# Where, When and How to Catch Grass Shrimps?



## FishingRookieVA (May 25, 2017)

I searched in the internet, but could not find useful information. Does any one know where to find the brackish grass shrimps? and How to catch them? Are there any in Virginia water? Thanks for any tips. 

---- Fishing Rookie


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## rwh (Dec 10, 2012)

From about now thru August, there are lots in the Warwick River and grassy areas of the James at Ft Eustis. At high tide, you can run a dip net along in the water on the edge of the grass and scoop them up. If you go on Ft Eustis, just past the old house where the road that goes along the river begins, there is a culvert that drains a creek under the road into the river. Lots there alomg the culvert walls. In the Warwick, you could walk along the bank where it is grassy & get them. Those are the only areas I have gotten them from, but any marshy, grassy banked creeks should have them.


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

I caught them when I was a kid in MD tidal creeks. As rwh said, find the grass, you'll find the grass shrimp. Back then there was a lot of grasses in MD waters, not so much now. I used a burlap feed sack to make a dip net. You want a net that has a fine mesh, almost like window screen since grass shrimp can be quite small. 

BTW, be careful rooting around in marshes. There are no poisonous water snakes in MD, and none in most of VA, but even the non-venomous water snakes can be very aggressive sometimes. They will bite, and it can be painful with the possibility of serious infection, so, be careful!


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## FishingRookieVA (May 25, 2017)

RWH. Thanks for the detailed shrimp information. I will find time to go there as well as some similar places. I will come back post on what I get. Last Memorial holiday I drove through New Port News and Hampton. I saw some mashes along I-64. Hope the water is not that polluted. 



rwh said:


> From about now thru August, there are lots in the Warwick River and grassy areas of the James at Ft Eustis. At high tide, you can run a dip net along in the water on the edge of the grass and scoop them up. If you go on Ft Eustis, just past the old house where the road that goes along the river begins, there is a culvert that drains a creek under the road into the river. Lots there alomg the culvert walls. In the Warwick, you could walk along the bank where it is grassy & get them. Those are the only areas I have gotten them from, but any marshy, grassy banked creeks should have them.


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## FishingRookieVA (May 25, 2017)

I like shrimps. Actually I like some smaller fish such as smelt. I enjoyed the smelt fishing winter time when I was in Michigan (Actually caught smelt in Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland). They are fun to catch and very good taste.

As for water snake, I am not that afraid of snakes. It seems that there are only three poisonous snakes in Virginia as I checked - Cottonmouth, copperhead, and rattle snake. I have seen many water snakes before. When I was a tanager I was bitten by a black racer on my arm . it did not cause the infection though. 



bigjim5589 said:


> I caught them when I was a kid in MD tidal creeks. As rwh said, find the grass, you'll find the grass shrimp. Back then there was a lot of grasses in MD waters, not so much now. I used a burlap feed sack to make a dip net. You want a net that has a fine mesh, almost like window screen since grass shrimp can be quite small.
> 
> BTW, be careful rooting around in marshes. There are no poisonous water snakes in MD, and none in most of VA, but even the non-venomous water snakes can be very aggressive sometimes. They will bite, and it can be painful with the possibility of serious infection, so, be careful!


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## bigjim5589 (Jul 23, 2005)

Yep, in SE VA there are Cottonmouths. They're here in SC too, but I've yet to see one. I've seen a few water snakes here while fishing. Whether you're afraid of them or not is not the issue. I'm not afraid of them either, but will respect them & give them distance when I can. I know I've rooted around in creeks & marshes many times in the past with my attention on other things, and walked right up on water snakes without realizing they were there until I was on top of them. Even had one go right between my legs one time as it came out of the grass & into open water. I've never been bitten but have had them strike at me, and had them strike at waders I was wearing several times. Just better to be careful than risk a nasty infection that's the only reason I mentioned it.


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

You may need an aerator to keep em alive. They expire real fast once taken out of their natural environment. Some folks keep them between layered between salt water dampened newspaper.


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## FishingRookieVA (May 25, 2017)

bigjim5589 said:


> Yep, in SE VA there are Cottonmouths. They're here in SC too, but I've yet to see one. I've seen a few water snakes here while fishing. Whether you're afraid of them or not is not the issue. I'm not afraid of them either, but will respect them & give them distance when I can. I know I've rooted around in creeks & marshes many times in the past with my attention on other things, and walked right up on water snakes without realizing they were there until I was on top of them. Even had one go right between my legs one time as it came out of the grass & into open water. I've never been bitten but have had them strike at me, and had them strike at waders I was wearing several times. Just better to be careful than risk a nasty infection that's the only reason I mentioned it.


You are right about the non poisonous snake bite, they may cause infections. I saw this one Saturday last week when I was picking blackberries and raspberries on the bank of a reservoir. It is a beautiful snake though, very sleek. She let me take the picture and slowly disappeared in the undergrowth bush.

Poison Ivy is a big problem for me. I have never seen so numerous poison Ivy plants here in Virginia. They grow everywhere you go - woods, mashes, and grasses, even in gardens. I have got two poison Ivy allergies so far. It is too bad that there is no effective medication to treat that.









View attachment 38441


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## FishingRookieVA (May 25, 2017)

Thrifty Angler said:


> You may need an aerator to keep em alive. They expire real fast once taken out of their natural environment. Some folks keep them between layered between salt water dampened newspaper.


Good to keep them alive. I have an aerator, but rarely use it. May put the damped paper above the ice packs to make the shrimps in salty paper and lower temperature. 

When I use the minnows for fishing baits, I put the ice in the bucket. You don't need an aerator to keep them alive. For unused minnows I put the bucket in the refrigerator. They can live for one week as long as you replace the water every two to three days.


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## FishingRookieVA (May 25, 2017)

I can't believe there are so many berries in Virginia. You just keep picking and picking.... Oh, the ticks. many ticks too. It take long time to heal the biting wound. 


Enjoy the July 4th Holiday!


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

Be sure to keep a look out for that red ring of death.


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## FishingRookieVA (May 25, 2017)

Thrifty Angler said:


> Be sure to keep a look out for that red ring of death.


are you talking abo
View attachment 38537
ut this one? It is non poisonous. 

http://www.virginiaherpetologicalso.../northern-scarletsnake/sp_scarletsnake004.jpg


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## Thrifty Angler (May 5, 2002)

FishingRookieVA said:


> are you talking abo
> View attachment 38537
> ut this one? It is non poisonous.
> 
> http://www.virginiaherpetologicalso.../northern-scarletsnake/sp_scarletsnake004.jpg



Uh...not that many rings, lol. Was thinking about Lyme Disease.....and tick bites.


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## FishingRookieVA (May 25, 2017)

Thrifty Angler said:


> Uh...not that many rings, lol. Was thinking about Lyme Disease.....and tick bites.


LOL. I can't believe there are so many ticks here in Virginia. How do you guys try to avoid them? Summer time is hot. I don't like to wear long sleeves.


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## CoolDude (Sep 28, 2010)

Walmart sells a nice net. I'm hit or miss on the grass shrimp up in Maryland and never really tried to catch them down in VA...I don't really fish for white perch down that way. As far as the net goes, the one at Walmart has a 5' long handle and is probably 6' long with the net. The mesh is nice, tight and heavy...almost like a pool cleaning grade (but I'm sure it's cheaper). The other thing that it has and I'd recommend, is that the front of the net is straight...not round. That allows for you to run it up walls, pilings, etc for shrimp and there is more surface to net contact...less of a chance of escape. I think it was less than 15 bucks so you recoup your money after a few times of catching bait.


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## Chipper (May 31, 2017)

FishingRookieVA said:


> LOL. I can't believe there are so many ticks here in Virginia. How do you guys try to avoid them? Summer time is hot. I don't like to wear long sleeves.


 Bug spray with deet. Spray it all over your bare skin under your clothes and then on the clothes you are wearing. Also as far as poison ivy get some technu extreme and wash with it anytime you encounter it, or you think you've encountered it. It will not prevent a rash if you're allergic but it will remove the oils from your skin and shorten the break out. Also, don't fool around with cotton mouths. They are very aggressive and will bite you because they can. I've seen them chase people and even try to come up into boats, very mean snakes.


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## CoolDude (Sep 28, 2010)

I'd agree with you on the snakes. Water moccasins are just as bad. I don't know if they'll bite, but they are hard to deter, especially at night time. I've had them try to climb in the boat or roll up on me while I'm shore fishing. You can wack them with a stick...throw stuff at them...a few minutes later they'll come right back.

The ticks are hella bad in NOVA. I had an issue with them already...fortunately enough, they hadn't attached yet. I've been having to spray my boots and pants legs. Surprisingly enough, I think the first time they got on me...they came from a low lying tree branch (that rubbed across my head/back as I ducked under it) and down the back of my shirt. The other time they were all over my boots. I've been double triple checking every time I come back to the car....they really have my ass paranoid


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