Shrimping Puget Sound 2011

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localboy

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WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE Print Version
NEWS RELEASE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
________________________________________
April 07, 2011
Contact: Mark O’Toole, (360) 466-4345 ext. 241
Brandon Bryant, (360) 466-4345 ext. 247
Recreational shrimp fishery
opens May 7 in Puget Sound
OLYMPIA - Sport fishing for shrimp opens May 7 in Puget Sound, where resource managers are predicting another good season.
Test fisheries conducted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) have found an abundance of spot shrimp in most areas of the Sound, said Mark O’Toole, a shellfish biologist for the department.
"Fishing prospects in many areas are looking even better than last year," said O’Toole, noting that he expects a strong turnout by shrimp fishers - especially on opening day. "Some of the boat ramps can get pretty crowded, so we encourage fishers to be patient and wait their turn."
In all areas of Puget Sound, fishers are limited to 80 spot shrimp per day. A valid 2011-12 fishing license is required to participate in the fishery.
O’Toole said fishing seasons for various areas of Puget Sound are similar to last year, although fishing time was reduced by one day around the San Juan Islands where last year’s catch exceeded the area catch quota by 2,400 pounds.
In setting this year’s seasons, fishery managers tried to pay close attention to the tides, O’Toole said. "We really don’t want to leave any fisher stranded 100 feet from the boat ramp on a low afternoon tide," he said.
Fishing seasons for various areas of Puget Sound opening May 7 are:
• Hood Canal Shrimp District (Marine Area 12): Open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 7, 11, 14 and 25. Additional dates and times may be announced if sufficient quota remains.
• Discovery Bay Shrimp District (Marine Area 6): Open May 7, 11 and 14 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional dates and times will be announced if sufficient quota remains.
• Marine Areas 4 (east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5, 6 and 13 (excluding shrimp districts): Open daily beginning May 7 at 7 a.m. The spot shrimp season closes when quota is attained or Sept 15, whichever comes first, except for Marine Area 13, which closes for spot shrimp May 31.
• Marine Area 7: Opens May 7 at 7 a.m. and will be open May 11, 13, 14, 25 and 28. Additional dates and times will be announced if sufficient quota remains. The season for coonstripe and pink shrimp (with area and depth restrictions) runs daily from June 1 through Oct. 15.
• Marine Areas 8, 9, and 10: Open May 7 and May 11 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional dates and times will be announced if sufficient quota remains.
• Marine Area 11, extending from the northern tip of Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge: Open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 7 only.
 
For those of you who have shrimped The Sound or Alaska I have a question. How do you store your main line so it plays out smoothly and retrieval does not create a tangled mess? I have 400' of 5/16" leaded line per pot and w/ 2 pots that's a lot of line. It tends to twist, creating a bird's nest of loops.

Thanks for any ideas.
 
localboy":13nv7k2w said:
For those of you who have shrimped The Sound or Alaska I have a question. How do you store your main line so it plays out smoothly and retrieval does not create a tangled mess? I have 400' of 5/16" leaded line per pot and w/ 2 pots that's a lot of line. It tends to twist, creating a bird's nest of loops.

Thanks for any ideas.
Click to expand...

Mark,
Believe it or not, the best way to avoid tangles is to simply put it into a clothes basket (or similar) at random as you retrieve the pot. Don't try to wrap it around anything, don't try to make it into a nice bundle, just bring it in and put it into a large container. Don't step on, don't screw with it. If you do that it will re-deploy with no tangles, no bird's nest etc. It even works if you just let it fall where it may on the cockpit floor (as long as you don't step on it or kick it around or try to move it). Trying to coil up the line creates more problems than it's worth. The other approach which works well is to use something similar to a garden hose retriever. E.g. any large, horizontal, cylinder with a handle on the axis that can be used to retrieve the line will also work. I think (starcraft) Tom did something like that.
 
I use the big garden hose reel. It's a reel in a plastic box that you get at Home Depot or Lowe's. It'll handle enough line for 3 pots.

I don't think you need all that leaded line. I use 100' leaded line per pot, the other 200 feet is 1/4" nylon. I use stainless steel carbiners to connect them. I put the nylon down first, then the leaded. The leaded line keeps everything off the surface.

If you're going to shrimp around the San Juans, either pay very close attention to the slack tide period, or have a big round fender. Takes big balls to keep from losing your float in those currents, then having to come back 6 hours later during the next slack when it pops back up. I learned that the hard way. :oops:
 
Roger, a buddy of mine at work told me to use something similiar. He uses storage totes (Rubbermaid etc) and said he snakes the line in; back & forth. I tried it today in my driveway and got frustrated as it kept twisting. Perhaps if I play it all out and then pull it in it may not twist/tangle etc.
 
C-Dawg":1l88kejy said:
I use the big garden hose reel. It's a reel in a plastic box that you get at Home Depot or Lowe's. It'll handle enough line for 3 pots.

I don't think you need all that leaded line. I use 100' leaded line per pot, the other 200 feet is 1/4" nylon. I use stainless steel carbiners to connect them. I put the nylon down first, then the leaded. The leaded line keeps everything off the surface.

If you're going to shrimp around the San Juans, either pay very close attention to the slack tide period, or have a big round fender. Takes big balls to keep from losing your float in those currents, then having to come back 6 hours later during the next slack when it pops back up. I learned that the hard way. :oops:
Click to expand...

I use smaller ones for my crab gear, but that's 100' vs. 400'. I've heard of using other types of line towards the pot end; even floating poly line to keep the line off the bottom. :idea I'll have to try this out and see. This is all new to me and this is the first yr we're giving this a try.

I'm using good sized round fenders as an additional float; ~70 lbs of flotation each & ~2.5' diameter. I lost a crab pot under similiar circumstances; the current pulled the small red/white float under :x . I got it back but...lesson learned.

MAHALO guys. I'll try the Rubbermaid tubs, put the line in and I WON'T mess w/ it as Roger advises.
 
The good thing about clothes baskets (relative to tubs) is that they are naturally ventilated and don't hold much water. Drill a few holes in the bottom and they don't hold hardly any water at all.
 
I have been using the cheap hose reel from walmart for 4 years. works great. goes out fast and clean. when you bring it in you just hook to the reel and have some one reel it on as you bring up the line. no line on the deck and no tubs taking up room.

a tip for crab pots is to just leave the float and line in the water as you check the pot and rebait. I pick up the float and and line and throw the float out to trail behind the boat as I pull up the pot and rebait. Then toss the pot in and let the line slide thru your hands as the pot drops back down and hits bottom then let go and move on to the next pot. not line in the boat to trip on.
 
Another nice thing about the big hose reel is that it's a great way to store your line between trips. I usually fish 3 pots, and I can fit all three lines on my reel at one time, linked together. Cuts down on clutter in the cockpit and even provides a place to sit while rippin' heads off shrimpies.
 
The major problem with the hose reel idea is that it doesn't work very well if you are working solo. You need one person to crank the line in while the other person tends the pot puller. The clothes basket idea works with one person and several can be stacked -- harder to do with hose reels.

All that said, I have been toying with the idea of a removable reel mounted with a V-bracket (forget the name) near the pot puller. The idea is to keep it off the cockpit floor.

Warren
 
Doryman":2jgavihx said:
The major problem with the hose reel idea is that it doesn't work very well if you are working solo. You need one person to crank the line in while the other person tends the pot puller. Warren
Click to expand...

...and the problem with a bikini clad wench is.......?.... :roll:
 
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