I am new to the saltwater world so I need some help. I want to catch some shrimp for my own consumption not for fishing. I was told to use a cast net when the shrimp were in.
My questions are:
When are they in, is it a certain time of the year?
Day or not?
Do I use bait to attract them?
Any help will greatly be appreciated... Thanks.
I was just talking to another guy in my building and he said to use cat food as bait for shrimp. Does that sound right or is he pulling my leg?
Full moon
Incoming tide
at night
in the spring
dip net and lantern
You can catch shrimp any day by pushing some type net small mesh through the grass beds but will never get enough to eat. Most will be small grass shrimp. The bigger shrimp come up out of the bottom at night on the incoming tide till just after it tops over going out. You can push at night just wouldn't advise doing it as they are fast and other things out at night. In the spring may and june all shrimp leave the bays to spawn out in 24fathoms of water never to return. Best time to be on any bridge with long handled dip net or cast net with latern and you can catch your limit most nights may to june 15th best on full moon and extra high tides. I ran my own shrimp boat for 9yrs every night during incoming tide with 12ft shrimp trawls and you have to run them down.
I've known people to catch shrimp in Choctaw Bay with cast nets. They'd take a can of cat or dog food, punch holes all over it with an icepick, tie a string to it and toss it out onto the grass flat in about knee deep water as the evening tide came in. They'd move down a ways and fish, drink beer for a couple hours, then after dark come back to where the can had been sitting and shine the light. If they saw a bunch of shrimp eyes they'd throw the net. Wait 15-20 minutes for things to settle down, shine the light, throw the net, etc. Might catch 2 or 3 dozen each throw, might catch nothing! Never any huge ones, but good for bait or to put in a gumbo or etouffee'.
