tide or time

A question from someone that has only been shrimping twice, and both times as a ‘deck hand’. We want to go this weekend but aren’t sure when to go. What’s more influential in producing shrimp, the tide or the time of day? Is it better to shrimp during an incoming tide, no matter the time of day, or is it better to go in the evening no matter what the tide stage is? Or, just go when you can and get what you get???
Thanks!

Just my opinion but depending where you are going I go by the tides. I only shrimp Bulls Bay so time of day really doesn’t matter(although seems better just before dark).I personally like a low tide in the middle of the day and shrimp the last 2 hrs. of the falling and first 2 hours of the rising.

I agree with Billy Mac 100 percent.

You want moving muddy water during the day. The harbor is pretty much a night on proposition…but don’t get to keen on full dark.
We coolered once in the once in the last half hour of dusk…like 6 to 6:30… That wasn’t in the last few years though.

shrimp are the bottom of the food chain, well almost. Everything eats them. They want to be where they can’t be seen, ie day = super dirty water, or night. Full moon overhead, clear water usually is poor shrimping even. My opinion.


1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.eyestrikefishing.com #predatorsstriketheeye

I was targeting some sites on the Wadmallaw river and into the N. Edisto where there’s grass, shallow shelf followed by a deep drop off into 30-40’ of water. They’re good spots for netting shrimp for bait so I figured that they might be good spots for bait-shrimping.

There are shrimp in the area you refer to. I like a stronger tide and muddy waters. I also prefer late afternoon low and hit last couple hours of low into incoming about dark.

J Ford