Figure 11. — Pelican approaching a trap set. A grapnel is thrown between the flag buoy and the float to snag the flag 

 buoy lead line. The buoy is then hauled aboard and the main buoy line is bent on the hydraulic hauler. 



with the depth recorder and noting bottom 

 configuration. Positions fished previously with 

 success were found again by using loran, radar, 

 depth recorder, and navigational charts. 



somewhat quicker than handling single traps, 

 but the losses experienced from parted buoy 

 lines are higher, and more serious. 



Setting Out 



On the grounds, the flag buoy lines are at- 

 tached to the main buoy lines and are thrown 

 over the side. The main buoy line is allowed 

 to pay out after the flag buoy and become taut 

 in the water behind the vessel to lessen the 

 likelihood of tangle-s and knotting. Then the 

 trap is dropped. Generally, each trap is con- 

 nected to a flag buoy. Sometimes, however, 

 multiple sets are made. Main buoy lines of 

 two to six traps are connected together, and a 

 flag buoy is fastened to the first trap only. 

 Setting and hauling traps connected this way is 



Retrieving and Hauling 



The vessel approaches the flag buoys so that 

 the hauler on the port side is adjacent to them 

 (fig. 11), and a grapnel (fig. 3) is thrown be- 

 tween the flag buoy and its float to snag the 

 flag buoy line. The flag buoy is then brought 

 aboard manually, detached from the main buoy 

 line, and stored ready for the next set. The 

 main buoy line is reeved in the hydraulic block 

 and brought aboard. As it comes aboard, it is 

 coiled for the next set. When the trap comes 

 aboard (figs. 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8), the catch and 

 any old bait remaining are removed and fresh 



