# anybody familiar with trawling nets?



## txneal

I was talking with my dad recently and he told me about how, as a kid, he would go out into Galveston Bay with his father and his uncle and pull a small shrimp trawl behind a small aluminum boat. He says they would make quite good catches of shrimp and crabs each day. This was a long time ago, so he doesn't remember many particulars about the types of rigging they used, so I have been trying to find some info on the subject, but have been unable to come up with much. I have looked into the Texas Parks and Wildlife regulations and see that recreational shrimp trawling is legal, so I am interested in learning more about how to do it. I have a 14 foot semi-v with a 25 hp motor, so I'm trying to determine what size trawl net and other rigging I will need. Also, would be interested in finding some info on methods and techniques for catching shrimp. If any of you guys are familiar with shrimp trawling from a small boat, I would be most interested in hearing about it and learning from your experience. Thanks!


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## thudpucker

You aint lived till you've tried a Trawl net behind a boat that aint made for the effort. :lol: 

You can get all that info from locals. I'd offer this. Before you spend the first penny, find somebody who's done it, lot's of somebody's, and see what you can learn.

Basically, you put out a net, (the size is regulated) weighted on the bottom, floats on top.
Wide as possible. That takes some long poles and some pretty good mounting hardware.

You let your net out, then motor a little ways off, then start winching the bottom of the net in toward the boat.
The Pole tips move forwards, and slightly upwards, dragging the outer ends of the net as the net comes toward the boat. You see how complex this it getting?

Bring the bottom of the net up where you can see what your getting. Some of the stuff you get to keep, the rest you let go back.

You wont get much if you try dragging the net behind you and you might snag the net and cause your boat to capsize.
So spend some time with the locals. If you've got the itch, go learn the hard way. I've been like that all my life and I've had a lot of fun at it.

I had a friend in Cameron LA that did ok with a 9' Throwing net for Shrimp. Finding them is the tough part.
Believe me, its a lot cheaper to buy em' off the shrimpers at the dock. :wink:


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## rick50

I have trawled in a 14 foot, 30 hp outboard and using a 16 foot trawl. The rigging can be done many ways ,but on mine I had two poles with eye bolts, that the trawl attached to. On the front of the poles I had cable running to the bow and attaching to a cleat to help take some of the strain off the poles. The trawl consisted of 75 to 100 feet of rope (two each). two boards and a trwal with what they call a tattle tale. First thing you do is turn the boat with the wind , (the wind keeps the boat off the trawl)and throw out the tail of the trawl and finish feeding it out, then put each board out on both sides feeding the rope out as the wind pushes the boat away from the trawl. Once all the rope is out you put the motor in gear and your trawling. you pull for about 20 minutes and pick up the trawl in the reverse order you put it out and hopefully reap the harvest. Always turn the boat in the wind and take the motor out of gear when either putting the trawl out or picking it up.When is shrimp season open?

trawls come in different sizes 6,8,10,12, 14 ,16 feet . here in La. 16 feet is the biggest you can pull without buying a commercial license. You may be better off with a small trawl at first


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## thudpucker

:LOL2: Reading that experience, I'd like to say..." it's a busy way to fish"! :lol:


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## rick50

That s only the half of it.....not trying to discourage anybody , but it can be a little work involved


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## txneal

Thanks for the info! Earlier today, I emailed a guy who sells shrimp trawls and he emailed me his instruction brochure for operating the trawls. His instructions sound almost exactly the same as what you have described above. He recommended that a 12 foot or 16 foot would be a suitable size for my boat, saying that a 12 foot could be operated by one man while the 16 foot would require two people to retrieve. I think I'll go with the 12 footer when I order one. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. I'm always interested in seeing what sort of life forms are in the water, so a trawl seems like a good way to catch a variety of fish while spending some time on the water.

I just looked in the Texas fishing regulations and we have two shrimp trawling seasons...a spring season from May 15-July 15 and a Fall season from August 15-November 30. The catch limit is 15 pounds per person per day and all nongame fish may be retained up to 200 fish per day. 

I'm pretty busy for the next several weeks and won't have time to do this yet, but I might just make it out sometime in November. If not, I'm going to be ready when the spring season comes around next year. When I become interested in something like this, I am eager to find as much information as possible, so I welcome all input from anyone who has any experience with this. Rick50, I'd be interested in hearing more about the poles that you use. What are they made of, how tall are they, and exactly how do you mount them to the boat? Thanks again for the input!


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## rick50

I just transferred my boat from trawling to duck hunting, if i can I will try to take pictures tommorrow and post them on here of the set up.


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## Jim

Great post! :beer:

This is a hole new topic I never even knew existed. Us sheltered northern boys just go to the frozen food section and dish out $$$ for a bag of frozen shrimp. :mrgreen:


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## Captain Ahab

I wonder if I can trawl up the white perch in my lake????


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## Zum

I agree,nice post.
I'd like to see some pictures or alittle video of you hauling.
I think I'll go on youtube to see whats there.


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## rick50

The poles are about 3 feet long and fit into holder in the boat. The cable is over the top of pole and attaches to a cleat for added strength (make sure there is very little slack in cable when you put tension on pole.

I have seen people take the handles on the back of the flat boat and weld them on the top rail of the boat and use that instead of the poles...just make sure you weld them about three feet in front of the outboard motor, for some reason the boat will not turn when the trawl is attached to the end of the back of the boat.

Don t forget the pickin box.................

sorry I dont thave any pictures of me trawling


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## BassAddict

Great Post =D> =D> Let us know how things turn out!!


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## txneal

Thanks for all the input, guys. And thanks for the pics, Rick50. I'll be gone out of town and can't get back online until sometime Monday, but I would like to continue this discussion when I return. I'll continue to seek more info and will post here when I learn more. Also will call my dad and see if he can remember any more specifics about his experiences. The trawling brochure I got yesterday has some good info in it and I tried to attach it to a post here, but it seems that this site would not support the format that it is in. Perhaps I'll figure out how to attach it so you guys can read it. I know its a lot less work and money to just buy shrimp from the store, but I'm interested in the experience as much as the shrimp harvest, so I intend to continue pursuing this endeavor. Thanks again for the replies.


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## FishinsMyLife

I've never heard of recreational trawling, but all the people that throw cast nets and bait shrimp say it's worth it if you love being out on the water, but it won't save you much money. Sounds fun though.


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