On April 7th, I had the pleasure of sneaking up on our website "Pier Guru" harrassing the shrimp on the New Smyrna Beach South Causeway Pier. I have never seen anybody dip before and what an experience that was.
I must admit, we the boaters have it REAL EASY compared to the pier folks who pluck those shrimp with an 18 foot handled dip net. We endured gale force winds at times under the bridge between the pilings. The water was angry and choppy. The wind was blowing a steady 10-15+.
I meet, Craig [ShrimpCraz] who told me I just missed meeting "Specialist" who stopped by 45 mins earlier. What a cool setup ShrimpCraz had with a shopping cart to hold his batteries and as a means to get his gear from the parking lot to the pier. There is a long drop between the water and the pier. I was astounded by the size of the dip nets and what artistry to maneuver the net around at such a pier height. ShrimpCraz plucks those shrimp with a great recipe of 3 cups calculation and 2 cups of eye hand coordination, 3 tablespoons of prayer, and 1 cup wind. His recipe works.
ShrimpCraz was awarded 3rd place in the 1st on-line shrimp tourney, and I decided to give him his mirror license plate in person and spend some time watching a true craftsman pier dip. Here are some pics of other pier dippers & ShrimpCraz getting his plate. He had just started to dip, so the gallon bucket was shot real early in the night. He filled it up nicely while I was observing and continued to after I left.
If anyone has any questions, this is our "GO TO" guy! He has made his own lights, and rigged his own devices, and this gent' can catch shrimp! I am a little 5'2" gal, and I could never handle the 18 ft pole and reach way out there for a 'frimp...way to much back breaking work. I have such RESPECT for a pier shrimper. I salute you all!
I must admit, we the boaters have it REAL EASY compared to the pier folks who pluck those shrimp with an 18 foot handled dip net. We endured gale force winds at times under the bridge between the pilings. The water was angry and choppy. The wind was blowing a steady 10-15+.
I meet, Craig [ShrimpCraz] who told me I just missed meeting "Specialist" who stopped by 45 mins earlier. What a cool setup ShrimpCraz had with a shopping cart to hold his batteries and as a means to get his gear from the parking lot to the pier. There is a long drop between the water and the pier. I was astounded by the size of the dip nets and what artistry to maneuver the net around at such a pier height. ShrimpCraz plucks those shrimp with a great recipe of 3 cups calculation and 2 cups of eye hand coordination, 3 tablespoons of prayer, and 1 cup wind. His recipe works.
ShrimpCraz was awarded 3rd place in the 1st on-line shrimp tourney, and I decided to give him his mirror license plate in person and spend some time watching a true craftsman pier dip. Here are some pics of other pier dippers & ShrimpCraz getting his plate. He had just started to dip, so the gallon bucket was shot real early in the night. He filled it up nicely while I was observing and continued to after I left.
If anyone has any questions, this is our "GO TO" guy! He has made his own lights, and rigged his own devices, and this gent' can catch shrimp! I am a little 5'2" gal, and I could never handle the 18 ft pole and reach way out there for a 'frimp...way to much back breaking work. I have such RESPECT for a pier shrimper. I salute you all!
