Oak Hill Shrimping Jan 1971

To add a few notes to the article: My Dad wrote a fishing column and articles for the Sanford Herald many years ago. This trip takes place in 1971 - long before underwater lights and all of the high tech gadgets we now take for granted. The shrimpers used Coleman lanterns and cotton dipnets. A lot of the shrimpers camped out in tents - not luxury motorhomes. My Dad had a 14' aluminum boat with a 9.5 hp Johnson.They would camp out for several days at a time. The campground rented freezer space for your fish and shrimp. Riverwood is still in business today. They are located right next to Riverbreeze Ramp.

Shrimp Fever: A Wonderful Disease
by Bob Orrell - Herald Correspondent

RIVERWOOD CAMPGROUND, OAKHILL, FLORIDA - The sun was still two hours high but already boat motors were sputtering to life as people from all walks of life started heading for their favorite spot on the Intracoastal Waterway.

The reason for all of this activity? This is the time of year when the river from New Smyrna Beach south to Mosquito Lagoon becomes a blaze of light as those who relish the delicate favor of the Oak Hill brown shrimp seek to stock their freezers while the “run” is on. Shrimp can only be caught at night on the high, outgoing tide and many of the shrimpers prefer to camp out at a convenient riverside park rather than face the long drive home in the wee hours of morning.

My family is among that group. We left Sanford Friday afternoon in time to reach Riverwood Campground, set up the tent, eat a bite, launch the boat and get on the river before dark. Loading the boat with shrimp nets, ice chest, coffee and sandwiches, we cranked up and headed about a mile downstream to find a place not too crowded. Shrimping is just as good right in front of the campground but many boats had already dropped anchor and the occupants were snacking, visiting back and forth with other shrimpers in voice range and getting lights ready for the darkness.

We chose a spot near marker five, anchored, and joined in the pre-darkness activity. The tide had already turned and as soon as the sun started sinking behind the trees, lights began flickering on and by nightfall the river looked like the downtown area of some big city. Munching on a sandwich, I was startled by a shout from my wife, “Hey! Get on the ball, you just let a shrimp go by!” That ended the eating and meditating for the evening. The shrimp were not running in large numbers but just enough to keep everyone wide awake and watching.

Yells from other boats indicated they too were dipping frequently. Occasionally, an exclamation of disgust would be heard as someone missed with the net or a trout caused the shrimp to jump out of reach of the net.

Several hours and some sore arms later, the tide slowed to a standstill, then started running the other way. The shrimp also slowed down, then quit running completely. Motors roared into life and the parade of boats headed back to the dock or ramp from where they had started. I shined the spotlight into the ice chest and was pleasantly surprised tp see that we had about two gallons of shrimp. No big deal as the limit is five gallons per boat per night regardless of how many people are in the boat. We eased back to the campground and spoke briefly to some fellow campers who were already heading their catch. We learned a few parties had limited out, but most had about the same amount we did. As our shrimp were well iced, I waited until the next day to head them. We hit the sack, got a few hours sleep, and the next morning I tried the trout fishing solo as my wife slept in. Seven trout, including a four pounder was the count for two hours of plug casting in the Lagoon.

A short trip across the channel into Bissit Bay produced enough oysters for an oyster roast for the evening meal, along with a platter of shrimp sauteed in butter. With crackers, cocktail sauce and a mug of coffee, who could ask for more?

The only thing is - shrimping can be habit forming! For when the shrimping fever hits, you can never get rid of it!

 

I've got one more from April 1972 I'll post in a day or two.

 

Alan - my first exposure to shrimping was from the flat bridge in Eau Gallie in the middle 1950s! I lived there for three years before moving to Port Orange. 20' calcutta shrimp nets with a Coleman lantern hanging from the bridge railing. We shrimped from the old south bridge in NSB when we moved here.