Next month we're off for two weeks in Cornwall near Mevagissey. We like to do a spot of fishing from the harbour and the rocks near Chapel Point and find live shrimp to be a very effective bait.

But what's the best way to catch shrimp quickly please? We normally spend all afternoon just getting about 20 or so from the harbour with kids nets.

I'm sure there are better ways involving nets of some kind and lowish water in the harbour, etc.

Use a push net on flat sandy beaches, (i.e. traditional wooden framed net) or a dip net in rock pools. Dip nets work best if baited with mushed shelfish and left, the shrimps/prawns will come out and investigate. If you can't buy a push net, you can make one (see link on the sandeels netting thread)

Good hunting, catching bait is as much fun as catching fish sometimes!

A push net can be bought for £15 - 25, just phone round a few of the advertisers in the back of one of the fishing mags. I have just got one, about 2ft by 18 in with a 6 ft broom handle, the front edge has an aluminium section fitted to it to protect the net from rubbing on the sand. It should be good for catching a few sandeels and shrimps.
I may try it out over the weekend if the weather is OK.

A mushed crab works even better however the blennies can have your bait whipped away in seconds so you need to tie it onto the bottom of the net with some elastic (tricky) and make sure the bottom of the net is blocked off otherwise the shrimps, hermits etc. will try to feed through it rather than from on top of it!

[ 10. July 2004, 10:58 AM: Message edited by: Kieran Hanrahan ]

You can make a simple drop net from the bottom couple of rings of an old keep net.

Attach a 6oz lead to the bottom. Use with the necessary thickish cord and bait with old mackerel head or similar.

At Walton on Naze pier I could fill a bucket in half a dozen drops for 15 minutes each + bonus prawns ..... deadly bait.

Enjoy yer hols, Lid.

Socksy:

Have you got the name of the dealer where you bought the net from?

Cheers mate.

the quickest way i have found is to use a small straight sided net and run it up the side of a quay or flat surface underwater that is covered with fine green weed. do it at night, and youll find the weed is alive with shrimp. seems they hide in there.

I got a super 'professional' prawn push-net from Paige's Tackle, Hayling Island 02392 463500.
Stainless front bar and fittings .... broad span etc.

I'll see if I can make out the manufacturers name:

VIVTEK, South Africa

under £20

I can't find the supplier in the UK, because Paige's are reluctant to tell me!

Not much help here for your next trip and all I have is a picture that I took this afternoon, no measurements etc, this is what some of the locals in Ijmuiden use, left out over night.

Both ends have the same entrance, there seems to be a metal plate on the top, to keep it down I suppose.
They were on some one elses boat so I could not climb aboard and make a closer inspection. I will be getting one for myself in the near future.

Could be one for anyone with a boat in a harbour or on a mooring.

Cheers

Alan

So how do these contraptions work Alan? Do the shrimp simply wander in and then stay there?