Shrimping in the Lowcountry: What You Need to Know!
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Time to read 5 min
There’s a reason that shrimp are so highly sought after by inshore gamefish and humans alike: they’re downright delicious. These tasty crustaceans have a deep-rooted history in the Lowcountry, giving rise to generations of shrimpers and a large sector of our economic exports dedicated to shrimp. Shrimp are a staple in the local food scene and are featured in many gourmet dishes like shrimp and grits, shrimp scampi, shrimp cocktails, Lowcountry boils, and more. If you prefer to do your grocery shopping out on the beautiful local waterways, the Lowcountry’s abundant shrimp populations make it easy to fill a cooler or livewell in just a few tosses of a net. Here in South Carolina, all you’ll need to harvest shrimp legally is a valid Saltwater Recreational Fishing license. Effective shrimping is attainable for nearly everyone and does not require loads of specialized gear - just a boat, fish finder, cast net, and a cooler, and you’ll be in business!
Introducing the Frogmore Shrimp cleaner. This first-of-its-kind shrimp tool allows you to peel, devein, and butterfly shrimp in one single smooth motion. Elegantly designed and easy to use, it gives you a perfect shrimp every time.
Features & Specs
- Point Blade Butterflies & Cleans
- Top Quality Stainless Steel
- Full Tang Construction Provides Maximum Strength
- Ergonomic Handle
How to Use
1. You insert the tool right below the top of the shell.
2. Then you push the tool forward, while at the same time sliding the shrimp upwards towards the handle.
3. The entire shrimp peel will be left on the Frogmore cleaner. And the peeled, deveined, and butterflied shrimp will be left in your hand.
4. A quick rinse and you're done.
The Shrimp of the Lowcountry - A Brief Overview
South Carolina has three species of edible shrimp: pink, white, and brown. They all have similar tastes and make excellent table fare. Shrimp have a short lifespan of about eight to nine months. Juvenile shrimp tend to reside in the tidal marshes while adult shrimp migrate into deeper waters before heading offshore to spawn. While shrimp can be caught from May to October during low tide in the marshes, this article focuses on the larger, more jumbo-sized shrimp that settle along the seafloor in inshore waters during fall months. These shrimp are targeted through a process called “Deep Hole Shrimping,” which is at its best from mid-September through late November as the water cools off.
How to Locate Eater-Size Shrimp In The Lowcountry
As cooler temperatures arrive in the Lowcountry, shrimp start heading offshore, congregating in deep holes along channels and drop-offs. Popular areas like Bulls Bay, Charleston Harbor, and Winyah Bay are teeming with shrimp during these fall months. Most steep drop-offs you are likely to hold shrimp, so if you are driving around and spot some relief on your depth finder, make a throw! When out on the water searching for shrimp, the best strategy is to explore a range of depths. Start shallower, around that 15-foot range, and work your way out to deeper water - around 30 feet. Keep an eye on your fish finder for those drop-offs and deep holes along the bottom - when the shrimp are densely gathered you will be able to see them piling up on the bottom. Don’t hesitate to make a few blind throws if the bottom contours look promising but your screen isn’t lighting up. Once you find a good pile of them, you will be able to fill the cooler in just a few throws of the net.
Deep Hole Shrimping: What Do I Need?
The best time for Deep Hole Shrimping is during slack tide at the end of low. The lack of current at this point in the tide cycle allows your net to drop straight down and makes boat positioning much easier. Shrimping at low tide also means your net will not have to sink as much, giving you more control when trying to load your cooler. Deep Hole Shrimping requires a heavy cast net with lead weights: I like a 10-12 foot net with ⅜ or ½ inch mesh, rated for around 1.5 lbs of lead per radius foot. Additionally, it's important to have at least 40 ft of throw line - the longer, the better, but you can always add extra rope if you need more depth. Learning to throw a net of this size and weight takes some practice, so be patient, work on your technique, and don’t get discouraged - with practice, you’ll be throwing pancakes in no time! After catching that net full of shrimp, make sure you have a place to empty your net and sort them - a plastic crab basket works well for me. Typically, recreational shrimpers keep the larger ones for the dinner table, and the smaller ones for bait - as always, be sure to return what you do not think you’ll use back to our waters! With your South Carolina Saltwater Recreational Fishing License you can keep 48 quarts whole or 29 quarts headed per day.
Should I Keep Shrimp For Bait?
Shrimp make amazing bait for a variety of inshore species including sheepshead, sea trout, redfish, and flounder. To keep them alive, make sure they have plenty of dissolved oxygen whether that is through your boat's livewell or a bucket with an aerator. Here in South Carolina, the most popular ways to rig shrimp are on a Carolina rig or under a Popping Cork, and many local anglers like to fish them around dock pilings or oyster beds. For more details on how to tie these rigs and when to use them, check out below!
Alright, I Caught My Fresh Shrimp, Now What?
Shrimp are incredibly easy to clean and require minimal prep, especially with our Frogmore Shrimp Cleaner. This unique tool peels, deveins, and butterflies all in one smooth motion, saving you loads of time in the kitchen! If you enjoy Shrimp, Crabs, and Oysters, check out our Coastal Kitchen Collection which includes all the tools you need to tackle our Lowcountry seafood. Depending on the recipe you choose to make, you can either devein and peel or leave the shell on and just devein them.
What Is The Best Way To Cook My Fresh Shrimp?
Shrimp have a bold flavor that enhances many popular dishes. Use the Toadfish Ultimate Grill Tongs to grill your shrimp to perfection, or chop them up with the Ultimate Shears or Fixed Fillet Knives to include them in pasta dishes, salads, tacos, and more. If you want to go down the more traditional route, remove the heads of your shrimp, deveining them in the process, and add to a Lowcountry Boil. You can also leave your tails on to make a classic Lowcountry Shrimp and Grits. Additionally, check out any of these unique shrimp recipes from Toadfish below!
- Shrimp Burger Recipe | Toadfish
- Quick & Easy Honey Garlic Shrimp Recipe | Toadfish
- Shrimp and Grits | Toadfish
