Picture – 8 Inch Shrimp caught by Mike Kyp. (attached 2 pics, you choose)
March is my most favorite month of the shrimping season. For the most part the cold fronts are done and will not longer be shutting down our run every week. The commercial guys have to retire those big side wing nets which takes the pressure off the shrimp stream. However, March also means the fair weather shrimpers head to the river to fill their freezer. A fair weather shrimper is the shrimper who does not want to be layered in cold weather clothing but rather a light jacket. Oak Hill has been consistent as far as giving up shrimp nightly. Problem last month was series of cold fronts and stiff North winds. The average pull has been 1.5 to 3.5 gallons.
The 5 gallon pull greeted many the last week of January and skunked many first half of February. The stream is always weak January – February but all this is gonna turn around this month. The waters will warm and the weather will thaw. The shrimp should bust open and run like a carpet (so thick you can walk on them). March thru May is where most the damage is done in Oak Hill and Edgewater.. Brevard County to include Haulover Canal and Railroad Bridge have proven to be as erratic in numbers as it was in 2014. Both these hot spots have been go big or go home and for the most part it has been go home broken. One day these areas are magical igniting a fever that fizzles out pulling only a few dozen to 1.5 gallons.
The size of the shrimp in North Brevard are 6 to 8 inches. It is this size is that lures many shrimpers to Brevard County. Brevard waters are wind driven and turn on on the back end of a low pressure with counter clockwise winds. Please consider shrimping up in Oak Hill and fill your freezer and bonus in Brevard. Meaning chase in some rich grounds where you will be productive and then chase the jumbo shrimp in Brevard if you can afford losing a night to a slow shrimp run. If you decide to go to Haulover Canal bring a fishing rod and play with the over slot redfish and black drum. We have reports of 48” bull reds caught and released. South Brevard including Sebastian and Melbourne are reporting no shrimp.
But this is not alarming. They turn on in May-June. But, last year S. Brevard had no season on the causeway bridges dipping or trapping. If North Brevard is not showing signs of consistency this normally means S. Brevard will suffer the same fate. If North Brevard has a lousy season so will South Brevard. If North Brevard does not turn around this month and produce consistent pulls then S. Brevard may have another year of no season. Please do not roll the dice and wait and see. Plan some trips to Oak Hill and bucket up and chase a sure thing.
The most important tip about Railroad Bridge in North Brevard is always shrimp on the side opposite the wind. If your shrimping Haulover Canal in North Brevard set up on the East side of the canal (mosquito lagoon side) and drop back from the bridge and anchor up on the North bank. There is a website that monitors the flow of Haulover Canal and go when its a positive between 3000-6000. Google it. Oak Hill is delicious anywhere South of the ramp. For gear purchases or tips and tricks, visit LeeNoga.com.
Capt Lee Noga
www.Leenoga.com
Academy Of Shrimping