Shrimping

[Phineas Gage]

Not sure if this is the right spot to ask this, but...

I'd be interested in hearing how folks catch shrimp. The few times I've tried to just so much as touch one of those bugs it was obvious they are not sitting ducks by any stretch. Like trying to swat a fly with your hand, no matter how slowly you sneak up on it that last 1/2" is always futile.

How is it done? Is it a different game at night? Perhaps blinded by lights, they are slower to react?
Do you use a small net or something?
Or is it just a lot of practice and honing of the thumb and index finger? (seems impossible)

Thanks in advance, and I hope I haven't set off an "evils of hunting" discussion by asking this.
'cause to be perfectly honest, come July 2 @ 7am, the crabs are going to get a visit too.

[Jeff Kruse]

Since I moved to Puerto Rico this year I have not kept track of when shrimp season opens. Rob Holman and I would go every day it was open. That was easy to do because it was only open for 5 or so days. It was so much fun. We always had a great time. Contact Rob for more information.

Best place we found to go was the Muckilteo boat launch. We would go in around 9 or 10 pm. The shrimp are down deep in the day and move up shallower at night. Sometimes we would have to hit 170' just to start getting in the thick of them. Most times we would stick to 150' and do quite well. If I recall correctly we always caught our limits of 80 each. But before our tech diving days we would always do well at the Tdock and not go deeper than 100'.

The best way I found to catch them was to use the widest opening catchbag you can find. The bigger the opening the better you will do. I would simply open the bag and put it BEHIND the shrimp then close the bag on top of the shrimp. It would hop backwards into the bag.

Good luck and have fun!

[Phineas Gage]

Thanks Jeff.

I would simply open the bag and put it BEHIND the shrimp then close the bag on top of the shrimp. It would hop backwards into the bag.

And the ones already in the bag wouldn't escape when doing this?
(not to imply anything about shrimp intelligence, just seems like once the bag became relatively full...)

[Jeff Kruse]

I used a mesh bag. Every few shrimp you catch pull the bag up with a quick jerk. The shrimp will entangle with each other at the bottom of the bag. If you get good and fill the bag then yes sometimes you loose more than you catch! But the bag realy has to get full for that to happen.

[Kirby]

I like to shine my light in their little eyes, then slowwlllly ever so sllllloooowwwwly close my hand around them from behind until you have them nearly encircled, then GRAB. If you miss the first grab, they usually jump back and are easier to catch on the second try for some reason. Kind of like swatting flies, takes a little practice. Great fun at 150 feet on air. Just remember to not lose track of your bottom time. I have found very nice little groups at this depth in the Tacoma area. I just catch and release for entertainment so don't have issues with a full bag anyway.

Kirby

[Maverick]

I use a spear gun

[Chevayea]

Those cute little butterfly nets t(the kind you get for kids) work great too. The mesh is usually pretty small so they don't get entangled. Shine your light on them and put the net behind them then tap them in the nose with your light. They'll hop right into the net. Once you have a few in the net you can transfer them into your catch bag.

Your best bet is at night when they all come out. Plus you can see their beady 'lil eyes reflecting in the dark which makes it easier to locate them.

[Sounder]

In the shrimping I've seen and heard of, the divers had to be at technical depths at night to find enough of them to make it worth the trip. They were running large volume doubles with trimix. Generally the rule is that, unlike crabbing on air or nitrox, shrimping isn't cost-effective due to the price of helium. The EXPERIENCE, however, seemed to be more than worth it. Not being a techie myself (yet), I wasn't with them but the description of their dive was great fun to listen to.

[bob]

The best way is to use a angelfood cake cutter looks like a comb. they come with spikes. you need to grind those down then grind nubs like little knifes so there little blades put a string so you dont lose it . approach shrimp and take little swipes at them should do well i can send a pic if needed have fun

[Grateful Diver]

Anybody know when shrimping season opens?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Phineas Gage]

Anybody know when shrimping season opens?

I believe, for divers collecting by hand, it's already closed. If I'm interpreting the game regs correctly, it was open during the month of May for our specific means of collection:

MARINE AREAS 8, 9, 10, and 11
ALL SPECIES
Opens the 1st Saturday in May at 7:00 a.m. Closes when quota is attained or May 31, whichever
comes first. Open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays only.
Marine Area 11 open one day only -- May 3. In Marine Area 8-2 only, it is lawful for divers to
take shrimp by hand or hand-held device from 7:00 p.m. until midnight on any open day in May.
COONSTRIPE and PINK
June 1 - October 15, Marine Areas 8, 9, and 11 are open daily for COONSTRIPE AND PINK with
a 150' maximum fishing depth restriction. All SPOT SHRIMP caught must be returned to the water
immediately. Marine Area 10 will remain closed after SPOT SHRIMP quota is taken.

[CaptnJack]

Yeah its just a few days every year (in May). Area 8-2 only for scuba, basically Mukilteo State Park and T dock (not really deep enough here)