Winter Shrimping Collapsible Frame & Box Nets
Call Ed Shumaker, Ormond Beach FL (386)566-9097 or Ron O’ Brian, Deltona FL (386)574-0386, we do not sell any netting. Commercial fisherman, they can handle your cast net, wing net etc needs.
A piece of gear that is optional but has many benefits worth considering. A frame net also known as a box net is like having another person on your boat pulling shrimp. The Florida law allows no more than 16 square foot. These nets are 4×4 foot in size.
Florida has banned mono filament socks on the frame net. The frame net is illegal the sock has to be made of polypropylene, nylon, cotton or linen only. The law was enforced starting in 2015-2016.
Some stores will sell you an illegal mono-filament net. Mono-filament is illegal. Its not illegal for a store to sell the device, its illegal for the consumer to deploy a mono-filament frame net.
Many people buy a PVC frame net, and remove the PVC sides and add rope instead so it collapses. The top bar and bottom bar are the other 2 PVC sides. Many folks are quite clever how they adapt out their equipment.
Polypropylene Legal Florida Frame Net
The nets usually are not more than 13-20 foot long to keep the shrimp from walking out during slack or weak tide.
The lead is poured into the 1.25″ thick lower bar for stability. The net is cleated to the boat with two 12 ft lines. This helps stabilize the net from twisting in the tide. You can bridle the 2 lines and make then 1 line, you can shorten them, you have options.
The current opens the net like a parachute and the water pressure forces them to the bottom of the cod sack. You pull in the tail end of the sock, dump contents and you do not have to pull the entire frame net in.
My favorite trick to use with this is attaching a rope and clip to the bottom of the frame net so that I can pull the tail in and dump with ease. The frame nets do accumulate with grass debris and unwanted by-catch (crabs, jelly fish, squids)
Always empty contents into a culling laundry basket. Be careful you do not run across a mantis shrimp. This shrimp if picked up can snap its tail 60mph and is capable of breaking your thumb. Always carry tongs on your boat when sorting thru the shrimp and by-catch. They will be the largest/widest item in your basket and easy to identify by their size 8″ & up. Folks eat these but I was raised in the city and if I did not eat it before the age of 6, I am NOT eating it now.
Note – I am NOT a fan of frame nets since 2015 law enforcement against mono-filament frame nets. I no longer deploy a frame net. To me, the new legal material is inferior to mono and does not perform nearly as well in weak tidal waters like Oak Hill.
I focused on perfecting my light set to increase my “dipping” production. This has brought me great success and I have not deployed a frame box net since 2016. Do I miss it? I do not.
FACEBOOK SHRIMPING/SCALLOPING INTEL
Scalloping reports on Facebook at the “Florida Shrimping Academy – Tips & Tricks™”. CLICK HERE. This is the largest group for shrimping, scalloping, lobstering and gator hunting.
