Shrimp make for a tasty and versatile ingredient that can be used in many delicious recipes. But buying shrimp at the grocery store can get expensive. Learning how to catch your own shrimp is a fun outdoor activity that can help you save money on buying shrimp at the store. In this complete guide, I’ll teach you everything you need to know as a beginner about how to fish for shrimp.
Getting Started with Shrimp Fishing Equipment
To get started fishing for shrimp, you’ll need to purchase some basic equipment and supplies:
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Cast Net: This specially designed net with weights around the edges is ideal for catching shrimp. Look for a net with 3/16 to 1/4 inch mesh size to catch shrimp effectively.
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Bait You’ll need some type of fish bait or chum to attract the shrimp to your location. Popular options include dead fish, squid or crab.
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Shrimp Pot: This wire cage contains a trap door to catch shrimp once they swim inside to reach the bait. Attach weights to sink the pot.
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Line and Float: Use a lead core weighted line to connect the shrimp pot to a visible floater on the surface so you can locate it.
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Cooler and Ice Store your caught shrimp in a cooler on ice to keep them fresh,
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Bait Poles (optional): Mark PVC pipes with reflective tape to place bait balls and cast your net around.
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Shrimping License: Research your state’s regulations and acquire the proper permits and licenses.
Choosing the Best Locations and Conditions
Not all spots are ideal when fishing for shrimp. Focus your efforts in these prime shrimp fishing locations:
- Ocean Shores and Beaches
- Rivers, Creeks, and Estuaries
- Bays and Inlets
- Lakes and Lagoons
Aim to fish when the tide is low to catch shrimp in shallow intertidal zones. Look for clear water to find pink shrimp or murky, deeper water for brown shrimp. Check tidal charts to schedule shrimping trips during the lowest tides, especially full moons.
Using a Cast Net to Catch Shrimp
One of the most popular techniques for catching shrimp is using a cast net:
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Prepare bait balls by mixing fish bait and clay then flatten into patties.
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Place bait poles according to regulations on distance between each.
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Toss the cast net from your boat towards the baited areas.
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Let it sink before pulling the rope to close the net around shrimp.
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Gently retrieve the net and place caught shrimp in a cooler.
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Repeat casting around bait poles as they dissolve to attract more shrimp.
It takes practice to master tossing a cast net. Try test throws on land first before taking your net shrimp fishing.
Shrimp Fishing with Pots
For large shrimp hauls, shrimp pots are extremely effective:
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Weigh down the pot and attach a visible floater to mark its spot.
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Bait the pot interior to lure shrimp inside through the trap door.
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Lower the baited pot off your boat in a promising shrimp area.
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Let the pot soak overnight or up to a few days.
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Return to the marked floaters and hoist up the pots.
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Gather the trapped shrimp from inside the pots.
Make sure to follow regulations on the number of pots allowed per fisherman as well as proper identification tagging.
Vital Shrimp Fishing Tips
Keep these key tips in mind when heading out to fish for shrimp:
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Obtain all proper licenses, permits, tags well before the season opens.
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Bring more bait than you think you’ll need. It goes quickly!
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Leave pots to soak at least overnight, longer is often better.
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Check local tidal conditions for best fishing times.
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Follow all size and catch limits for legal harvesting.
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Use an ice-filled cooler to keep shrimp fresh until cleaning/cooking.
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Be mindful of boating safety and weather conditions.
Enjoy Your Freshly Caught Shrimp
Now that you’ve learned the basics of how to catch shrimp, it’s time to put your new skills to work. Arm yourself with the right gear, locate the top fishing spots, and utilize the best techniques shown above. In no time, you’ll be sailing home with an ice-filled cooler full of delicious, fresh-caught shrimp ready for your next seafood feast or meal!
Common Types of Shrimp & Where to Find Them
There are hundreds of varieties of shrimp throughout the world, but here are the three most common in the southern USA coastal areas:
- Brown Shrimp: These shrimp are reddish-brown and like water that is shallow and muddy. As they get bigger, they move to deeper water.
- Shrimp that are light gray and like warm, shallow, muddy water are called white shrimp.
- Pink Shrimp: These shrimp stay in muddy estuaries in the winter and move out to deeper water in the summer. Their name comes from the color of their meat.
Where and when you can catch shrimp may depend on your state’s shrimping season and licensing requirements. But, in general, spring and summer tend to be the most popular times. During the day, shrimp swim deep underwater, but they come close to the surface after dark.
How to Find and Catch Shrimp
Shrimp are tasty, can be found in many places, and can be caught in a number of different ways. They are also great bait for catching other types of fish. All that variety makes them a great catch for sure!.
It’s important to remember, though, that most states have rules about how to catch shrimp, such as what gear you can use with or without a license and how much of your catch you can keep.
Rigging Live Shrimp In The Head vs. Tail (Best Way To Rig Shrimp)
How do you fish for shrimp?
For shrimp, use nets with a mesh size opening of 3/16 to 1/4 inches across. Prepare shrimp baiting poles to cast your net around. You can make these by taking a several foot long PVC pipe with a 1-inch diameter, and securing a metal pole into one side of it.
Can I eat raw shrimp?
Eating raw shrimp is not recommended. Raw shrimp can contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning. It is also a good source of purines, which can trigger gout attacks. If you want to eat shrimp, cook it thoroughly to reduce the risk of food poisoning and to help prevent gout attacks. Cook shrimp until it is opaque and pink to ensure that it is safe to eat.
How do I choose the best shrimp for inshore fishing?
First, consider the size of the shrimp. In general, smaller shrimp work best for inshore fishing as they are more natural prey for the fish you’re targeting. Look for shrimp that are around 2-3 inches in length. If you’re able to get your hands on live shrimp, they can be an excellent choice for inshore fishing.
What kind of fish can you catch with a shrimp?
Black drum, bonefish, flounder, grouper, jackfish, pompano, redfish, snook, sea trout, sheepshead, tarpon, and whiting are among the species you can catch with this crustacean. There are also a number of ways to hook a shrimp, depending on whether you’re fishing it live or dead and how you’re presenting it.