Shrimping Season Bainbridge Island 2021
What is Shrimping Off Bainbridge Island Like?
The only thing I compare shrimping season on Bainbridge Island to is a gold rush. It’s not really a shrimping season; it’s not even one day. Shrimping off of Bainbridge Island is mayhem and this year it’ll be from 9am – 12pm on May 19th.
A lot of people will ask: what gear do I need to shrimp around Bainbridge Island? This is easy to answer: make/have a friend with all of the shrimping gear. You can buy them a replacement pot, offer to make the shrimp bait, take them golfing but don’t try to get all of the gear. Especially for such a short season.
When you find your new shrimping friend, make sure they have a boat with a working pot puller. The fine mesh shrimp traps are weighted and sit in 250-300’ of water. We’ve heard from people who have hand pulled their traps and say ’never again.’
After you’ve made a shrimping friend, here are some steps to prepare:
1. Get Your License
With the heavy concentration of shrimpers on the east side of Bainbridge Island, there’s also quite a few WDFW boats checking licenses and counting catches. Be sure to purchase your annual shellfish license and have a hard copy.
2. Offer to Make the Shrimp Bait
I’m thankful that spot prawns don’t taste like what they eat. Start with a painters bucket and lid (a must!) and head to the store for ingredients. A seafood variety of cat food is included in most shrimp baits. From there, people add fish oil, canned mackerel (think fishy and oily) and even mashed potato flakes as a thickener. Check around the internet and you’ll find ideas and whatever you do, don’t mix it in your house and don’t use a blender. Working outside with a drill and cement mixer would be a better choice.
3. Learn How to Use a Pot Puller (Be Useful)
Every skipper needs a Gilligan. Improve your standing within the crew by learning what you can about the pot puller before you get on the boat. They’re not that complicated but it’s important that you coil the line correctly. Here’s a video of a typical pot puller in action.
4. What to Wear
Bring gloves (even an extra pair for others), waterproof boots and coat. Wear waterproof everything if you can but do so knowing your clothes will have a stink that’s hard to get out. Definitely DO NOT wear flip flops or open toed anything. The traps are heavy and weighted and the shrimp have some nasty spikes.
5. Don’t Complain
You’re going to get wet and covered in shrimp bait. You’re probably going to be separating the shrimp heads from their bodies as you catch them too. There’s also a chance you’ll get seasick. Get some dramamine or whatever you’ve used in the past to prevent seasickness. If you still get sick, really try hard to ‘boot and rally’ and you’ll be asked back next year.
If going shrimping off of Bainbridge Island sounds like too much, head over to T&C. They have spot prawns available from April – December.
