The annual migration of saltwater shrimp up the St. Johns River has quietly ramped up … and it’s looking like this could be an above-average run.
The shrimp runs usually start in July, but the crustaceans are usually too small then to be desirable.The size and number of the shrimp, though, increase during their time in the river. That span of time varies wildly depending on weather (mostly rain) conditions. The best St. Johns shrimping years have seen crustaceans still around in big numbers when the autumn nights grow chilly.
Two Wednesdays ago, one Gainesville angler/shrimper was surprised at how many he was able to net. Ed Ellett had planned a fishing trip to the gulf, but that morning the radar looked rough on the west coast. The east side of the state, on the other hand, looked relatively clear. Even though he expected that it might be a bit early to find sizable river-run shrimp in the Palatka area, Ellett loaded up his webbed cast net and headed for the mighty St. Johns.
He launched at Crystal Cove Marina, where he saw just two other boats with hopeful cast-netters.
Once out on the river, it was soon evident that plenty shrimp were present. And, while all sizes from small to large were in his net, they were generally larger than he had expected. On the best spot he found, Ellett somehow managed to net a nice three-pound flounder along with a bunch of shrimp. And by the time the rain clouds began to build, he had harvested four gallons of river shrimp, plus the flatfish bonus.
Jim Carnes and Mark Harland fished out of Steinhatchee two Mondays ago. They ran north past scattered scallopers and settled down on a clear grass flat. Here, they caught several smallish trout. As the tide rose, the Gainesville men eased into a creek, where they found much better fish. Casting cut bait with light spinning tackle, they hauled in three fine trout up to 22 inches and several redfish. The best of the reds was a perfect top-of-slot keeper at 26 ¾ inches. When the day grew calm and hot, the anglers headed back to port just before noon.
Bay Scallop season in the Steinhatchee area will last for just a little while longer, through Labor Day, Sept. 7. This has been a good year for Steinhatchee bivalve gathering, making it one of those happy years offering good, briefly-overlapping North Florida ‘bonus seasons’ (scalloping and shrimping) to outdoor sportspeople.
This Saturday brings the Casting for Autism bass tournament on the Santa Fe and Suwannee Rivers. Launching at Sandy Point in Branford and benefiting Puzzle Pieces of North Florida, this annual fundraiser always draws a large field. Its great cause, unmatched raffle, and guaranteed $5,000 first-place prize all help with that. The top 15 teams after Saturday will go on to fish the championship round Sunday. Puzzle Pieces of North Florida is a not-for-profit organization supporting children with autism and developmental delays. Go to puzzlepiecesnf.org .
Saturday will also see a sizable saltwater contest — the Chiefland Rotary Club’s 16th Fishing Tournament. Based out of Cedar Key, this one also features a Captains’ Meeting and Calcutta on Friday evening at the Cedar Key Community Center. Call 352-493-4808 for more.
Gary Simpson, a veteran tournament angler, operates Gary's Tackle Box at L & S Auto Trim.
The Link LonkAugust 27, 2020 at 09:39PM
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Above-average run of shrimp on St. Johns River - Gainesville Sun
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