move Lobster Pots

[CarlF]

There are literally thousands of anchorages in Maine. If one is too full of pots to anchor you don't have to go far to find another. Many reviewers now add a note in ActiveCaptain.

I just spent six weeks in Maine anchoring almost every night. Only once did I skip a harbor because the anchorage was so full of pots that I couldn't find a clear spot. The channel into an anchorage can be astonishingly thick but once there the pots tend to be few and easy to avoid.

On only one night did a wind change leave a pot tapping on the hull. I just let out more rode and dropped back.

In 40 years of cruising Maine I've never had a lobsterman drop pots very close to me while anchored. And when they haul a pot that was near me they are generally careful to drop it a bit farther away. They don't want me getting tangled and cutting it anymore than I do.

While there are always a few jerks in every large group, I generally find Maine lobstermen the friendliest fishermen. Much friendlier then in the Chesapeake or Florida. Most wave - especially if you have a young woman aboard

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by AllenRbrts

In Maine now on a cat. In general we haven’t had too many problems in anchorages because the soft bottom isn’t as popular with lobsters.[emoji24]

This bears repeating. There aren't many lobsters in shallow, warm, muddy coves. They prefer deeper, colder water and bottoms with a lot of structure (which in Maine means, rocky.)

In other words, what's good for lobster pots isn't generally good for anchoring, and vice-versa.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by dhauck

It it OK to move Lobster Pots that come in contact with my anchored boat? Concern is prop wrapping. Anchor, then boat swings, and pot starts bumping boat. Some harbors in Maine its ridiculous how many pots are, and right in the anchoring and mooring fields. Any advice appreciated.

I'm a 48 ft catamaran sailboat. Lived 3 years on my boat. 25 years experience. Anchoring in 50' of water requires 4:1 scope. Quite a radius (Pi x r sq).

If you have never ever been to Maine, perhaps this will help: Look out at the harbour, in designated anchoring spots, and it looks like someone sprinkled skittles everywhere.

Please only reply if you have been to Maine.

In the northwest we have crab pots. What gets my goat is the crab pot placed in a suitable anchorage that has been there for ages and now covered with sea-growth, presumably placed there to stop yachts from anchoring by the land owner.

Another pet peeve is the yacht that anchors and his first action is to go out and drop some pots throughout the anchorage without regard for others that might want anchor there.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[lewisa]

I've been cruising in Maine for over 40 years. Although I have occassionally picked up a lobster bouy, only once has it been necessay to go overboard to free the prop or rudder. Twice, lobstermen have come by to tow me around so that a line trapped in my rudder could come free.

My primary issue is with lobstermen who set their traps in mooring fields. I have no probblem with cutting fouled lines in those cases as there is usually a second buoy at the other end of trap line. And I leave note warning the lobsterman not to repeat his error. Never had a second infraction. I don't have a choice of where my mooring is placed, but the lobsterman has a choice of where to set his traps.

The other primary issue is with lobstermen who use toggles. These used to be confined to Penobsoct Bay where currents made them helpful. But now they're showing up farther west in Maine with no real reason for them. I won't be sympathetic to a lobsterman who fouls my prop or rudder on a toggle west of Penobscot.

The vast majority of Maine lobstermen are hard working, consciencious, and safety minded. They are the first to be there if you need assistance. I try my best to avoid fouling their gear and rarely do so. And I have never been placed in danger from a fouled pot. On the other hand, at 77 years old, I no longer relish going overboard in 55 degree water to clear a fouled prop. I only recently added cutters to my prop shaft in the hopes that they work.

Even Cape Porpoise , which used to be almost impossible to enter without risking a fouled prop, is now much more navicable.

[Mike Crothers]

We just returned from cruising in Nova Scotia and they do not lobster in the summer. If you don't want to deal with the lobster pots in Maine I highly recommend heading up to the East coast of Nova Scotia, beautiful coast and very friendly people.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by lewisa

The other primary issue is with lobstermen who use toggles.

The toggle is the stupidest thing I've ever seen a lobsterman do. And I've seen a lot.

There's no logical reason for them. We've fished without them in some of the strongest currents in the state, with rocky bottoms. I don't buy the argument that they're needed for current, or for chafe protection on rocky seabeds.

The problem is, lobstermen (like sailors) are a superstitious lot. They also live in fear that another lobsterman might outfish them by using a better method. So they keep their bad habits for generations, and they all mimic what the "other guy" is doing. "If the others are using toggles, I'm gonna darn sure use them too, even if I can't explain why."

So the practice continues, against all common sense. Those of us who fish or have fished in the Southern part of the state just shake our heads.

[Captain Bill]

I've never had a problem anchoring in Maine as has been noted the mud bottoms are really not lobster habitat. Mooring fields however are a different story. They don't have to be placed on mud bottoms (though some are) and the lobstermen put their traps in the middle of them. Booth Bay Harbor is terrible. The moorings are barely far enough apart for a 44 foot boat. We literally had another boat 10 feet off our stern and 6 pot floats in our swinging circle. This was not terrible aside from the banging on the hull as the pots use weighted line for the 1st 15 feet. If you are careful not to run into one when coming in or leaving there's little chance wrapping one up just swinging on the mooring.

[Whosails]

Maybe people from “away” don’t understand that as far as boaters go, the lobsterman is KING here.

[Whosails]

I did have a pot warp wrap around my prop one night. I was in an anchorage.

[epoxyman]

I have been sailing Maine waters for 30 years. Just finished a 3 week cruise. There are bays and harbors in Maine that are so thick with pots that it makes sense to avoid them.
Real issue is navigating in FOG !!( which we get pretty regularly here). When lobstermen drop pots in navigation channels between tight passages (example: Musselridge channel) I think that this is a danger and hazard to navigation. The fact that the law says they can drop pots where ever they like, to me is the justification for changing the law. I am in full support of the new regulations that want Maine Lobsterman to reduce their rope in the water by 50%. Argue that it is to save the whales, I just it is time to change some of the regulations.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by epoxyman

I am in full support of the new regulations that want Maine Lobsterman to reduce their rope in the water by 50%. Argue that it is to save the whales, I just it is time to change some of the regulations.

Yeah, all those poor right whales in the Muscle Ridge Channel...

Be careful what you ask for.Today it's you supporting a BS excuse to make other people do something. Tomorrow you may be on the receiving end of some legislation being pushed for all the wrong reasons.

I'd love to see fewer buoys, too. But I'd rather be honest about my reasons.

[SoundWave]

USCG Chief Bosun from Maine sector told me this story...
—

The Coast Guard sector commandant is usually from the sector they command, they know the waters.

3 Commandants in a row (Maine) issued this standing order to all CG ships in his fleet::

“When your propeller fouls a lobster pot line, you are to stop, send a diver overboard to tie a PATCH in the broken line BEFORE cutting the tangle free, so that the lobsterman does not lose his pot.”

That was his order, not the law.
Interesting, though, what if that was the rule?

I worked crab pots for years, trust the guy who advised that you have a chance of getting shot AT,.

—-
Would it be OK for a lobsterman to cut the anchor rode of an offending vessel? Peace.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by SoundWave

That was his order, not the law.
Interesting, though, what if that was the rule?

Isn't it? Does the law have a specific exclusion for tampering with lobster gear if it's wrapped around your prop or shaft?

I know it's sort of assumed that you have to free the lines for your own safety, but I wonder if that's actually what the law says, or if it's silent on that possibility.

[Tom Emery]

I was born and raised in Maine. I remember wanting to go lobstering until I heard of all the "horror" stories. The locals are fiercely territorial. You pretty much have to inherit a spot.
To have some "entitled" cruiser mess with your living will automatically put you on a very "black" list. Go easy there...buddy.

[deblen]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Isn't it? Does the law have a specific exclusion for tampering with lobster gear if it's wrapped around your prop or shaft?

I know it's sort of assumed that you have to free the lines for your own safety, but I wonder if that's actually what the law says, or if it's silent on that possibility.

I'm not a lawyer,but if you are not an A,B,C or D-as noted in this law-it doesn't matter what the pot warp is wrapped or fouled on-you can't legally touch lobster gear.Hmm... / Len
https://legislature.maine.gov/statut...12sec6434.html