Seeking fishing/shrimping info

[gasman]

Resently I have made the decision to purchase a new boat and I am looking to get back in to fishing the salt more. I grew up on the sound but after many years of not having a boat, this year I am back 

Looking on info on areas to Ling Cod and Shrimp in the sound, north and south 

I have never shrimped before but I am looking to do it this year (regs permitted) and I really dont have any idea to start  so any help on where to go would be helpful 

Same goes for lingcod. It has just been to many years since I have been out in my own boat, I feel like I am learning all over again 

Looking to explore during the off season and to have a game plan before the season starts 
I plan on getting out on the sound and just cruising around and looking at the GPS and maps for possible places to fish and shrimp  and maybe a butt or two 

Any help for a ReNewbie boater/fisherman would be greatly appreciated 


I will go in to more detail on my boat purchase after I get the boat and post pic.  and I will say this thou, I decided to name the boat
"Dad's Dream" (more story to come)


Thanks again 

Pete
AKA Gasman

[hiway_99]

Pm when you get your boat.

Sent from my RM-860_nam_usa_100 using Tapatalk

[snowpack]

Hood Canal is good for shrimp.  Can usually get you limits in less time than it takes for the boat to get out to the spot.  Boat ramp traffic is horrible.  There was recently an oily water spill that closed down shellfish in a few parts, but it might be open and fine by the time shrimping opens.

[Mfowl]

Get yourself some charts of Puget Sound or John Martinis' book "Saltwater Fishing Journal." Both will show you the contoures of the bottom and give you ideas where to shrimp. Martinis' book spells out several of the popular spots as well as how to's for both shrimp and lingcod. I have found through charts that you don't need to be where the crowds are to have good shrimping and I believe that you will do better since your not competing against so many other pots. I fish spots that are on a steep slope in 250-330' on the down current side of a point or a bank. These spots change depending on the tides. As for lingcod I don't know much about them. I've caught a few in the Sound but I don't try that much. A good chart plotter/GPS on your boat will show underwater obstructions, shipwrecks and such. Have fun in the new boat, shrimping is one of my favorite activities on the water. Too bad its only a couple days in the Sound.

[gasman]

Get yourself some charts of Puget Sound or John Martinis' book "Saltwater Fishing Journal." Both will show you the contoures of the bottom and give you ideas where to shrimp. Martinis' book spells out several of the popular spots as well as how to's for both shrimp and lingcod. I have found through charts that you don't need to be where the crowds are to have good shrimping and I believe that you will do better since your not competing against so many other pots. I fish spots that are on a steep slope in 250-330' on the down current side of a point or a bank. These spots change depending on the tides. As for lingcod I don't know much about them. I've caught a few in the Sound but I don't try that much. A good chart plotter/GPS on your boat will show underwater obstructions, shipwrecks and such. Have fun in the new boat, shrimping is one of my favorite activities on the water. Too bad its only a couple days in the Sound.

I picked up the book you suggested 
I have seen it before but now I own it. The only bad thing about it is it concentrates on the North Sound area. that's OK, but being in Tacoma, the South Sound is more my back yards.

I do have some maps of the Sound, North and South and have studied them a lot the last year or two but getting the boat is whats going to make the difference for me to get back out there 

I was comparing the spots in the book for shrimp in the North Sound to a contour map of the same area, and your right, it does suggest areas in the 250' range on down ward slopes for Shrimp, but my question on that is,
DOES THE SAME LOGIC APPLY EVERY WHERE IN THE SOUND FOR SHRIMP   

If it does, then I have spotted areas around the South sound that meet the same criteria, and they would also hold shrimp?
Does it matter on what kind of bottom surface for Shrimp? (Sandy or Rocky bottoms)

As for Ling cod, I have looked for structure and reefs on these maps and have spotted some potential areas to try 

[Mfowl]

In my experience the same logic does apply. I've shrimped from Vashon Island up to Edmonds and I targeted the same type of bottom contours and did well in all areas. There is good shrimping to be had on the east side of Vashon but there will be crowds as well. I like to target a hard bottom or rocky bottom. I have caught shrimp with mud coming up on the pots but I do better in the hard bottom areas. A pot puller is a necessity! I have seen guys out there hand lining pots but in order to be efficient you'll need a pot puller. Whether electric or gas powered. I use a gas powered with a 4hp Honda motor. It is fast and reliable. Downside is it is big and takes up a lot of room on the boat. I can't use it for pulling crab pots during salmon season. The Ace Linehauler is the most popular and though its considerably slower than gas it is small and can be stowed away in your boat to be used for pulling crab pots during salmon season. It mounts on a downrigger mount and will plug in to an electric downrigger plug. There is a nice Ace Linehauler for sale right now on Gamefishin.com in the classifieds section. Watch Craigslist for deals on shrimping/pot puller set ups. They usually start popping up as the season approaches. If you buy new shrimp pots they need to be "seasoned." The new plastic coating will give off a chemical scent that the shrimp don't like. Let them sit in the rain/outside for a while before you go out or take them out and sink them in deep water. The pressure will cause them to "off gas" and then they'll be ready to fish. Weight them down (20-30lbs) will keep them in place in the tides. Use the lead line (400') as the excess will sink instead of float on the surface and potentially get caught in a prop and severed. Also put a tag line on your buoys with an additional float. 1 yellow buoy won't stay on the surface in heavy tides. I use a buoy staff with 2 floats/pot and then I attach about 30' of line and add another buoy to that. That way if your initial buoys get pulled under you still have a secondary to get ahold of. Outdoor Emporium puts on a good shrimp seminar towards the end of April and they have a bunch of pots and stuff they raffle off through out it. I would suggest checking that out too! It seems like a lot goes into it for just a couple days out of the year but once you have your set up it will last you for years to come. Plus its a ton of fun and worth it!

[wildmanoutdoors]

Shrimping is easy you will find!
Enjoy your time and when you get discouraged in the Salmon and Ling fishing head North!

[gasman]

Well just being back on the water will be the biggest thrill for me 

Dont think I will be getting a pot puller this year but it is on my list of things to get, besides, I have the son-in-law as a pot puller.... he want to go out with me fishing, he has to earn his place in the boat 



And with the new boat, it will give me the freedom to explore more and bigger waters 

[gasman]

New boat is good  season is set, and next week I am picking up a pot or two 

Built my self a Boom with a snatch block on the end, and boom mounts to my Scotty Down rigger plate. One more piece and a little welding ant iwll be done. I will post pic once its complete 

[Mfowl]

Outdoor Emporium is having a shrimp/crab/bottom fishing seminar tomorrow (Sat) from 10-3 if your interested. Good info on rigging and places to go. Also raffle prizes.

[gasman]

Outdoor Emporium is having a shrimp/crab/bottom fishing seminar tomorrow (Sat) from 10-3 if your interested. Good info on rigging and places to go. Also raffle prizes.

Sounds cool but wont be able to make it up to Seattle tomorrow. If it was at Sportco, then maybe 

[rasbo]

pleasant harbor hood canal 3oo feet of water,you will see all the boats...