‘Spot’ on advice for Puget Sound shrimpers
Regulation update: Eastern section of Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) now closed for May 21 fishery due to a low spot shrimp population
Story originally published in the Northwest Sportsman Magazine’s May issue
March Madness is for hoopaholics, but May Madness is a “shrimply” irresistible time for anglers to partake in the spot shrimp fisheries.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced the spot shrimp fishery will open May 21 on most Puget Sound marine areas, with additional dates scheduled in several areas into early July.
“Spot shrimping is one of Washington’s signature recreational fisheries and the shrimp harvested are one of the finest things you can eat,” said Don Velasquez, a WDFW Puget Sound shellfish biologist. “However, with increasing shrimping effort we must be cautious not to overharvest this important resource. The 2025 season will provide increased opportunities in Hood Canal and Discovery Bay, but fewer openings in central and south-central Puget Sound.”
Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) shrimp closure
The eastern portion of Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) east of a line projected from Possession Point (47.905036 -122.380062) to Apple Cove Point (47.817348 -122.484381) is closed for the May 21 spot shrimp fishery, WDFW fishery managers announced.
Review of preseason test fishery information conducted by WDFW and tribal co-managers indicate the eastern portion of Marine Area 9 should be closed to allow the spot shrimp populations to rebuild. The Marine Area 9 closure zone affects all shrimp species including spot shrimp, coonstripe shrimp, dock shrimp, pink shrimp, and sidestripe shrimp.
Refer to the WDFW emergency fishing and shellfishing rules webpage for the Marine Area 9 shrimp closure.
Marine Area 10 (Seattle-Bremerton waters) outside of Elliott Bay, Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) and Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) will remain closed due to low estimated spot shrimp abundance.
WDFW fishery managers selected the shrimp fishing dates to offer opportunities to harvest spot shrimp while distributing participants and reducing the chance of exceeding recreational quotas. Due to high expected turnout, some areas cannot support weekend openings while remaining within their current quota.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, shrimpers are encouraged to monitor weather conditions and avoid launching or leaving the dock if their vessel can’t safely participate. Check with local access ramps and marinas ahead of time to stay informed on potential closures or fee changes. Allow extra time for launching boats, show courtesy to others at the boat ramps and respect others’ gear while on the water.
Proposed state ferry terminal closures
A proposed rule prohibiting deploying shrimp and crab fishing gear in Washington state ferry terminal closure zones and an announcement is expected to happen soon. Refer to the WDFW emergency fishing rules webpage for updates.
When implemented, the rule would prohibit commercial or recreational crabbing, shrimping and fishing with purse seine or gillnets near 19 Department of Transportation-managed ferry terminals in Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands.
These types of fishing and shellfishing equipment can cause significant and costly damage to state ferries. The closure would prohibit using these types of fishing gear within 400 yards from the end of the ferry terminal dock and 100 yards on each side.
The rule would not apply to trolling or other methods of recreational salmon, lingcod and finfish fishing.
View the proposed rule on WDFW’s rulemaking webpage.
Shrimp fishing season dates, rules
Here are the 2025 spot shrimp fishing dates:
· Marine Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh boundary line: Open daily beginning May 21. Shrimping is allowed during daylight hours only. The recreational spot shrimp season closes when the quota is met or September 15, whichever comes first.
· Marine Area 5 (western Strait of Juan de Fuca): Open daily beginning May 21. Shrimping is allowed during daylight hours only. The recreational spot shrimp season closes when the quota is met or September 15, whichever comes first.
· Marine Area 6 (Port Angeles Harbor, eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, excluding the Discovery Bay Shrimp District): Open on May 21–23, June 6–7, June 20–21 and July 18–19. Shrimping is allowed during daylight hours only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 6 (Discovery Bay Shrimp District): Open on May 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 7 East (northern Rosario Strait, Bellingham Bay, Sucia and Matia Islands, Strait of Georgia): Open on May 21–23 and June 6–7. Shrimping is allowed during daylight hours only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 7 South (Iceberg Point, Point Colville, Biz Point, Salmon Bank): Open on May 21–23 and June 6–7. During June 20–21, only the Iceberg Point section will be open for spot shrimp. Shrimping is allowed during daylight hours only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 7 West (San Juan Channel, Speiden Channel, Stuart and Waldron Islands): Open on May 21–23, June 6–7, June 20–21 and July 18–19. Shrimping is allowed during daylight hours only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 8–1 (Saratoga Passage, Deception Pass): Open on May 21 and June 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 8–2 (Port Susan, Port Gardner, Everett): Open on May 21 and June 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 9 (Edmonds, Port Townsend Bay, Admiralty Inlet): Open on May 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only except for the eastern portion west of a line projected from Possession Point (47.905036 -122.380062) to Apple Cove Point (47.817348 -122.484381) is closed for the 2025 shrimping season.
· Marine Area 10 (inside of Elliott Bay east of a line from West Point to Alki Point): Open on May 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 10 (outside of Elliott Bay west of a line from West Point to Alki Point, which includes the Bainbridge Island shrimp fishing grounds): Closed for spot shrimp harvest in 2025 due to low abundance. State and tribal comanagers are evaluating updated test fishing information to inform potential quotas and fisheries.
· Marine Area 11 (Tacoma, Vashon Island): Closed for spot shrimp harvest in 2025 due to low abundance. State and tribal comanagers are evaluating updated test fishing information to inform potential quotas and fisheries. The non-spot shrimp season will open sometime in early summer and includes a depth restriction.
· Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal Shrimp District): Open on May 21, May 22, June 4, June 18 and July 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only. An announcement regarding additional dates may be made later in the season.
· Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound, Carr Inlet): Closed for spot shrimp harvest in 2025 due to low abundance. The non-spot shrimp season will open sometime in early summer and includes a depth restriction.
In all open areas of Puget Sound, the daily limit per shrimper is 80 spot shrimp with a total daily weight limit of 10 pounds (whole shrimp) for all species of shrimp combined. Shrimpers who retain only spot shrimp may remove and discard the heads while in the field and before returning to shore. Shrimpers retaining any shrimp species other than spot shrimp must continue to retain the heads until finished and on shore to verify compliance with the 10-pound daily limit.
More info on recreational shrimp fishing rules, seasons and marine areas is available on WDFW’s website and for gear rules refer to the WDFW statewide gear rules webpage.
Shrimpers can set traps one hour before official sunrise during any open period in the marine areas without specified harvest hours. These include Marine Areas 4, 5, and 6 (except for the Discovery Bay Shrimp District) and Marine Area 7 East, South and West. The traps must be removed from the water in these same areas by one hour after sunset at the end of an open period. The start and end times for all other areas are listed above.
Seasons for non-spot shrimping (dock, coonstripe, sidestripe and pink shrimp only) will begin later this year and will be announced separately. During non-spot shrimp seasons 1/2-inch mesh traps are allowed, depth restrictions are in place and all spot shrimp are required to be released immediately.
A shrimp species identification guide is available on the WDFW webpage.
Spot shrimp fishing tips
Since there are a limited number of days to fish for spot shrimp, it is important to make sure you’ve got all your gear in proper working order, and you know where and when to go.
The majority of spot shrimp can be found in deeper depths along steep ledges, drop-offs and sharp inclined bottoms. The prime habitat for spot shrimp is usually found in 200 to 350 feet of water.
The shrimp tend to huddle in massive swarms, which look like a huge cloud on a fish-finder. Once you’ve located a sweet spot be sure to scatter traps across a broad area and set them at various depths. Allow a one- to two-hour soak before making your first pull, which gives you at least two chances during a four-hour fishing period.
Prepping a good mix of bait ingredients and thicknesses — which should be the consistency of dense yogurt — are two key factors when it comes to success. Since you’ve got to set traps deep you’ll want to ensure the scent cloud is still leaching out after it hits bottom.
Make sure your mixture has a good amount of shrimp bait pellets and also mix in oily tuna, whitefish or salmon in a five-gallon bucket. Bring a large ladle or scooper and latex gloves, as the bait ed mixture can get rather messy. Add several cans of cat food with several small holes punched into them just before you drop the traps. For backup, make sure to bring along 24 to 30 extra cans of cat food.
Investing in an electric pot puller is well worth the cost of avoiding a sore shoulder or wasting time by hand pulling up a 35-pound trap from 300-plus feet of water. The Scotty Electric Pot Puller is a good choice, and others prefer the Ace Line Hauler Pro that can be placed onto a Scotty downrigger mount and plug.
The standard setup is a yellow buoy (your full name and address is required on the buoy and must be legible). A phone number is recommended. A colorful flag or staff is optional but can be helpful locating your own buoy in a maze of other buoys set nearby. Always attach buoys with the rounded end towards the trap and not the flat end, which creates more drag and can snag floating debris. Never use empty containers (like a one-gallon milk container) as a buoy, plus it is illegal because they create drag and can fill up with water and sink.
For each pot use at least 400 feet of sinking lead line. The line length is dependent on how deep you plan to fish. Tide changes will alter your water depth, so a good tip is to use a line that is one-third longer than the maximum water depth you’re shrimping in to prevent losing a trap. Avoid using lines with a large diameter, particularly those greater than 5/16 inch, which creates more drag in a current and can pull lighter traps away from where they’re set. You can also add a weight to the line. Propellers can sever floating lines on the surface and will increase the chance of entanglement with floating debris. Before heading out, make sure the drop lines are coiled neatly and ready to deploy.
A medium-sized square pot will have a bait barrel (bring extras) connected to a four-way rope harness attached to each corner of the pot. Keep your bait barrel securely fastened to the trap with a wide strip of elastic cord. A biodegradable escape cord made of cotton (or other natural fiber) that will degrade and reduce the amount of shrimp wasted if the pot is lost is required on all shellfish traps.
Most importantly for your trap is to add extra weights, evenly placed; it may require 10 to 30 pounds of weight to keep the trap from moving around in strong currents.
On the table
Spot shrimp are a healthy source of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory astaxanthin and are high in Omega-3 fatty acids. They have a nice, sweet flavor to go along with their firm meat texture.
They’re delicious when eaten raw; if cooked whole, they should only be boiled for one to two minutes or until they turn pink. If possible, live spot prawns should be prepared the same day they’re caught.
To keep them alive, put them on ice immediately after you catch them. Shrimp can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple days to be eaten fresh. Freeze immediately if you plan on saving them. Never store them with tap water, as chlorine kills them. If kept overnight, remove the heads, as the digestive enzyme makes the flesh turn mushy.
More shrimping tips
· Launch your boat well ahead of the start time. Nothing is worse than waiting in a line on land when the fishery gets underway.
· Be at your fishing spot with traps baited and ready to drop the moment it officially opens.
· Count your limit into separate containers to avoid overlimiting.
And keep in mind that each angler can have only two traps and a maximum of four traps per boat, meaning when you are near the point where you only have one last limit to catch, you cannot have four traps sitting in the water.
