I'm going to go shrimping on the opener over at the nearby salt water ziperlip for the first time. Ha Ha Ha! What type of bait do I use? Puss and Boots? Throw in some fish carcuss too? How deep? How many pots do I need? I have two pots, four floats and two spools of 400' nylon rope and some weights and shellfish licenses. A friend told me I could use two pots for two adults and two children but should have floats with each of our names. So many questions. Where is AuntyM when I need her? Marsha Help!

Get yourself a copy of J.D. Wade's book on shellfishing/crabbing, just about every tip I've ever seen posted here is in his book, the man knows his shiat when it comes to crabbing and shrimping in P.S.

In Puget Sound you can fish two pots per person, 4 per boat. In Hood Canal it's 1 per person, 4 per boat. Pulling by hand is a chore, especially with 1/4" poly rope. At least get a pulley like the Scotty or similar pulley (Thompson Pocket Puller?) to help a little. Lines must be weighted so they do not float. Gloves are a help if pulling by hand.

AuntyM, Do you freeze your bait before using it? Guess I'll have to make my bait holders. Thanks for the tips. If I make the bait holders small enough they should fit into the bait cylinder. I also have one more question about the harness. The harness it came with has rope tied to two opposite corners. Should I take some rope and make the harness attach to the other two corners?

Marsha, I have some rebar I can use to weight the pots down. Probably tie to the inside with some wire.

I have to figure out the logistics. The kids have to go to Viking Fest and will probably stay with my folks. My in-laws want to come. I'm sure Salisbury Point will be a big line Saturday morning. I'm thinking about launching in Poulsbo Friday night and watching the fireworks. Take off early Saturday and just cruise around. I wonder if I could park my rig and trailer and take out at Salisbury.

I read the new reg's again, and they state the name and address must be permantly marked on the float. The tape thing used to be popular, but I think it may not meet the letter of the law any longer.

Where can I find a pot puller with a davit pole that can swing out over the boat, lock with a pin, and has a pulley to make the hand pulling easier? I don't want one with an electric motor. Too much money. I've already invested enough in gear.

DL, The Sunday Seattle Times says you can mark duct tape and attach to the buoy:

Sport fishers are limited to one shrimp pot per person, with a daily limit of 80 shrimp. Pots must conform to gear specifications in the rules pamphlet. The pamphlet also describes legal buoys.

Other regulations for Hood Canal shrimp fishing include:

• Any shrimp caught over the individual fisher limit of 80 may be passed to other licensed fishers on the boat that don't have their limit. After the boat limit is reached, shrimp must be returned immediately to the water unharmed. Each limit must be kept in a separate container. Fishers may remove and discard the heads from their shrimp while on the water.




• Each vessel in the fishery may have on board and operate no more than four shrimp pots.

• Pots may not be set prior to 9 a.m. and must be removed from the water by 1 p.m. each fishing day. Each fisher must set and pull his or her own gear, although a second person may assist the pot owner in operation of the gear.

• Once a person has reached his or her limit another person may fish the gear as long as the identified pot owner is aboard. Another person may attach a buoy bearing his or her name and address to the pot and continue fishing for a separate 80-shrimp limit. It is acceptable to securely affix duct tape to a buoy and legibly mark your name and address. However, only one name and address may appear on any buoy.

Cushman Marine in Hoodsport has nice aluminum davits with mounting hardware for the boat gunnel. I got one last year, got all the hardware and bolt/screwed it right in, but I did spring for the electric motor. Makes me popular for a couple days a year!

Has anyone shrimped just around the corner from Redsland creek (on the Great Bend?) We will be out of Tahuya and I'm wondering how far I'm going to have to run. Anyone else going out of Tahuya??

Mixed up some bait yeaterday, I used 8 cans of PIB Seafood Platter, a bunch of shrimp smelly jelly (thanks Marsha) some McKays shrimp pellets, and 2 cans of jack mackerel, which are very oily. The resulting mixture looked exactly like cookie dough.

I saw the info in the new regs about the duct tape after I did the original post. Duct tape isn't too permanent, but what the heck, it's a State reg.

Unattended... I guess it doesn't matter what I think it is, just what the WDFW enforcement officer interprets it to mean. Let me know if you get a ruling from someone at WDFW.

Aunty M, nope, I used ot be just plaing bellinghamangler, but lost my regestration. I think I've PMed you about crabbing near Dewatto Bay in the past.

Everybody talks about this powerhouse launch, where is it? I have the impression that it's near Hoodsport? We used to camp on the DNR beach near Tsusuko head and shrimp right there, but we're trying something different this year. Looking forward to it.....

Brandon