What is more iconic in Maine than lobsters? What better way to spend an afternoon than having the experience of a real Maine lobster boat tour! Join an actual lobsterman as they travel Maine’s coast, pulling up traps, and harvesting lobsters. Yes, Maine is famous for its lobster and our lobstermen are responsible for 80% or more of the country’s lobster harvest, each year. That’s a lot of lobster (or lobstah, as we like to call it)!
Few treats can compete with an authentic Maine lobster roll, except maybe a steamed whole lobster with butter! We even have a Lobster Trail, if you are in search of the perfect lobster dinner! Folk’s travel from all over to enjoy every type of lobster dish fresh from the sea — and who can blame them? Yet the Maine lobster experience can be much more than a tasty treat.
The History of Maine Lobstering
Lobstering is a Maine tradition going back to the 1600s, though lobster popularity didn’t really take off until the 1840s. When Europeans arrived in Maine, lobsters were plentiful and generally weighed over 5 pounds. Because lobsters must be cooked immediately after they expire, there was little commercial use for them, so they were mostly used for (can you believe it) bait or fertilizer.
Once boats were developed with a wet well where lobsters could be kept alive, the industry grew. Little about the harvest has changed over the centuries, despite the industry’s venerable age. In Maine, 100% of lobsters are still harvested by hand from small boats, one trap at a time.
Now you can experience the life of a lobsterman aboard a real Maine lobster boat!
The Maine Lobster Boat Tour Experience
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be a Maine lobsterman, we have the perfect Lobster Boat Tour package for you! Our tour package will provide a first-hand experience of the daily lobstering routine aboard a Maine coast lobster boat. Be as hands-on as you would like! Learn to haul, bait, and set traps, measure the lobsters, and prepare them for the market. Get an up-close-and-personal view of the traps, and what lobsters are legal. You’ll also learn some Maine lobstering history and see a variety of marine wildlife.
How do you prepare for a lobster boat tour adventure? Make sure you bring some layers; the temperature out on the water is usually about 10 degrees cooler than on shore! Don’t forget sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. If you want water or snacks, bring them along with you. Captain Travis has life jackets, but if you have one that you prefer, feel free to bring it along.
Every tour experience is unique. You and up to five of your friends will enjoy a private charter. Not only will you thrill from the lobster experience, but you’ll also want to take photos of Maine’s scenic coastline, likely including at least one lighthouse, if not more. This is Maine, after all!
Buggin’ ME Boat Tours
Your Maine lobster boat tour is captained by Travis Wyman, a local “Maineiac” who has spent his life on the decks of lobster boats beginning on his dad’s boat. He got his commercial lobster license at 13 years of age. His company, Buggin’ ME Boat Tours is located on Cape Docks Rd, in Stockton Springs, just a five-minute drive from our bed and breakfast, Captain Nickels Inn.
Captain Wyman is fully insured and licensed by the Coast Guard. When you go out with him, he will be checking some of the 800 lobster traps that he has set in the area. You may be able to purchase some fresh lobster when you get back to shore!
Be aware that this is a working lobster boat, so it may not always be available! If the experience of a Maine lobster boat tour is something you have your heart set on, call and book your stay right now! While you are planning your trip to Maine, maybe there are a few more adventures that you would like to schedule? Let us know because we have many suggestions for day trips that are only a short drive from our coastal bed and breakfast. We’re happy to share our favorite attractions in beautiful Maine with our guests.
Updates June 2022, March 2024