There is an awful lot of water around Beaufort with St. Helena Sound and the Port Royal sound. But where would one look for a good location for shrimping.
01 Hewes Redfisher, 90 Yam 2 Strk
Look for all the other boats. They will lead the way.
'06 Mckee Craft
184 Marathon
DF140 Suzuki
Tigerfin is correct. But you may get some dirty looks if you try to set up too close to someone. And if you drive through someone’s poles or buzz their bait, you might end up with more than that. Simple etiquette says steer clear of active shrimpers. I’ve found that it’s cool to set up say 25-50 yards off the END of someone’s pole set. The big no-no is setting up directly in front or behind an already established set. That will cause trouble. If on a huge flat and you must set up ■■■■■■■■■■ of someone, give at LEAST 100 yards. All that being said, look for a good mix of bottom. Not pure hard packed sand, (too hard) or pure pluff (too soft and messy). Guage your willingness to battle wind/surf/tide. Remember, a rule of thumb reads that the bigger shrimp are towards the bigger ocean. Not always, but most of the time. Of course with big water, you get big current, big wind and rips. You will earn your shrimp out there. ASk yourself can you fling a cast net accuratlety in 1-2 ft seas? Into the wind? Can your driver deliver? Most opt for setting up in a protected creek that offers little resistance. It’s calm, the boats handle better, and there are typically plenty of mixed sized shrimp. (small/med/large) Remember to set up in 2 ft for a rising tide, and 6-8 ft for a falling. Nothing is worse than getting all set and then having to move. Or finding out you’re throwing in 12+ ft of water. Find your groove dude. There is plenty of shrimp for everyone!
2004 Scout 187 Sportfish
115 Yamaha
Thanks guys. The take from the above is to look for mud flats that probably range from 2’ at low to about 10’ at high tide and obviously the closer to the ocean the better, which St. Helena Sound presents with Monkey Island the foremost front before the ocean. However, there are several feeder creeks.
I will be using a flats boat and hopefully the power pole will help in hold the boat in a spot.
01 Hewes Redfisher, 90 Yam 2 Strk
If you have never done it, you may try one-poling to start off with. Good way to test an area. I have gone out by myself a few times and done it and my son and I do it every now and then. We fuss at each other a lot less one-poling.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
I have done it before in a much larger boat with my wife driving. It did not work out well, but she never through me in the water. This time I will be on my flats boat which is much easier to throw a net off of, and hopefully the powerpole will be the trick.
01 Hewes Redfisher, 90 Yam 2 Strk
How about a 2 pole method. Use the poles to mark your anchors so you don’t throw the net over the anchor lines.
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I’d rather fish than eat.
A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
In God We Trust
Not necessary. You can put two anchors off your bow (spread wide) and throw between and behind them or, a bow anchor and a stern anchor and throw to both sides. I have never caught my anchor. Now I probably will but, have not up to this point. The pole is really just to make everything legal, it really doesn’t “do” anything.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
Anchoring off the stern is not a good thing ever.
01 Hewes Redfisher, 90 Yam 2 Strk
One poling is a good way to start. Two in a V out the front and one out the back - just bait and throw to the sides. By law you have to have one pole out when baiting. I use two poles as a reference to where my bait is and to stay on it. Your net - wind - tide and all still moves your boat some even when anchored. Plus if your anchor slips a few feet it can cause you to be missing the bait when you throw the net. Got to have the net on the bait balls to catch 'um. With bait off the poles you always know where to throw. If you put poles forward and bait below them you can throw to each side below the poles and then once in a while throw I a bit farther back. Picks up any in the crumb trail downstream of the bait.
I prefer to be on a flat close to a drop-off. Shrimp move from the deep up onto the flat to feed. Topo maps and some GPS numbers from Google or MapQuest will get you close - depthfinder will dial you to right depth in the tide. Pick a half dozen possible spots. If boats are on some you are heading the right direction. My first trip to Monkey Is. I had 6 marked - boats on all six when I got there. I set up and one poled between two - about 50 yrd from each. Did well. One good thing about one poling is if they are not there you can move a lot easier and set up again on a different spot.
J Ford
quote:
Originally posted by coasttalAnchoring off the stern is not a good thing ever.
I agree with you but only when that is your sole anchor or your stern is facing the current…
The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org
What he said^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. It is fine if anchored at the bow as well.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
“Anchoring off the stern is not a good thing ever.”
That’s why I showed the current direction. When anchored you always put your bow toward the current. The stern anchor only provides alignment. If you have a Power Pole it will do the same thing.
I’d rather fish than eat.
A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
In God We Trust
There’s loads of one pole advice in “search” but for what it’s worth after I get anchored I set a pole on each side of my boat and secure loosely with bungee chords.
I’m not a shrimp baiter, never saw the need, so this might be a stupid question, but if you’re going to anchor the boat why bother with poles at all?
As for finding shrimp, I ride along the banks in about 2’ of water kicking a little mud. When you get in the shrimp they will start jumping everywhere in the prop wash. Give them a few minutes to settle down then drift the spot with the current while throwing the net.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
If you are baiting, you must have a pole with a shrimp baiting tag on it to be legal. Like you Larry, I never used to bait, heck, never even knew about it until about 4 years ago. The benefit I believe is that it brings shrimp to you in larger numbers than just randomly casting.
“Apathy is the Glove in Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”.
Thanks, I didn’t know that. Seems like a stupid rule:roll_eyes: I grew up shrimping in GA and it’s never been legal to bait there. Now I mostly fish and shrimp in SC but as a GA resident, the non-resident bait license is $500! Since I can usually manage a cooler of shrimp without using bait, or being restricted to the shrimp baiting season, I’ve never sprung for the $500 or learned anything about it. You can buy a lot of shrimp for $500:smiley:
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose
You haven’t lived…
2004 Scout 187 Sportfish
115 Yamaha
Interesting topic, as Im shrimping on my own for the first time this year.
Larry I guarantee you could find a spot on somebody’s boat here in chucktown. Heck your welcome on minr, when you build me a new 18’ ill shrimp witg you every night of the week!
14’ Skiff-“Redfish Reaper”
Appreciate that Hunter 
but I’ve got a boat and know how to catch a cooler of shrimp without using bait, and I’m 90 miles south of Charleston, but I do thank ya for the offer 
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose