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Post by fishman on Jul 29, 2023 7:19:46 GMT -5
Any keeper size shrimp being caught in the St Johns? Mandarin to Palatka?
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Post by bswiv on Jul 29, 2023 9:35:10 GMT -5
Any keeper size shrimp being caught in the St Johns? Mandarin to Palatka? We had maybe 2-3 % last week that could conceivably be characterized as eaters....if you were desperate. If you go try it, definitely use a 5/8 mesh rather than a 3/8 and shake it a good bit on the bottom before starting to tuck it so as to let the tiny ones escape and grow. Got to remember that small white shrimp do not survive much handling.... especially when the water and air are very warm. |
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Post by bswiv on Jul 30, 2023 7:08:57 GMT -5
And here is a bit of a update to what I posted yesterday afternoon...........
As it was getting dark here in Fruit Cove last evening it seemed a good plan to wander out on the dock and toss the net a few times, no bait.....just toss the net. When we're having a good shrimp run they'll be enough to where you'll catch one or two now and again off our dock without bait so it's a relevant test to do so with no bait.
First off......a bad thing. Small ladyfish.....lots of them! Soon as those things move into the river fishing with live bait can become miserable. Them, pinfish and saltwater cats can get so thick to where catching one of the many good fish that are out there becomes difficult.
So the shrimp......most in one cast, 6. And in that net a keeper sized croaker. A couple of casts with none, most with 2-3. And this was with there still being enough light to where I could see them on the dock without lights. And it was not just at the ends in 5 feet of water but also up shallow.
Size......maybe one of them was sort'a, kind'a, maybe, possibly, if you were really desperate for a shrimp to eat.....well.....it may have worked. All of them would have looked good on a hook!
Give 'em a little time. Go fishing now and keep the freezer space open for the end of August into September......and even then do not go at them with the 3/8 mesh as there should be plenty of good ones and the 5/8, or even a 3/4 will do the culling work for you.
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