Do you live near the coast? Are you tired of paying 35 euros per kilo for shrimp? If so, you might learn how to catch shrimp yourself; you need some time, effort and above all little money.
Steps
Step 1. Buy a fishing net
If you've never thrown one, go to YouTube and look for a video tutorial. The best place to practice is your garden, so you can see how the net falls without losing it in the water.
Step 2. Check the tide tables for the area
Check when the tide is low: it is the best time to fish for shrimp, especially at dusk.
Step 3. Go to a spot where you can cast the net without it getting aground
From the shore, from the docks or from the boat, they are all excellent solutions. You need to find a point that is no deeper than the radius of the net.
Step 4. Throw the net in the water and wait for it to reach the bottom
When the lead weights are on the bottom use a rope to retrieve the net. During this phase, the ring of the network closes in circles, trapping all that is contained.
Step 5. Prepare to get dirty
When you retrieve the net from the water, remember to hoist everything that was in the mud on board. Retrieve networks quickly (but not too much). Buy a bucket with a wide opening to put the net in.
Step 6. Grab the rope that closes the ring and loosen it, letting the contents fall back into the bucket
Step 7. Place the shrimp you caught in a thermal container with ice
Step 8. Continue casting the net until you are full of shrimp or until you no longer feel your arms, whichever comes first
Step 9. A very simple and inexpensive way to catch shrimp is to use a very fine butterfly net attached to a long tube to sift the waters near the piers
It is usually ideal in the bays leading to the ocean.
Step 10. If all else fails try using an inexpensive butterfly net to sift the sand along the sides of the piers
Step 11. You might catch something interesting
Advice
- It is better to catch shrimp during the night because they are more on the surface.
- You should clean the shrimp before cooking them. It is a great idea to clean them as soon as possible, as soon as you return from the fishing trip. If you've put them on ice, you'll probably have to wait until morning. Cleaning usually consists of rinsing under fresh running water and removing the heads and dorsal veins.
- Shrimps are more numerous in cold waters.
- It is more suitable to fish for shrimp at low tide.
Warnings
- If you catch a shrimp with dozens of black eggs on its abdomen throw it back into the water: it is a pregnant female. If you don't, you contribute to the shrimp population reduction.
- The antennae on the shrimp's head are very sharp and can cause you painful injuries. Shrimps know how to use them to defend themselves; but even when the animal is dead, they remain dangerous weapons for your fingers.
- Although rare, there are some people who are allergic to shrimp and shellfish, and some don't even know they are. If after a meal of shrimp and shellfish you start to feel tension in your throat, chest or red spots (hives) on your body, you may be allergic. It is very important to call for help (118) as you may have anaphylactic shock. If you have already experienced these reactions DO NOT risk eating shellfish again!
