Shrimping changes?!

[Mfowl]

I see that basically all of Puget Sound is 7-11AM only with some minor exceptions on Saturday May 5th. I don't understand why the time to fish is cut in half on the one day we get. When you consider the crowds and effort it takes just to get on and off the water it hardly seems worth it. I am really unhappy about this change. If we only get one day, we should atleast get a decent window to fish. So lame!   

[gasman]

Small quota numbers   

I started dropping pots out when hali fishing and getting limits in single pull, or darn close to it. No crowds, only shrimp pots around..... 

[WAcoueshunter]

Small quota numbers   

...or maybe it's the thousands of people catching their 80 shrimp apiece.  Kinda unbelievable what shrimping in the Sound has become over the last 10-15 years. 

[Stein]

Yeah, every year more people.  When I moved to Arlington in 2004, I was the only guy that dropped pots at Kayak Point.  We had a 12' boat, so we fished about 100 yards right off the beach.  There were maybe 2-3 other boats that launched there but they all ran way south.  The trailer lot was maybe half full.

Last year was my final year there, there was a huge line waiting for the gate to open at 7 and a sea of yellow everywhere we wanted to fish.  The numbers of shrimp per pot were down probably 80% and we ended up bugging out and fishing elsewhere to pick up our limit.

In four hours, it will start becoming even worse of a nightmare as far as crowds.  Unfortunately, I don't see much of a solution other than shutting it down and letting it at least recover which would not be fun either.

[Encore 280]

Saw one of the commercial boats on a trailer today loaded down with shrimp pots. If it's like crabbing the commercial guys will get first crack on 'em before the sport guys.

[Mfowl]

Saw one of the commercial boats on a trailer today loaded down with shrimp pots. If it's like crabbing the commercial guys will get first crack on 'em before the sport guys.

May have been Tribal, they go first. Sports second and then the Commercials start June 1st until they reach their quota or Mid September.

"In four hours, it will start becoming even worse of a nightmare as far as crowds.  Unfortunately, I don't see much of a solution other than shutting it down and letting it at least recover which would not be fun either."

Commercial interest was pushed out of Puget Sound to the Strait and W San Juans several years back in order to "boost" the sport fishery. We haven't had anything resembling that yet. Just the same season now reduced to not being worth the effort.  I don't see how 1 full day of shrimping is going to decimate the Sound population. They don't just exist where the crowds fish, those are just the known spots.

[WAcoueshunter]

Think of shrimp in hunting terms. With everyone and their great grandma out, and the entire annual season down to four hours, next step is a draw.

[Dmulcahy]

Hard to believe what they did with Area 6. Only four 8 hour days. Last year half way through the season they opened it up to double limits. The area between mukilteo/Clinton ferry run was scatter bombed with pots yesterday.

[Stein]

Saw one of the commercial boats on a trailer today loaded down with shrimp pots. If it's like crabbing the commercial guys will get first crack on 'em before the sport guys.

May have been Tribal, they go first. Sports second and then the Commercials start June 1st until they reach their quota or Mid September.

"In four hours, it will start becoming even worse of a nightmare as far as crowds.  Unfortunately, I don't see much of a solution other than shutting it down and letting it at least recover which would not be fun either."

Commercial interest was pushed out of Puget Sound to the Strait and W San Juans several years back in order to "boost" the sport fishery. We haven't had anything resembling that yet. Just the same season now reduced to not being worth the effort.  I don't see how 1 full day of shrimping is going to decimate the Sound population. They don't just exist where the crowds fish, those are just the known spots.

If commercials were in the Sound, we would probably have a 10 minute season.  There are only so many shrimp to go around, more and more boats and they are ridiculously easy to catch.  That makes for a bad combination.  I don't think it matters where you get them in the MA, there is a fixed quote for each area and the more people out, the quicker it goes.

[knighttime25]

Hard to believe what they did with Area 6. Only four 8 hour days. Last year half way through the season they opened it up to double limits. The area between mukilteo/Clinton ferry run was scatter bombed with pots yesterday.

Discovery Bay in area 6 is the one limited to four 8 hour days. Eastern straight of Juan De Fuca area 6 is open daily starting May 5th

[h2ofowlr]

Starting to sound like smelt season on the Cowlitz.  Unfortunately they didn't even open it this year.

[Dmulcahy]

Hard to believe what they did with Area 6. Only four 8 hour days. Last year half way through the season they opened it up to double limits. The area between mukilteo/Clinton ferry run was scatter bombed with pots yesterday.

Discovery Bay in area 6 is the one limited to four 8 hour days. Eastern straight of Juan De Fuca area 6 is open daily starting May 5th

Just looked it up. You are correct 

[Switchback]

So are these seasons the only ones for all shrimp? I can't tell if it's the only time for spot shrimp, or the only time for all shrimp. Or starting June 1 can we try for coonstripe shrimp in the sound?

[acrocker]

Has anyone done much fishing for the coonstripe shrimp? I see them while out diving, but the one time I tried for them I got nada. And I lost a pot after my carabiner didn't clip closed when I attached my line to it - tossed the pot out and watched it as it sank thinking, "There's something missing here.. Oh, yeah - the line...."

I had just bought the pot to use for coonstripes, so I got zero use out of that one. The other pot I bought I also caught nothing. Although in hindsight, the one I tossed into 150 feet of water was probably LOADED with shrimp at the end of the day.

[SpringerFan]

Yea....you all should not go.