Lobstering ??

[BillD]

Question for the pros??

I'm down here off of Salisbury Ma. beach with my recreational traps. I'm near the commercial guys but stay off/away from their trawls.

Doing OK, last Tuesday 11 for 10, 8 for 8 last Friday, 7 for 14 Sunday, tonight, 4 for 14. Ebbs and flows, always has.

In past years we always pulled the traps in the evening or late afternoon, twice a week, maybe weekly depending on crew. This year with me not needing a crew, (new davit) I can pull them anytime of day, any day.

Is there a "best time of day" to pull traps? Early morning? Are lobsters "nocturnal feeders"? I think I read that lobsters move in and out of traps @ will. Seems early morning the traps might have a few more in them?

I keep the traps baited, what is best for a "soak" ? Check them every two days, three, four,?

What do you find best for bait. I'm using frozen mackeral and beef hides.

Any opinions, experience?

Appreciated, Bill D

 

[steveinak]

Question for the pros??

I'm down here off of Salisbury Ma. beach with my recreational traps. I'm near the commercial guys but stay off/away from their trawls.

Doing OK, last Tuesday 11 for 10, 8 for 8 last Friday, 7 for 14 Sunday, tonight, 4 for 14. Ebbs and flows, always has.

In past years we always pulled the traps in the evening or late afternoon, twice a week, maybe weekly depending on crew. This year with me not needing a crew, (new davit) I can pull them anytime of day, any day.

Is there a "best time of day" to pull traps? Early morning? Are lobsters "nocturnal feeders"? I think I read that lobsters move in and out of traps @ will. Seems early morning the traps might have a few more in them?

I keep the traps baited, what is best for a "soak" ? Check them every two days, three, four,?

What do you find best for bait. I'm using frozen mackeral and beef hides.


Any opinions, experience?

Appreciated, Bill D

Bill,
Try moving the gear a bit you might be catching up the groundkeepers that live there.
Back when i lobstered they always said to give the traps "3 nights" fishing time. I tried hauling on 2 nights and did ok then i tried overnight and did about the same as 2 or 3 nights. Guess it depends on how good a bottom your on and even more what you have for neighbors fishing next to you. I get guys here telling me that their shrimp pots are being pulled by others so i tell them to put those tiny zip ties on the doors so at least they will know for sure they got robbed and not just fishing on garbage bottom.
I always liked a big bluefish head/rack for hanging bait and along with a bag of pogies ain't bad either. My buddy down in NJ is using salted skates for hanging bait and a bag with pogies. His son has been doing 150-200 keepers to a trawl of 20 pots using that bait combo. Shorter set time may show you better catches. We never had mac's for bait(to far south) but the salted pogies along with bluefish and fluke/flounder racks always worked well.
By the way i haul my shrimp pots every 2-3 hours and catch about the same as a overnight soak. If their there then you got'um quick and if they ain't there then you only made a 3 hour mistake.

 

[BillD]

Bill,
Try moving the gear a bit you might be catching up the groundkeepers that live there.
Back when i lobstered they always said to give the traps "3 nights" fishing time. I tried hauling on 2 nights and did ok then i tried overnight and did about the same as 2 or 3 nights. Guess it depends on how good a bottom your on and even more what you have for neighbors fishing next to you. I get guys here telling me that their shrimp pots are being pulled by others so i tell them to put those tiny zip ties on the doors so at least they will know for sure they got robbed and not just fishing on garbage bottom.
I always liked a big bluefish head/rack for hanging bait and along with a bag of pogies ain't bad either. My buddy down in NJ is using salted skates for hanging bait and a bag with pogies. His son has been doing 150-200 keepers to a trawl of 20 pots using that bait combo. Shorter set time may show you better catches. We never had mac's for bait(to far south) but the salted pogies along with bluefish and fluke/flounder racks always worked well.
By the way i haul my shrimp pots every 2-3 hours and catch about the same as a overnight soak. If their there then you got'um quick and if they ain't there then you only made a 3 hour mistake.

Steve,

Thanks. We always did good with macks. I like the term "groundkeeprs" !!
I moved 10 of the traps last night.
I had the traps in a VERY crowded area last year and did GREAT when all others did.

Ebb & flow.

Remember, this is recreation. Takes me 45 mins to haul 15 traps. I like the ride, the ocean, etc. All fun

 

[hfpd]

Bill
The area your traps are in is heavily scubadived all summer long. Not that anyone would pick your trap but hauling in the morning always helped my numbers. Come to think of it hogringing the traps shut also helped.

 

[mdelgado]

Question for the pros??

I'm down here off of Salisbury Ma. beach with my recreational traps. I'm near the commercial guys but stay off/away from their trawls.

Doing OK, last Tuesday 11 for 10, 8 for 8 last Friday, 7 for 14 Sunday, tonight, 4 for 14. Ebbs and flows, always has.

In past years we always pulled the traps in the evening or late afternoon, twice a week, maybe weekly depending on crew. This year with me not needing a crew, (new davit) I can pull them anytime of day, any day.

Is there a "best time of day" to pull traps? Early morning? Are lobsters "nocturnal feeders"? I think I read that lobsters move in and out of traps @ will. Seems early morning the traps might have a few more in them?

I keep the traps baited, what is best for a "soak" ? Check them every two days, three, four,?

What do you find best for bait. I'm using frozen mackeral and beef hides.

Any opinions, experience?

Appreciated, Bill D

Bill, I have my set off breaking rocks too. I couldn't see a difference with the time of day to haul them. I'm usually on a Sunday moring, Wednesday night, Friday night schedule and the #'s are pretty consistant.
As far as bait goes, I head to Davids fish market and get the racks from them for cheap. If your a regular like my family and me, they'll usually give you the bait for free. I also tried deer hide and cow hide, but didn't find it to be worth the smell and expense
Give a holler if you see me out there. I'm in an old Mako 25, flag blue

 

[BillD]

Bill, I have my set off breaking rocks too. I couldn't see a difference with the time of day to haul them. I'm usually on a Sunday moring, Wednesday night, Friday night schedule and the #'s are pretty consistant.
As far as bait goes, I head to Davids fish market and get the racks from them for cheap. If your a regular like my family and me, they'll usually give you the bait for free. I also tried deer hide and cow hide, but didn't find it to be worth the smell and expense
Give a holler if you see me out there. I'm in an old Mako 25, flag blue

Jeeze, we must have crossed paths MORE than once!!!!! LOL

Back to diving, 15 years ago my son and I dived in and around our traps off the Salisbury Water Tower.
Honestly, we never did come across many single traps during the course of a 30-40 min dive.
When your diving for lobster you don't cover much ground digging around ledges/holes etc.

I've never plastic wire tied or hog ringed my traps.
Do you "really think" divers are "in the traps" that often or @ all ?