Shrimp! Anyone been out around here? I sorted out the crabbing last year, so I should probably get with the program and figure out the rules and gear for this. Good eating I hear? Strict rules that are well policed. I understand that Hood Canal is the place to go, but it's a circus out there for the few days it is open. Anyone been out and around lower Puget Sound?

WDFW email follows:

OLYMPIA - Sport fishing for spot shrimp opens May 5 in Puget Sound under seasons announced today by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

Shrimp fishing opportunities in various areas of Puget Sound will be similar to last year, although there is one change this season that was made to avoid an extreme minus tide, said Mark O'Toole, a shellfish biologist for WDFW.

Unlike previous years, the shrimp fishery will not reopen on the following Wednesday after the May 5 opener. Instead, the fishery will reopen in most areas on Friday, May 11.

"With such an extreme low tide on that Wednesday (May 9) it only made sense to shift the second day of fishing to Friday," O'Toole said. "We don't want to leave shrimpers stranded 100 feet from the boat ramp on a low afternoon tide."

In all areas of Puget Sound, fishers are limited to 80 spot shrimp per day. A valid 2012-13 fishing license is required to participate in the fishery.

O'Toole said he expects a strong turnout by shrimp fishers, especially on opening day. "Because this is such a popular fishery, boat ramps can get pretty crowded," he said. "As always, we ask that people be patient at the ramps and wait their turn."

Spot shrimp seasons for various areas of Puget Sound are:

Hood Canal Shrimp District (Marine Area 12): Open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on May 5, 11, 12 and 16.
Discovery Bay Shrimp District (Marine Area 6): Open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 5, 11, 12 and 16.
Marine areas 4 (east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5, 6 and 13 (excluding shrimp districts): Open daily beginning May 5 at 7 a.m. The spot shrimp season closes when the quota is attained or Sept. 15, whichever comes first. The exception is Marine Area 13, which closes for spot shrimp May 31.
Marine Area 7: Opens May 5 at 7 a.m. and will be open May 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19.
Marine areas 8, 9, 10 and 11: Open May 5 and May 11 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Additional dates and times will be announced for these areas if sufficient quota remains.

For a description of the marine areas and fishing rules, including regulations for coonstripe and pink shrimp fishing seasons, see WDFW's Recreational Shrimp Fishing website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/shrimp/ .

Guessing this requires a boat? No offshore stuff?

That's a good question, my colleague at work runs pots about 200' deep. So, I'm guessing so. There might be some dock access though, someone will know. I'm a newb.

Puss and Boots Catfood. Stock up now.

Anywhere from 150' to 400' in depth. We usually set out first pots in varied depth and then reset to whichever produced better for the second set.

Cat food as mentioned above is as good as or better then anything for bait. REMEMBER! you can only have 4 pots total per boat...regardless of how many are on the boat. And don't go over your limit...or get caught pulling your pot after the cutoff time...VERY expensive!

Yes, it requires a boat. In Hood Canal the shrimp are 200 to 300 feet deep. Unless you are young and dumb you also need a shrimp pot puller powered by a gas or electric engine.

That sounds like me, thanks for the info gents, will try and get organized. Will post closer to the time if I have boat space for those who want to come out.

You also need shrimp specific pots too.

A co-worker told me a story recently....

She and her boyfriend decided they wanted to try crabbing. They didn't know anything about it, but someone in their neighborhood had a pot in his front yard with a "FREE" sign on it. So of course my co-worker snatched it up, she and her boyfriend learned the basics of crabbing, and off they went.

No crabs.

They kept trying. People all around them were catching crabs....

No crabs.

So one day they were down by the docks with their pot. Somebody walked by, looked at the pot, and said, "Going shrimping?"

Classic! Yep, keeping an eye out on craigslist for used pots, have the rope, just need some yellow buoys. Might only buy one if I'm pulling it up from 400' by hand.

Remember to get at least 100-150 feet extra rope. Depending on the depth, tides and currents, your buoys can get pulled underwater if you don't have enough extra rope on them. We have lost pots that we dropped at 450 feet with 600 feet of rope on them. The tide change and current was strong enough that the buoys were pulled underwater when we went back to look for them. We thought someone had stolen them but someone contacted us a few days later saying they found them.

Here is a pic from the 2007 season.

Dont forget the mini webber and a bottle of coctail sauce!

Hood Canal shrimp just boiled in water and dipped in melted butter..............................I can eat several bounds of the stuff.

I just checked the seasons for Lower Puget Sound and they are alot longer than Hood Canal. That suggests to me that there are very few shrimp around here. Might have to try and make a Hood Canal trip. Thanks for all the info Gents.