to smacks or the lobster men themselves. Some of the more popular fish used for bait are herring, red fish, and pogies. The lobsters crawl into the Head (the knitted entryway into the trap). The head is tilted so that once the lobster enters the trap it cannot get back out until the lobster man opens the trap and takes the catch out for measuring. Lobster men also find Rock Crabs (which Three Sons Lobster & Fish carries for sale), Sea Urchins, Welks (large sea snails), and occasionally a Skate will get caught inside as well.

The Work Week

During the summer months, June First through September First, lobster men haul six days a week with Sundays taken off (religious exceptions are made, however, those lobster men must take Saturday off). The rest of the season is open seven days a week. Lobster men also are only allowed to haul between sunrise in the morning and sunset in the evening. Maine Wardens will randomly board lobster boats in order to guarantee that the catch is regulated.

The Daily Catch

The daily catch is then put in a plastic crate. Many locals remember when wooden "cars" were used to store lobsters. As with many modern conveniences, plastic makes a more affordable and easily maintained solution. Three Sons Fishing has a float off the coast of Cliff Island where any lobster man can sell his daily catch. Three Sons Fishing is lucky that not only the Cliff Island Lobster men choose to sell to us, but also several of the Chebeague and Long Island Lobster men. The lobster men that choose to sell to us usually come daily (in the summer months) to sell their lobsters, buy bait and pick up supplies. Three Sons Lobster & Fish customers also have the chance to see the lobster men from Portland that choose to sell to us at our retail shop on the waterfront off of Commercial Street. It is exciting to see lobsters come in right off the boat and into the pound.

Lobster Men & Women

Traditionally, lobstering has been monopolized by men. However, women have been increasingly breaking the stereotypes of the Lobstering and Fishing Industry being male only. Having said this, one may wonder why the gender equity or "lobster woman" has not been used throughout this website. Not daring to speak for all women in the field, but there seems to be the consensus that a large portion of women in the Lobstering and Fishing Industry prefer to be labeled as a "lobster man." One reason that was brought to the forefront was that the women in this field had worked so hard to become a "lobster man," why would they want to be called anything else but. Another reason was stated that for one of the traditional, old-time lobster men to even consider calling a woman a "lobster man" was a great compliment and show of acceptance in to the traditionally male dominated field. As with everything in this world, maybe it is just best to ask each individual. For Three Sons Lobster & Fish, it is meant as a compliment for the women that sell to us. While some women work as "stern men", we have several women captains who own their own boats.

Thanks to John McCann for letting us take pictures!