The Lobster Fishery of Maine | Page 4

region, where this
fishery had just been started. The quantity of lobsters carried by him
that year was 40,000. The prices paid to the fishermen for smack
lobsters was as follows: During March, 3 cents each; April, 2-1/2 cents;
May and June, 2 cents. In 1850, he began to obtain supplies from the
Muscle Ridges, leaving Harpswell entirely, on account of the small size
of the lobsters then being caught there. At this time the average weight
of the lobsters marketed was about 3 pounds, and all under 10-1/2
inches in length were rejected. The traps were made of the same size as
at present, but were constructed of round oak sticks, and with four
hoops or bows to support the upper framework. A string of bait,

consisting mainly of flounders and sculpins, was tied into each trap.
About 50 traps were used by each fisherman, and they were hauled
once a day. The warps or buoy lines, by which the traps were lowered
and hauled, were cut in 12-fathom lengths. Lobsters were so abundant
at the Muscle Ridges, at this period, that four men could fully supply
Captain Oakes with lobsters every trip. In the course of ten days each
man would obtain between 1,200 and 1,500 marketable lobsters. In
Captain Oakes' opinion, the Muscle Ridges have furnished the most
extensive lobster fishery of the Maine coast. He ran to this locality until
1874.
Capt. S. S. Davis, of South Saint George, states that about 1864, when
he first began buying lobsters at the Muscle Ridges, three men, tending
40 to 50 pots each, caught all the count lobsters he could carry to
market in his smack. He could load 5,000 lobsters at a time, and
averaged a trip in 7 to 9 days. This traffic continued for six or seven
years. In 1879, Captain Davis bought from 15 men In the same locality,
and at times was obliged to buy also of others in order to make up a
load.
The fishery at North Haven began in 1848, but did not increase so
rapidly at first as in sections farther west, as the smacks would only
take the medium-sized lobsters, fearing that the largest would not be
able to stand the trip. At Matinicus Island the fishing began in 1868. In
1852 the people on Deer Island began the fishery, and as the smackmen
made frequent visits the business rapidly increased. The establishment
of a cannery at Oceanville, about 1860, also caused a considerable
development of the fishery. The fishery was started at Isle an Haute
about 1855, and at Swan Island in the early fifties.
The canning of lobsters was first carried on at Eastport in 1842, but the
fishery was not taken up until about 1853, as it was supposed there
were no lobsters in the neighborhood. The supplies for these canneries
previous to the inception of the fishery were obtained by smacks
running to the westward.
For some years the fishery was only prosecuted in the late spring,
summer, and early fall months. Just when winter fishing began in the

State is doubtful; but according to Capt. Charles Black, of Orr Island, it
began in that region in 1845 at Harpswell. Previously the fishermen had
the impression that lobsters could not be successfully caught earlier
than March 20.
During the summer of 1845 the captains of the well-smacks of New
London, Conn., who bought most of the lobsters in that vicinity,
induced Charles E. Clay, Samuel Orr, and a few others to fish during
the winter, and they set their traps about the same distance from the
shore that the fishermen do at present, and in almost the same depth of
water. The smackmen paid them $4 for 100 lobsters. The next winter
the fishermen refused to sell by number and wanted $1.25 per 100
pounds. The smackmen had no objection to buy them by weight, but
refused to pay more than $1.12 per 100 pounds. This was accepted, and
for several years the prices were from $1.12 to $1.25 per 100 pounds.
Comparatively few traps were necessary then, as when the weather
would permit the fishermen to tend their traps they would catch from
20 to 30 lobsters daily, and frequently, when the traps were hauled,
they would find several lobsters clinging to some part of the pots. The
bait was very plentiful and caught with spears.
The lobsters were placed in cars at that time, after having been
"plugged" to keep them from injuring each other. The plugs were
almost 1-1/2 inches long, flat on one side, round on the other, and with
a sharp point. Plugging has since been discontinued, as the trifling
injury the lobsters did each other was nothing compared to the value of
cans of meat spoiled by one of these