What to ask (and not ask) a lobsterman

Photo courtesy Christina Lemieux

I just stumbled across a great new blog about the lobstering life by author Christina Lemieux, the daughter and granddaughter of Maine lobstermen, a sternman in her youth, and now and now an advertising exec in London. Her blog Maine-ly Lobster has a great wealth of knowledge about the lobstering culture and this one post, "Frequently Asked Questions About Maine Lobster Fishing" is both hilarious and spot on.

For example (tourists we're talking to you, listen up) she writes:
Five Questions You Should Never Ask a Lobster Fisherman

Fishermen are notoriously secretive about the elements of their success. To divulge exactly where they’re fishing and what they’re catching is to reveal their hand and threaten their livelihood. If you wander down onto a dock and engage a fisherman in conversation, there are five questions you should never ask. They are as follows:

• How many lobsters did you catch today?
• How many traps do you fish?
• How much money do you make?
• Where is the best fishing?
• What’s the best haul you’ve had this season?

Readers of The Ghost Trap will recognize some of the most insane questions tourists have ever asked are also in this particular post. Check out her blog and her book!