166 ABOUT LOBSTERS 



catch will be in the next pot you haul; and, if it is empty, 

 hope and interest are revived for the succeeding haul. 



It is a satisfaction to prove that you have judged cor- 

 rectly where the lobsters will be thick, and to know exactly 

 where Fireman's Ledge is located, and recall that it is an 

 area which hasn't been fished by anyone in over a month — 

 it used to be fine fishing grounds until everyone learned of 

 it and fished it out. 



It is a satisfaction to prove your sense of direction and 

 to find your next string of pots in a dense fog. It pleases 

 you to see that Harry Jones has dropped his pots 200 yards 

 too far to the east of Jenkins Ledge. You know exactly where 

 it is because you took cross bearings on its position and 

 wrote them down (one top-liner has done this for every 

 good fishing spot in his area) and you'll chuckle tomorrow 

 when you see Harry Jones has moved his pots up alongside 

 of yours — after you've caught the cream of the lobsters. 



The art of being a top-liner can be passed along. 



To your son, for instance, and it might be a more valu- 

 able inheritance than your real estate, that is, if he is ready 

 to learn and you spur him on to be a better fisherman than 

 even you are. It is a great satisfaction to see your boy 

 bring in better catches than you do — because he knows 

 more about lobsters than you. 



He can learn not only from you, but from publications 

 of the Maine Department of Sea and Shore Fisheries and 

 from books. 



Further Steps : 



Do you want to advance to become a buyer? 

 It is the next step above being a lobsterman. But the 

 job has problems and requires you to have an education. 

 In the first place you would need capital: 



1. To pay cash for the lobsters. 



2. To buy bait. 



3. To furnish credit to lobstermen when they are out- 

 fitting. 



