Gloucester Fishing Throwback- 1983 Scott Swicker, Hussey and Tuffy Fishing Wooden Lobster and Crab Traps Off An Old Wooden Novi Boat

Photos from Tuffy

If you don’t think those old wooden lobster traps weighed a whole hellova lot more than today’s wire gear then you don’t know much about then and now lobstering.

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Look how skinny Swicker was back then…

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Crab Traps, Naples Fl

Crab traps are very similar to lobster traps but are square shaped instead of  rectangular.  They also have the openings on the top of the trap and do not have knitted heads like a lobster trap.

Crab Traps, Naples Fl, originally uploaded by captjoe06.

Many Gloucester fishermen have fished out of Naples at one time or another, mostly longlining for swordfish back in the day.  Mark Ring has a few great stories he tells from his days fishing in this port, none of which I can repeat here.

Crab Traps, Naples Florida

They pour cement in the bottom of the crab traps so they will land bottom first once set off the boat.  This way they will fish properly.  Very few lobstermen pour cement in the bottom of lobster traps but I have seen it here and there.  The prefered method of weighting a lobster trap is with bricks.  This is another difference between lobster traps and crab traps.

Crab Traps,Naples Florida, originally uploaded by captjoe06.