I have always had decent success deep holing (hopefully that stays true this evening). Last year I bought a set of poles after going a few times in St. Helena sound with ReelTalk and Touche. So last year I tried a few spots in Calibogue sound. No luck. This year I have only been baiting once, to a creek mouth in about 2-3 feet where I have loaded up on them when getting bait before on the outgoing. A few days ago I tried, set all the poles in a pretty line, went back and checked them every thirty minutes until dead low. NOTHING. This was right at sunset too. Can someone please help give me some general direction. I am about to throw the (**() poles away and stick to deep holing. Any advice is greatly appreciated. thanks y’all.
Try baiting where other people are. I don’t see a lot of people shrimping the creeks. Most are in the Harbor at Crab Bank, James Island Marina, flat near Shem Creek, or the York Town flat.
My first year of shrimping I tried to do it “my” way. I tried the rivers, creek mouths, flats, and other areas near the other shrimpers. The next year, I got a back bone and shrimped in the crowd. There is a reason everyone is piled up in those spots. Over the years those are good proven productive areas.
Creeks are great for bait shrimp. Good quantity of smaller shrimp, but not the best place to fill a cooler of 16-20 count shrimp.
Tips:
Shrimp don’t come out of a creek through the whole mouth. Try lining the poles up along the down stream bank.
Shrimp move around in large masses. Just because they were there last week, doesn’t mean they will be there today.
Shape your bait balls into patties. This will keep them on the bottom and prevent them from rolling around. If you are doing it right, you will occasionally pull up a bait ball in your net.
If you are shrimping in shallow water, do not propwash the poles. Keep the motor as far away from the poles as possible. Nose up to the pole, throw net, back down and away, move to the next pole.
Bait placement is critical. It should be placed 5-8ft from the pole on the side you will be casting from.
Baitballs leave a trail of scent. The shrimp will follow the trail up to the bait. Do not disturb the scent trail.
Some people use 2-3 bait balls per pole. Sometimes multiple smaller baitballs are more effective.
Don’t wait 30min between runs. Set your poles, throw bait, wait 15min. Make first run. By the time you get to the 10th pole, make your way back and start over.
I have had nights where almost all my shrimp came from one pole. I have had nights where they were on fire and then just shut off.
Sometimes you have to pull the poles and move to a different spot.
I would sell the poles and stick with deep holing, not near as much work to get ready to go, or nasty. If you want to stick with them for a while, I would work the Spanish Wells bank, down to Broad creek. Thats where, when I baited I would shrimp. Spanish Wells bank is very hard bottom though. What tide I don’t remember, think incoming that was a long time ago. You will have to try different tides, and watch what others are doing.
Friogatto you post is reminiscent of One Pole’s posts a few years ago. Great information and willing to share it. Nice to see you on here. Maybe Bennetmp will tell us his deep hole secrets, too.