I've been watching my little ghost shrimp (hereafter referred to simply as "shrimp") for over a year now, hoping I could get them established in my pond. Well, I guess I did it. The last 2-3 times I did a dip net survey, I could catch up to 10 of them in a single swipe. Now I have another layer of reliable forage for my BG, BC, RES, and small LMB.
I originally dip netted the snappy little crustaceans at a friend's lake, as I have never heard of a fish supplier that carries them. I managed to catch about 150 of them in 3 hours of netting and sweating. I released the shrimp in 1 grassy spot 16 months ago (March 2007). A week or 2 later, I was netting them all around the pond, and delighted they were migrating. Later last summer, they all but vanished. It was touch and go, because some surveys I would not catch a single shrimp. In late 2007 to early this year, I would net an occasional shrimp, so I kept hoping they would multiply. Around March of this year I began catching more. By late spring, I began catching lots of them, and many were carrying eggs. By early July, I began catching many more, most of which were thread-like babies. The babies are now about 1/2" long, and the adults are just over 1" long and stocky. Many are carrying eggs, so I guess I'm in a shrimp population explosion.
I became obsessed with shrimp many years ago from fishing in many ponds and lakes. It may be my imagination, but it seems to me that wherever there were shrimp, the fish were abundant and healthy. I've been netting and using shrimp for bait since I was a kid, and they have never failed me. That made me badly want to stock them as a ready and reliable source of bait for my pond. I believe shrimp snack on grass and weeds, and I'm almost 100% certain they eat FA. That's just 1 more reason they are a welcome addition to my pond. I certainly can't think of a down side to the little critters. If anyone can, please give me a heads up.
A few days ago, the wife and I decided it was time to start using our shrimp for bait. The fish haven't been biting very well in the recent hot days, but we managed to catch a few 6-7" BG and a nice 7" blacknose crappie. That was the first crappie I have caught or even seen since stocking them 8 months ago (Halloween day, 2007). I have always been partial to shrimp as BG and crappie bait on my fly rod. Over the years, I've caught some pretty nice slab WC/BC using shrimp, and also caught bass up to 3 pounds. Can't wait until this winter for some crappie and bass fishing on those occasional warm sunny days we have from mid January to early March. I'm also thinking they will be killer RES bait, but don't know yet.
About my RES...although I have netted a couple of 4-5" range, I have never caught the first one on hook and line. I guess they're in there, because I had a snail infestation that cleared up suddenly. I'm hopeful that I can get some hot RES action on shrimp next spring.
Wish I had some pics, but I didn't bring my camera. Just picture a guy with a big grin, palming a transparent little shrimp in 1 hand and a crappie in the other.
