# Shrmping



## cosson17 (Jun 13, 2009)

Hows the shrimping in Bon Secure Bay. I pulled a 16' net in Wolfs bay last week and caught some medium size. Didn't fill the boat, but did ok.


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## Jighead (Feb 11, 2009)

I may be wrong but I thought the season was still closed except for bait shrimping areasand an area around the mouth of Mobile Bay?


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## twinbill (Dec 27, 2007)

Shrimping is closed in Alabama. The only part that is open to shrimping is down at Fort Morgan and that is around the ship channel. Check theweb site before you go they willopen and close itwithout warning.


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## Jighead (Feb 11, 2009)

http://www.outdoorsalabama.com/fishing/saltwater/Shrimping.pdf


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## cosson17 (Jun 13, 2009)

Thanks for the info. I was pulling in the bait area at wolf bay, but I thought the anouncement of areas opening on June 6th opened it all up. It did seem strange to be opening on a Friday. Usually it is always on a Wednesday. There were quite a few other people pulling and several large boats out of the bait area. I guess they were confused on the partial opening as I was. Thanks again.


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## twinbill (Dec 27, 2007)

Yes you can keep one gallon of shrimp from a bait area with a recrational liscense. I called the marine resource in Gulf Shores today and they said they do not know when the bay will open. They did a sample on the 15th and the shrimp were to small. They did not know when they would pull another sample.


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## onoahi (Oct 5, 2007)

You were right in front of my house. It is closed unless you have a bait license, and it is being enforced by al marine police.

At least 10 boats a day are doing it so don't feel bad.


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## Jighead (Feb 11, 2009)

Is this average or late for the opening of shrimping? If it's late, does this mean most of the brown shrimp will have already moved into the gulf?


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## onoahi (Oct 5, 2007)

It was open in ealry May and they've since closed it. Shrimp are still abundant, caughta fewin my cast net last night.


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## Orangebeach28 (Jun 3, 2009)

I'm anxiously awaiting shrimp season opening. Are you telling me that "at least 10 boats a day" are shrimping wolf bay? That's my favorite spot. I can't believe they aren't getting ticketed. I know there is a "live bait" shrimping area on the West side, but that's pretty amazing people are shrimping. I have to believe the fine is pretty steep!


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## CurtisJet (Jan 22, 2009)

I drove 5 hours this past weekend to go shrimping, hopefully in Wolf Bay. Had my license and all my gear ready, just taking a chance that the season would open. It didn't, so I didn't. I stayed on the beach and surf fished instead. I wasn't about to go if the season wasn't open, that bugs me that others are still going. I'm not gonna hope something bad happens to them, but I sure wish everyone would just play by the rules. My next opportunity will be 2nd weekend in July, hopefully we can still catch some!


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## onoahi (Oct 5, 2007)

I watch ski boats, bass boats, pontoon boats and cc shrimp all day long. The bait guys have different equipment(ie better) and are easily recognizable plus they shrimp early. I have seen AMP on a boat once. Right now the focus is on the snapper fishing and the back bays aren't getting much patroling. I assume most of it is ignorance and not people simply saying screw it, but it is widespread right now.


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## fred (Dec 28, 2008)

> *CurtisJet (6/17/2009)*I drove 5 hours this past weekend to go shrimping, hopefully in Wolf Bay. Had my license and all my gear ready, just taking a chance that the season would open. It didn't, so I didn't. I stayed on the beach and surf fished instead. I wasn't about to go if the season wasn't open, that bugs me that others are still going. I'm not gonna hope something bad happens to them, but I sure wish everyone would just play by the rules. My next opportunity will be 2nd weekend in July, hopefully we can still catch some!


I'm with you on being bugged - that needs to be stopped. My window of shrimping availability lasts until this Sunday, then I'm tied up until early July.

As far as the guys who are breaking the rules, it is my understanding that most of the larger shrimp are transiting slowly to the Gulf. The lack of shrimp later in the season is less a matter of how many have been caught in the bay than how many are left tomove to the Gulf after reaching a size where they can survive there. The guys breaking the rules will have more effect onnext years crop and what is available to the Gulf Shrimpers.

http://www.mobilebaynep.com/site/news_pubs/news/Documents/State%20of%20Bay%20Report/shrimp.pdf



> <P align=left>When estuarine shrimp range from 3 - 4 inches long (131 to 58 count) they begin<P align=left>their journey offshore. Adult brown shrimp prefer saltier water and will migrate about 20
> 
> miles offshore were they will spawn and complete their life cycle.





> <P align=left>To open waters to shrimping, biologists continue to sample throughout May and<P align=left>early June. These data are used to create a growth curve. Like most animals, younger<P align=left>shrimp grow more quickly than older ones resulting in a growth pattern that begins<P align=left>rapidly then decreases; a curve. The regularity of their growth is predictable and the use<P align=left>of actual sample data will factor in any weather induced changes, competition or food<P align=left>supply. Using the growth curve, the number of days until shrimp become 68 count is<P align=left>predicted. Initially, the day predicted for legal sized shrimp is fairly rough but with each<P align=left>additional sample, the predicted for opening day is fine tuned. This method allows the<P align=left>Marine Resources Division to announce the initial brown shrimp opening between one<P align=left>and two weeks in advance. Advanced notice permits all interested fishermen to prepare
> 
> their gear.


Since they have not even issued a prediction yet I think it is likely it will be a week or more before season opens.


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## Weaver Brown (Jun 26, 2008)

I've heard of people baiting a grass bed for shrimp with a mixture of menhaden oil and dry cat foot. Wait awhile then throw the cast net. Is that true??


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## fred (Dec 28, 2008)

> *Weaver Brown (6/17/2009)*I've heard of people baiting a grass bed for shrimp with a mixture of menhaden oil and dry cat foot. Wait awhile then throw the cast net. Is that true??


Yes. Others use different baits like mixed cottonseed cake and ground beef. You stickpoles up in the grass to mark your multiple baits (off to the side) and work them in succession. Done mainly at night. You can find a good bit about it on the net, there are even websites dedicated to the "sport".

It's done more in Florida and the East coast because drag nets are allowed in the Gulf from Alabama west.


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## onoahi (Oct 5, 2007)

Just talked to Consv. Dept. Today's sample was still too small and they will test again next week.


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## Coryphaena (Oct 2, 2007)

Attached is the most current release. Our samplers will be out again Monday morning.


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## cosson17 (Jun 13, 2009)

This is very late for the season to have not open. Usually by the 2nd or 3rd Wed. at latest. As of today it looks like 1st of July. The shrimp I caught in the bait area lately are getting smaller and hardly any there. I hopethe main crop hasn't left the bays.The shrimp where bigger the 1st of the month. With so much rain this spring, it might be a bad year.


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