# Cooked Shrimp vs Raw Shrimp – who won? (Croakers at Wicomico River, MD)



## ComeOnFish

Last Sunday (May 09), Fished for croakers at Wicomico River, MD
It was a very windy day. Gale warning is not a joke. The wind was blowing at 20-27knots constantly until 4:30PM. The waves weren't high because Wicomico River at Bushwood Wharf is a small (compare to Chesapeake Bay). I did not catch any striped bass. But conducted a good test on Cooked Shrimps as Croaker Bait.

Tested if cooked shrimps are as good as raw shrimps for croakers. It turned out, amazingly, that, peeled and cooked, small salad shrimps out-performed raw shrimps in croaker fishing. Because 34 croakers caught were small (11-15 inches), I can't definitely say Cooked Shrimp is better than raw shrimp. Bigger croakers may like raw shrimps over cooked shrimps.

Here is the video fishing log with the test results:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1h_60mNm5w

Thanks,
Joe


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## cducer

Glad to see you caught some fish and was fortunate enough to return to port . gale warnings are posted for a reason and personally I think it may have been a foolish move. ( not ment as a beat up... just my opinion. Discretion being the better part of valor).

Anyway that being said... I notice a few reports for the wicomico river and just curious if there is another wicomico river in maryland. I live on the eastern shore near the wicomico river in salisbury. 

Tight lines


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## ComeOnFish

cducer said:


> Glad to see you caught some fish and was fortunate enough to return to port . gale warnings are posted for a reason and personally I think it may have been a foolish move. ( not ment as a beat up... just my opinion. Discretion being the better part of valor).
> 
> Anyway that being said... I notice a few reports for the wicomico river and just curious if there is another wicomico river in maryland. I live on the eastern shore near the wicomico river in salisbury.
> 
> Tight lines


Yes, there is Wicomico River in MD. I think yours is called little Wicomico. I am not sure though


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## surfnsam

nice catch Joe, i think i'll put some cooked shrimp in the cooler the next time i go out and a jar of cocktail sauce if nothings biteing i can have a snack


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## O Shin Rin

Sorry Joe idn't see the link for your vid nice cat you got there and mess of croakers . Look forward to seeing you on the 15th.


jerry


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## ComeOnFish

O Shin Rin said:


> Sorry Joe idn't see the link for your vid nice cat you got there and mess of croakers . Look forward to seeing you on the 15th.
> 
> 
> jerry


I am ready. Hope the weather isn't like ones we had last weekend.

Joe


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## ComeOnFish

surfnsam said:


> nice catch Joe, i think i'll put some cooked shrimp in the cooler the next time i go out and a jar of cocktail sauce if nothings biteing i can have a snack


Sam,
actually I ran out of baits because I ate the large steamed shrimps. I sprinkled a bit of Old Bay on them when I left home (they were spiced shrimps). I brought some beers because there was no sign saying "no alcohole" at the park. For that I had to take a pit stop when croakers were biting. I spent an hour for the pit-stop. But I don't regret.

Hopefully, we dont have to wear protective cloths soon. I am debating weather I bring jumbo cocktail shrimps (with cocktail souce), spiced shrimps, white wine, or beer. Spice Shrimps and Beer:beer: Yap.
Joe


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## O Shin Rin

opcorn::beer:


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## marstang50

there is Little Wicomico river and Great Wicomico River on the western side of the bay in Northumberland County, VA.


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## ComeOnFish

Originally Posted by OBX_Rat 
Hey Joe Im planing on yaking out of bushwood this weekend for croakers, any tips

The answer below:

OBX_Rat,

First, here is the tide Info.

Tides for Bushwood Wharf, Md. starting with May 15, 2010. 
Day High Tide Height Sunrise Moon Time % Moon
/Low Time Feet Sunset Visible

Sa 15 High 3:47 AM 2.4 5:56 AM Rise 6:51 AM 0
15 Low 10:50 AM 0.2 8:11 PM Set 10:19 PM
15 High 4:33 PM 2.0
15 Low 10:34 PM 0.3

Su 16 High 4:32 AM 2.4 5:55 AM Rise 7:51 AM 4
16 Low 11:36 AM 0.2 8:12 PM Set 11:14 PM
16 High 5:18 PM 2.0
16 Low 11:24 PM 0.3 

The current can be strong as a typical tidal river. I suggest you bring a 3lb anchor for that reason. (in mild current and mild wind, small anchor works) I would suggest you drift between the ramp and Marker 6w first. You will catch croakers. If the current is slow and wind cooperates you may keep drifting over the best spots you caught croakers (or bigger croakers). Or you may anchor. Anchoring may be better because your lines are in the water unless your kayak is a Mirage Hobie. Your FF will be most likely used only as a depths finder. Because you will be on flat area 6-12' deep. From the Marker 6W, There is a good drop-off 6-12'. That drop-off you can fish both 6' deep flats and 12' deep flats almost at the same time. You may anchor there depending on the initial catch.

I think entire flats area is Oyster bar.

Baits:
Based on the last week experiment, I suggest a small bag of salad shrimps in addition to your favorites. They are pretty cheap at the most of grocery stores.

Hooks:
I also experimented 1/0 circle hooks, #1 short shank off-set J hook, and #1/0 short shank off-set J hook. The best one was #1/0 short shank off-set J hook with a half of a salad shrimp. But I would use #2/0 and a whole salad shrimps if Croakers are bigger than 15”. 

Wind: Under 15knots, waves are very low. You just have to deal with wind and current but not waves.

I think Marker 6W area is good. Do not bother with the down stream, mouth of the river. If you want to go to Marker 7W (upper stream, the other side flats). Make sure that you make a plan based on the tide chart. Coming back against wind and current can be challenging.

If you are alone, you may bring a kart in case the place very crowded. I always park temporarily next to the ramp behind parked vehicles to unload/load. The parked vehicles won't go anywhere. The owners are fishing at the pier.

Joe


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## cducer

ComeOnFish said:


> Yes, there is Wicomico River in MD. I think yours is called little Wicomico. I am not sure though


The river over here is just plain old Wicomico. head waters in Salisbury area...meanders through the city and empties into TAngier sound at the mouth of the Nanticoke. unfortunately the sewage treatment plant in Salisbury is famous for overflowing into the river during extreme rainstorms and fishing the river becomes off limits for awhile... however the lower reaches hold some good fishing and relatively protected.


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## surfnsam

tried small cooked shrimp this afternoon but no luck with them looks like shrimp salad for lunch tomorrow. did get a fat WP and a 14" rock with bws


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## Jesse Lockowitz

if you call em "shrimpS" you are probably from ohio :beer:


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## richardbb85

nice catch joe

would this place be better than solomons island for croakers?


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## ComeOnFish

Jesse Lockowitz said:


> if you call em "shrimpS" you are probably from ohio :beer:


Ohio is not entirely responsible for it. I flew over Ohio only once. Learning English as a second language as an adult, singular and plural are always confusing. Perhaps I never going to get it right. A word like shrimp never appear on my text books and technical documents what so ever. If MS word says OK then I assume the grammar is correct. I learned one.

Joe


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## ComeOnFish

richardbb85 said:


> nice catch joe
> 
> would this place be better than solomons island for croakers?


It depends on the time of the year. I am not a croaker expert. I caught only a few croakers larger than 16” in Solomons Island . Probably Wicomico is better place for the next 2 weeks. You have the better chance to hit schools of croakers at Bushwood Wharf. If you are lucky than you will hit schools of bigger croakers.

Every year, Consistently I caught bigger croakers in 20-30' of water in Corn field Habor off PLO (Maryland) or in 15-32' of water off Breezy Point (Maryland). They were 16-18” and usually took 1.5 hours to fill the kayak. I always carried a small bag of squid and shrimp just in case until end of June while I was after striped bass.

After this weekend, I will hit Breezy Point for both striped bass and croakers. 

Joe


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## richardbb85

i guess i will try out bushwood this sunday, this weather look too nice to pass up


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## richardbb85

anyone know how far out of bushwood to go if i want to look for stripers?


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