I’ll be honest with you. 2013 was looking like a stinker about half way through the shrimping campaign. We had baited in St. Helena sound to the tune of (maybe) large and (certainly) medium shrimp. 1/2 cooler, 3/4 cooler, 1/3 cooler etc. All of them were mediums and large. None of the chicken legs that we had been spoiled with the past decade or so. No “MOTHER RUNS” like we used to say. While thankful for the haul, they took forever to clean and there was no pride in it. I mean, when I pour out a low-country boil for my peeps, I want the people to talk. The women need to smile and the men get jealous when I pour my shrimp. You feelin’ me?
All of that changed around the second week of October. I was lucky enough to be let in on the spot that I had been dreaming of. All of a sudden 2013 turned bright. I had to clear the top few shelves in the big freezer for some TOP SHELF pinkies. The chicken legs were here all along. I just had to find them. So in review, 2013 went from famine to feast. I’m looking for 2014 to be very productive as well. The freezer is once again bare after countless low country boils, shrimp scampi’s, shrimp creole galore, shrimp sandwiches, fried shrimp, boiled shrimp, popcorn shrimp and…I think that’s about it.
Now it’s that time again. I can feel it in the air in the early morning. Mother nature provides some of her finest fruit and it’s almost harvest time. I cannot wait…Went deep holing last Saturday on some “trial runs” and was blown away by both the quantity and quality. So mend the nets and dust off the poles boys. 2014 is going to be a good year.
(**() I hope you’re right!! We shrimped St.Helena as well and came away with those small shrimp that took me 4 hours to head, but mostly did take away almost full coolers. I’m ready and I can only pray that my freezers ain’t gonna be big enough.
This is my first year with a boat and I cannot wait to get out there and try my hand at shrimping. I think we’ll be back behind Sullivan’s/IOP. Hopefully I can figure out what a shrimp looks like!
[img=left]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c282/peanut140/d25b11b9-0c3d-4250-bcd4-7b6695a31921.jpg[/img=left]180 Pioneer Islander
115 Yammie
Go Tigers!
Yea man - I hope you are right. We did three trips last season. Two to St Helena and right at full coolers both trips but, mixed medium size - were a beyotch to peel. One trip to Edisto and about 1/3 of the same size.
I never heard of any chicken leg shrimp last year. I saw some pics of some that might have been close to large but, that was it. You must have gone closer to the ocean? I didn’t know anyone that found them.
We shrimped all over St. Helena last season, and never really got on them. The best we did was half a cooler of small. I wish we could have found that special spot. All the places we had sucess in the past just didn’t work out. Hopefull for a better season this year.
2010 was my best year ever - murdered them. Good size. Not so good since. Last year was terrible. Several poor trips. Got 1/3 cooler of large mediums right at the end of the season. This year looks good so far. Hoping for another 2010!
For the first time in a long time I am skipping opening weekend of shrimp season. I am heading to the mountains camping and trout fishing. I hope y’all tear em up.
I saw thousands of shrimp last night while flounder gigging, and the shrimp were mostly good sized (Med and Large). I think the shrimping season is going to be awesome as well.
2012 Skeeter ZX22 Bay
Yamaha 250 hp SHO
Minnkota Riptide 101
