Help!

Bob is making me dig up some sandshrimp for tomorrow.

Honestly, I've never dug up a sandshrimp, let alone ever looked for one, etc.

I have no clue when it comes to digging sandshrimp.

The tides should be OK enough to start digging around 2:00 pm today.

Ideally, I'd like to dig someplace close to the Edmonds Ferry. I'd be willing to go as far North as Mukilteo.

I only need a couple dozen or so small shrimpies and I can call it good.

Where should I go? What should I look for in the sand? Can I use a plain old shovel (hope so, 'cuz that's all I gots).

I need some answers before 11:30 this morning.

Please reply to this ASAP, or send me some personal info if you don't want to give up your ZipperLip shrimpin' location.

I promise I won't rape/pillage too much and won't be making a habit out of this.

Thanks!

I usually dig at Howarth Park just north of Mukilteo. On a really low tide you can dig them at the oil dock in Mukilteo. If you dig at Howarth Park be sure to wear your shell fish permit. I have been checked there several times.

I use a clam gun to dig them. A pump gun works better.

You want to look for little holes in the sand, preferably a bunch of them in a small area. You will find the shrimpies in the sand that you pull out, but watch the hole because the shrimpies will get sucked out of other chambers.


Hope this helps.

I almost forgot. You should bring an extra bucket. Fill it with extra salt water. After a day or so you will need to give them clean water if you want to keep them alive.

Thanks Vic!

How deep do these shrimp sit in their holes?

For the trip over to Bob's, can I keep them in a bucket of salt water?

Or, should I rinse them in salt water and put them on a bed of paper towels?

I push the shrimp gun in as deep as it will go.

Paper towls would probably be fine. I usually dig a full limit (12 doz) so I always take water.

About a 3:30 low tide this afternoon (+0.7ft). Its not a minus low tide so go to Howarth instead of Mukilteo. May get away with going to Mukilteo, but do it as close to low tide as possible. Lot more wiggle room at Howarth at that tide. I've never dug at Edmonds, but I would think you would need a minus tide there as well. Stop at Teds along the way and pick up a clam gun. A clam gun and a Howarth Beach low tide you'll spend more time walking to the beach from the parking lot then actually digging!

Layering in wet paper towels in a flat tupperware container keeps them alive the longest, but I've kept them alive in a cooler of straight saltwater for an entire weekend no problem. Just need to keep them cool.

Good info!

Howarth it is!

Thanks everyone!

Sounds easier to just go buy a few.

I always just digg to the back of the fridge at the sporting good store ..........there usually fresher if ya dig deeper in the back

Parker

Use a #8 spade, some times you'll have to dig up to 6 feet deep (those things can move fast)

I just went thru this last weekend in Westport.

Look for "little volcanoes" in the sand.

I dug my heart out one day and got none. Then I sprung for a pump gun. Wow. One little pump and you got 'em. They have all kinds of side tunnels and move laterally.

There is a pretty in-depth article in the June/July 2004 issue of STS.

Any of the mud flats between Mukilteo and Everett are good for digging. I prefer the mud flats next to the oil tanks in Mukilteo. It's a little bit hard to find the access road, but there is a public access where people picnic, beachcomb, launch, etc.

Lots of shrimp there. Clam tube is the best--dig about 4-8 inches.

On the Wash coast, I can usually get them by just using a pitchfork. They are much shallower. Just stick the fork in, and scoop out. I caught dozens within a few minutes. Sometimes it helps to dig when the tide is incoming. Dig right near the waterline--the incoming water seems to push the shrimp further up the holes, and so you do not need to dig too deep.

Parker has shown with a cooler with loads of shrimpies

He looks awfully clean ... so I don't know if he actually dug them or just bought 100 dozen from ted's to make a nice stash of the smaller ones I was lookin' for.

The Fish Gods will know

He thanks you all from the other room!

Post some pix, guys!

And don't forget to stash one under the seat of your friends truck for the next time you go.