Summer is upon us and winter shrimping is merely a topic of reminiscing over a cold beer. Volusia County in Oak Hill is still giving up shrimp albeit mixed sizes, its sobering to see so many boats still on the river chasing. North Brevard and Titusville pier have been torture, frustration and punishing for those trying to compare last years smack down to where they stand in this moment. Unfortunately, there has always been a correlation between North and South Brevard County. Meaning, if North Brevard County was on fire during the winter, then the Melbourne area will have an epic spring/summer.
So far, hope is running lean in the Melbourne area on Mathers Bridge, Eau Gallie and the 192. This time last year those causeways were giving up high counts and torn rotator cuffs. This year, we are hearing single digit nights. Why? We do not know the why, but several people believe the unhealthy waters killing the sea grass may have played a role. What makes Brevard unique is the salinity is 32ppm and the shrimp think they are in the ocean when in fact they are landlocked. So they grow up to be “Fat Daddy’s” and the envy of every shrimper. Oak Hill prays these big river crickets push through Haulover Canal and enter Mosquito Lagoon’s Eco system and make a run for Ponce Inlet.
The summer shrimp dealt us one of the worst seasons in the summer of 2013 from Daytona to the North Carolina’s. I am told a parasite took out the white shrimp last year. Daytona usually lays mono on them early July, and July we will see flotilla’s banging between the Big Tree and High Bridge Ormond area. We have some unconfirmed reports that white shrimp are bring caught in Jacksonville, so here we go again, all aboard the “hope” train. Summer shrimping is done in the day time, summer white shrimp love light and we use cast nets with webbing on the bottom (duct tape or lawn chair webbing sewn in). This is my pink & blue shrimping cast net in the article picture. We use our fish finder to locate the troops and we throw on them. We all get our shrimping cast nets custom made so they stay open longer which results in more shrimp. The iconic net maker is Ed Shumaker (386)566-9097. Mention Capt Lee Noga, and get your net built at $15 a foot. Follow the reports at the Academy of Shrimping (LeeNoga.com), sign up its free, and you can use the phone app YUKU to keep up to date for Android and Apple. Install it, and join REELCHICKSFISH and and your mobile. Earn report lottery tickets for prizes. Join over 3200+ members.
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