How to CATCH spot shrimp - ULTIMATE Guide!

In this video you will find the ultimate guide to catching spot shrimp in PNW waters. We left nothing out and covered the entire topic: From the basics of shrimp pots, pot riggings, line management and bait to the many intricacies of shrimp pot placement, strategy and getting early limits during competitive openers.
Special underwater footage of shrimp entering the pot!
Did we miss anything? If we did, feel free to drop it in the comments, I answer all questions and do what I can to help beginners especially because that's what this channel is all about.
I also talked about this SMI rope winder line management solution: amzn.to/3Ix3bLB that link will take you to the product to view on Amazon.
Happy shrimping and I will see you on the water!

[@rizzo3689]

Ultimate guide! Yes it is. Man great job for not making click bait haha. You hit all the topics. We live up on whidbey and are gearing up for the opener on the 16th. Can't wait!

[@PNWBestLife]

Thanks Rizzo! I will be hitting the opener on the 16th and Hood Canal on 17-18!

[@jamesalanstephensmith7930]

Great stuff!

[@PNWBestLife]

Thanks you! 🙏

[@djmilhaus]

This will be my first crack at PNW Spot Prawns, though I'll be learning and listening. So excited to get into some of these.

[@PNWBestLife]

They are the best!

[@D2chukhna]

There is a lot of solid information in this video. I would offer some additional perspective to consider. After 20+ years of catching spot prawns in the San Juan Islands, I can assure you that Ladner style traps and the other style fish comparably. I’ve fished them side by side in the same area, with the same bait, and they have produced identically. If you pick the right Ladner trap, it will weigh enough that you won’t need additional weights in most conditions. If you fish in a rocky area, use 100’ of polypropylene line for the first 100’ directly attached to the trap. This will keep your line off the bottom and prevent snags. It massively sucks to pull in that first 50’ of line to realize your lead line is wrapped around a rock and the bottom. If you lose a pot, come back the following day at low slack. There’s a 50-50 chance you’ll find it there after being pulled under water. The backup buoy helps but sometimes pops, gets loose, etc.

[@PNWBestLife]

I appreciate your added knowledge here. I’ve never been able to get the same performance out of the kufa or beau max Ladner style. But I completely agree the right ladner can get comparable results cause I’ve seen it. I also think they are more commonly the choice in longer soaks vs the other style that’s all about speed into the tunnels

[@FAKE-NAME]

Definitely used the brick idea

[@PNWBestLife]

Awesome!

[@FAKE-NAME]

​@@PNWBestLifeis a 1.5lbs grappling hook anchor good enough to try to keep pots from sliding on slopes if my traps are also weighted?

[@PNWBestLife]

That depends on the severity of the slope and the currents at the time. If you are targeting gradual slopes during the right amount of current it shoild be good enough.

[@FAKE-NAME]

​​@@PNWBestLife are the 3 steel ring door basket style traps considered fast or slow fishing style traps? The kind you pull bottom of basket closed and wrap cord around top to keep it closed

[@FAKE-NAME]

​@@PNWBestLife spray painted my main line with blue spray paint 20' feet from end trap so I know where to put anchor and another 20 feet up is a second blue mark for the second trap. That way I've always got them in the right place when setting

[@samcarrs]

Thank you for your help. My kids and I and going shrimping in San Juan’s

[@PNWBestLife]

Awesome! Shrimp should be even bigger now! Get em!

[@ahceneb9349]

Thank you for all your tips!! I have my boat since 3 years and I never did it because I was intimidated. Lucky I found your videos!! I’m excited and I planned to do it Saturday and Sunday by Iceberg point. I will comeback and let you know how I did 😁 again take you for your tips and have fun shrimping.

[@PNWBestLife]

That’s awesome! Hope you kill ‘em! People with your story is why make videos so thank you for sharing it.

[@MongYi-fd9jd]

Amazing

[@PNWBestLife]

Thank you 🙏

[@KevinCannady]

Where do you get your bait cages? Where can I order them?

[@PNWBestLife]

Take a look at these as an online option: amzn.to/4aweIX0

[@SuperKimtuan]

I’m ready for my second year

[@PNWBestLife]

Excellent! Hope you get em!

[@redwood9741]

You need an Ace line pulled with the bull dog coiler..

[@PNWBestLife]

But do I? 😎

[@Sniffyboy]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! I'm gearing up to go shrimping my for my first time during the early opener in May. Haha I've studied this video at least 10 times by now, so thank you! I've got one question for you: If I'm dropping my pot shallow around 150-250ft of water and I'm rigged with 400ft of leaded line, what would you recommend doing with the slack? Should I tie it off to the buoy or should I not worry about the extra line? Thanks again!

[@PNWBestLife]

Awesome! Don’t worry a second about the slack. It will just sit on the floor and wait for you to pull it up!

[@Sniffyboy]

@@PNWBestLife thanks dude! That’s what I was hoping to hear. I was unsure if the current would drag the buoy and rope out too far. the last thing I want to do is tangle someone’s gear. Gonna give Bainbridge a shot on the 16th! Thanks again!

[@PNWBestLife]

So you do have to worry about buoy distance from your pot based on wind and current, but so does everyone else. And that’s true whether you are dripping in 250 or 150 ft. I show in that video how to plan your pot drop based on that, but I wouldn’t worry about downsizing your amount of rope per pot. Also, Bainbrodge near Eagle Harbor in 2023 was really slim pickings!

[@Sniffyboy]

@@PNWBestLife got it! Yes, I’ve watched that section a few times and I’m going to be cautious and keep all that in mind. It was surprising at first how the pots should line up but it’s all clicking now. Thank you so much!!

[@Sniffyboy]

@@PNWBestLife also thanks for the heads up about location. Any other suggestions for area 9-10?

[@pitchpocket]

This is a great guide. Lots of information here. Do you have any way of predicting the shrimp openers in May and June? We love to shrimp the San Juans, but finding accommodations can be tricky since the WDFW advises of the open dates only a month prior. I have been studying the tides and currents and I see likely dates, but not sure what the WDFW is thinking and they don't give any hints. Do you have any suggestions?

[@PNWBestLife]

Thank you! I would study the previous openers and look for the pattern, but ignore 2020 cause of COVID closure. That first opener in May usually aligns with a small tide exchange after the middle of the month, and than every 2 weeks after that…

[@Jwebster0415]

Im going to buy the C-links for the upcoming dates in hood canal and crabbing season. What size C-links do you have? I see that Sportco has the 11/32" size but Amazon has the 1/2 size for quite a bit more $.

[@PNWBestLife]

I’ve used both. The smaller ones have a chance to make it through your pot puller if you’ve got multiple lines connected, which is more common for us to do during crab season when we aren’t quite sure of the depths

[@suzannesummer6471]

How long is the line for your insurance buoy?

[@PNWBestLife]

About 5-8 ft

[@brianmonticello6730]

Do your pots ever get stuck from using the anchor? Also is that a 1.5 or 3 lb?

[@PNWBestLife]

Not yet! Usually I’m not on rocky areas so…1.5 is what I use

[@olegkrot1345]

What app is that where you can see the depth chart ?

[@PNWBestLife]

Navionics. It’s super helpful for many fisheries

[@ebutuoy5088]

How deep to set traps in California?

[@PNWBestLife]

That’s a great question that I have no knowledge of!

[@lazybeachbum9394]

Darn I don't have a boat.

[@PNWBestLife]

Yeah, gotta have a boat or a friend!