Shrimping on the St John's River

The annual shrimp run on the St. John's River usually begins in July, peaks in August, and sometimes continues through September, with the shrimp getting bigger in the later months. Most recreational shrimpers work out of Green Cove Springs or Palatka, depending on just where the big schools of shrimp have been found. You have a choice of (1) staying cool (and staying up late) by casting your net into shallow water over baited sites at night or (2) sweating a lot, doing away with the messy bait, and getting home at a reasonable hour by throwing your net into deeper waters during the daytime. Either way it's lots of fun, and both methods are very productive when the shrimp run is at its peak. Up-to-date information about just where the shrimp are running in the St. Johns can be obtained by calling The Tackle Box in Palatka (904-328-9311). I think they have another store in Gainesville that also may have info. The folks at the Palatka store may have the more timely information since they are at the center of the St. Johns shrimp run.

Night Shrimping has the advantage of taking you out from under a fiery sun and putting you on the river during the cool evening hours. After nightfall, shrimp come up out of the deep river channel onto the shallow (3 feet deep) grassy flats to feed. Because the shrimp can spread out over a considerable area of grass flats, it's necessary to attract the shrimp to your boat with a light and bait. A typical bait is a mixture of rock salt, flour, and shrimp meal made into meatball-sized patties. Mix them moist, and let them bake in the sun, or in a low temp oven if you are in a hurry. Most people use a Coleman lantern or its equivalent for a light source. Bugs are an issue, so bring lots of bug spray.

Go out onto the river at dusk and pick out a shallow, grassy spot. I have had success running straight across the river from the Governor's creek boat ramp in Green Cove Springs. Best not done in a tiny boat, as the St. Johns can be angry under the right conditions. If you are not sure where to go, inquire at local bait shops or the place where you buy the fixings for your shrimp bait, such as the Ace Hardware in Green Cove Springs. Alternatively, look for other boats anchoring up and putting out lights. Once you find a spot, anchor up very securely so that your boat will not swing off the baited site. Two anchors, bow and stern, often are necessary.

As soon as it starts to get dark, hang your light so it shines on the water. Then throw out a dozen or so baits all around your boat not any further away than you can throw a cast net. Periodically make test casts until a shrimp or two appears in your net, indicating that the evening run has started. Continue with frequent casts, pausing only occasionally to re-bait your site, until you have your limit, it's well after midnight, or you are exhausted!

Now all you have left to do is find the boat ramp somewhere on the far side of a dark river, drive home at some awful hour, and clean 5 gallons of shrimp. Loran or GPS makes quick work of the first task. Bring Mountain Dew, or Dew equivalent for the second.

During the day shrimp concentrate in the deep river channels in nearly 20 feet of water. Often the schools can be spotted with a good quality fish finder, but since I don't have one, I would look for a gathering of boats whose occupants are crazy enough to repeatedly throw cast nets in the heat of the day! Often you can see this fleet at work as you cross the Highway 17 bridge in Palataka.

The secret to catching daytime shrimp, after you have located them, is to have modified your cast net so that it opens fully while sinking to depths of 20 feet. This means two modifications: (1) extending the length of the retrieval line so the net will reach bottom without being pulled closed and (2) applying duct tape or lawn furniture webbing to the net, just inside the lead line, to cause it to fan open as it sinks. Once you have done this and have located the shrimping fleet, drift along the edge of the river channel in about 20 feet of water while watching your fish finder and periodically making test casts. When you start to bring up shrimp in your net, have at it! Keep hydrated, and be careful of afternoon thunderboomers.

Havent done alot of shrimping during the day up there, but do remember seeing boats often.  I was a night guy then as well.  Only difference is I didn't have a boat.  We used a friends parent's dock in Green Cove, and would bait and cast after dark.  By the way, after a few brewski's my casting ability suffers.  Not that it is that good before the brews.

I think by law, you can use up to a 14', but I will tell you that personally I cant throw much more than a 12' net.  At least not for very long. 

Here is a link to the recreational shrimping rules.  Somebody may need it sometime:

http://myfwc.com/rulesandregs/Saltwater_Regulations_recshrimp.htm

fishinbro321 wrote:

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wishiniwasfishin wrote:

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Oh, and by the way, I have deployed my frame net during the day and it has never produced shrimp.

wOW Mike you really went out on a limb with that post.... So much research and development and knowledge summed up in one tight little powerful sentence.  Thanks for reaching for the stars on that post Mike.

   No sarcasm allowed FB.  Don't make me get out of my chair...lol.  I guess the novel in the previous post was too long, and informational too...

See you Saturday!

Mike