I want to take my kid down and try out catching shrimp with a cast net, down around Galveston. I am actually gonna be in Friendswood, there might be somewhere closer, I am not real familiar with the area. We will be visiting during the christmas holidays. Any advice would be appreciated.

Not usually gonna happen with a cast net maybe around a pier with lights at night then chances pretty slim......

Be very careful doing that as it is illegal in an estuary that is not a main body of water (East Bay, West Bay, Matagorda...). The shrimp are protected in these waters. So if you go to Friendswood to do this you can get a hefty fine in the Clear Lake waters. Even catching shrimp and using them as bait is illegal. Not saying people don't do it but...

With that said look for drains and changing tides. Then just throw in openings.

My .02

Thanks for the info. I am trying to figure out what is legal and what to stay away from. Here are the rules from Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Coastal Waters
Salt waters of the state are divided into the following groups:
1. Outside Water: That part of the Gulf of Mexico extending from the shoreline seaward to nine nautical miles. Shrimp may not be taken from outside waters during closed seasons (see ___ )
2. Inside Water: All bays, passes, rivers, or other bodies of water landward from the shoreline along the Gulf of Mexico. In these waters, the tide rises and falls and saltwater shrimp are found or migrate. Shrimping is not permitted within any natural or man-made pass leading from the inside waters to the outside waters of the state.
3. Major Bays:
o Sabine Lake north of Cameron Causeway to south of a line marked by the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Sabine Neches Canal/Sabine River) between the eastern most tip of Goat Island to the western most tip of Stewts Island
o Trinity Bay southward from a line extending from the mouth of Double Bayou in Chambers County to Double Bayou Channel Marker 14, to Separator C-2, to Point Barrow in Chambers County
o Galveston Bay
o East Bay westward from a line extending from Frozen Point to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Marker 12
o Matagorda Bay westward of a line extending from a location on the mainland (where a line running immediately northwest [bearing 330 degrees] from Shellfish Marker A intersects the mainland) thence southeasterly to Shellfish Marker A located near the mainland, thence to Shellfish Marker B located near the end of Shell Island Reef, thence to the tide gauge located near the Matagorda Peninsula, and thence southeasterly [bearing 153 degrees] to the Matagorda Peninsula.
o East Matagorda Bay
o Tres Palacios Bay south from a line from Grassey Point to the mouth of Pilkington Bayou
o Espiritu Santo Bay
o Lavaca Bay southward of State Highway 35
o San Antonio Bay southward of a line from McDowell Point to Mosquito point
o Aransas Bay
o Corpus Christi Bay exclusive of the area bounded by the line extending from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at the southwest point of the Dagger Island chain, along Dagger Island to the southeast tip of Ransom Island, then southeast to the westernmost point of land north of Marker 14 in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel
o All exclusive of tributary bays, bayous, and inlets, lakes and rivers
4. Bait Bays (includes major bays and those listed here):
o Chocolate Bay
o West Bay south and west of Interstate Highway 45 Causeway bridge and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway inclusive of the area south of a line extending westward from Interstate Highwy 45 Causeway Bridge at Virginia Point, along the southern edge of Tiki Island to the northeastern tip of North Deer Island at Channel Marker 48
o Trinity Bay northward from a line extending from the mouth of Double Bayou in Chambers County to Double Bayou Channel Marker 14, to Separator C-2, to Point Barrow in Chambers County
o The Old Brazos River lying north of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Brazoria County
o Upper Laguna Madre
o Baffin Bay
o Alazan Bay
o Barroom Bay
o Lower Laguna Madre, including the Brownsville Ship Channel
o The entire Gulf Intracoastal Waterway exclusive of all tributaries
5. Nursery Areas: (No Shrimping Allowed) Those coastal waters not specifically named above as Major Bays or Bait Bays are considered Nursery Areas. Includes tributary bays, bayous, inlets, lakes, and rivers that serve as significant growth and development environments for postlarval and juvenile shrimp. Does not include outside waters, major bays, or bait bays.



Problem is I dont know where most of those places are. Do you know of a good spot that would be legal and worth trying? What about under the big bridge over there by Kemah? Not sure if that is considered shoreline or inside water or not. Thanks!

get google earth and just drag along the texas coast. turn on the roads and look for the names of the bays.

I am pretty sure there are hours that are legal to shrimp during the day. Like 1/2 hour after sunrise till 2:00 pm. I do know that harvesting shrimp at night is illegal.

They are pretty successful in Chesapeake Bay area shrimping with cast nets and there is a season for it, but haven't heard of it here in Texas.

Let us know how it goes.

i think its 30 mins before sunrise to 30 mins after sunrise.

Good luck trying to find Shrimp in shallow, Cast-Nettable(haha) waters in the WINTER!!- Just go buy some!

I guess ,I`LL ask what the big deal with trying to cast net shrimp been around coast alot seen cast netting mullet etc. wouldn`t think it would be worth the trouble.... ...Bill

I always catch them in the surf. Just look closely at the tops of the waves as they break and you will see them. Or sometimes I have seen them so thick when you walk out into the water they start jumping and poking you. I only catch enough for bait. Usually one cast then start fishing. Will cast for more as I need it. If your wanting to eat them, check to make sure you follow the rules. As was mentioned above, durring the winter is really not the best time. Most of the adult shrimp have moved out into the gulf by now.

As it has been said, it's probably a losing proposition to go expecting to catch shrimp around Christmas.

You can throw the cast net and come in with all kinds of other sea life: Mullet, pinfish, catfish, mudminnows, etc.. Put them in a bucket and let the kids go to town. Put out a couple of lines in deeper water with 4-6" mullet and see what happens.

You might try crabbing as well. That's easy and fun for the kids, and lets them explore some. Again this is more productive in the warmer months, but the blue crabs are still around.

I try to stay away from the Houston area as much as possible, so I don't have any spots for you.

Try the grass flats around Bayside. Over the years I have seen a lot of people in there catching shrimp with cast nets.