Hood canal shrimpen, and its all about whats for dinner..........

Chuck was it busy where you were? Effort was down where we were. It was also down on Saturday according to the WDFW report. A little early yet, but I'm going to predict an extended season unless the pressure picks up next week.

Aunty M, it was not busy at all, maybe 1/5 of the normal or less. Funny thing though, we had one pot come up with only 3, and another with 0, and we were pulling 25 to 45 normal. Expect we got visited when the girls had to go to shore for the potty. We got limits of shrimp, clams and oysters for all six of us. Now I remember why Misery point launch is so named, found big waves straight onto the beach, current, and a truck and 20 ft sled blocking the ramp, the sled did not have much left above water, guess you could say sunk, heard later, that they put a rope on it and dragged it up on the beach in order to get it out. We went around the corner of the Point and got out of the wind and waited for the water to come up. By about 4 pm it was pretty easy, my partner and boat owner backed the trailor down and I ran the boat up on it uneventfully.

Oh, I forgot to ask about that too Aunty.....wasn't the season REALLY short last year? What is the quota and are there different quotas for different areas? How many weeks do you think the season will last this year? Thanks....

Ike

Ike, The seasons are different in each area. Last year in Hood Canal, I think we had 4 additional openers.

Here are the results for the first 2 Hood Canal days.

The cumulative catch for the first two days of the fishery is 35,867
pounds, leaving 49,133 pounds in the recreational harvest share. The
next two scheduled days of the fishery are Saturday, May 10th and Wed.,
May 14th.

I predict at least one extra day opener for the canal, so don't put your pots away Wednesday. I predict a Saturday or a Wednesday opener depending on the size of the remaining quota.

What area are you shrimping Ike? I should get the results for those fisheries tomorrow and will let you know.

And for those of you shrimping area 7, the shrimp on the opener were averaging a whooping 10.1 prawns per pound! That is HUGE.

10.1 per pound...sounds like a Scampi. Aunty, what is average per pound?

Area 8-2 Aunty.....I noticed a huge size difference in the shrimp as well. How many people cull, or just keep the mondo sized shrimp?

Ike

. 8-2 has some nice sized prawns!!!

I would say the average is probably 13 per pound outside of Hood Canal. The canal is around 15 per pound this year I think.

Ike, I think you're getting one more day and then it should close. Folks are supposed to keep the 1st 80 shrimp. No culling allowed.

What you mean I can't slective shrimp

Ike,
Call me if you need a ride next Wed........

Where does it say "first 80" in the regs?

It would appear it no longer does. Hmmm.... At least I can't find it. I emailed one of the shrimp bios who should be able to give me an answer.

Sweet.....another friend with a boat! :-) Shrimpen hotline is sayin' the season is closing tomorrow at noon in area 8-2 however. Lings? They were a bust for us on the opener and again on Wednesday.....couldn't find any decent live bait (you know how I detest using Sand Dabbers, and/or plastics) and the tides were at bad times and a rippin'. I'll call or PM ya....

Ike

No soft plastics? That is the most fun way to fish for them! Are you one of those guys on the lower river with bell on your rod tip?

[/quote] No soft plastics? That is the most fun way to fish for them! Are you one of those guys on the lower river with bell on your rod tip? [/quote]

The areas I fish the bottomfish have been looking at plastics for 20+ years, and lots of 'em. It's the difference between MAYBE a fish and a fish on nearly every drop. Tough call, but I'll go with the live stuff.

Ike