How to Catch Spot Prawn Shrimp in Alaska

Have you ever wanted to know how to catch spot prawn shrimp in Prince William Sound? There’s nothing quite like the thrill of catching your own seafood; those who’ve experienced it know nothing beats the taste of fresh spot prawn shrimp in Alaska.

If you’re an adventurous boater with a taste for delicacies, Prince William Sound is the perfect spot to explore.

One of the prime targets in this area is the spot prawn shrimp, considered a delicacy in most parts of the world. In this blog post, we’ll review everything you need to know to catch spot prawn shrimp in Prince William Sound using shrimp pots.

Step 1: Gather the right equipment to catch shrimp

You must gather the right equipment before you set off to catch spot prawn shrimp. The most crucial gear you’ll need is the shrimp pot. A shrimp pot is a trap designed to capture the shrimp alive.

Consider renting a boat out of Valdez to catch shrimp

You can either buy or rent shrimp pots from most boating equipment stores in Alaska. Remember that you might want more than one pot, depending on how many shrimp you plan to catch.

You’ll also need bait to lure the shrimp into the pot. Herring or squid make for an excellent bait. I recommend shrimp pellets, a dry form of shrimp bait that looks like dog food. I purchase my pellets in Valdez at The Prospector. In Valdez, you’re allowed to have three shrimp pots on your boat.

Thinking outside the box

A common alternative to shrimp pellets is stinky canned cat food. You can punch some holes in the top lid with a dull knife and throw them in the pot.

Oily scents attract shrimp well, so canned cat food works. Please make sure to take all trash with you when you are finished.

One benefit of cat food is that it’s not subject to sea lice like the shrimp pellets, assuming you keep the holes in the lid small enough. I’ve never caught more shrimp using cat food. When the shrimp are there, you’ll catch them quickly often within several hours.

Shrimpers even use blue LED flashing lights to mimic the eyes of shrimp, thinking that this will attract other shrimp. I’ve tried and still caught the same number of shrimp without the LED light.

Two shrimp pot maximum inside terminal harvest area

However, you can only shrimp with two pots inside the terminal harvest area for salmon. Always read current Alaska regulations for up to date information and be on the lookout for emergency orders that could change daily.

Allowable shrimp pot numbers could drop to one shrimp pot or even none depending on harvest data from previous years.

Step 2: Find the right location to catch shrimp in PWS

The next step is to find the right location to set your pot. Prince William Sound’s most popular spots for catching spot prawn shrimp are around rocky reefs, underwater pinnacles, and deep channels.

Try to look for areas with a depth of at least 300 to 350 feet. Shrimp congregate in groups, so it’s a good sign if you see other shrimp buoys around.

Don’t place your shrimp pots too close to other’s buoys, or you risk tangling your lines with someone else’s.

Step 3: Set the pot to catch shrimp in Prince William Sound

Once you’ve found the right location, it’s time to set up the pot. Place bait in the meshed bait holder and secure it inside the shrimp pot.

Close the shrimp pot with bungees and attach it to your main line with rope or using a long line clip. Shrimp pots are tied to a weighted main line. The weighted line allows the rope to sink so it’s not caught up in boat props.

Once you find your perfect spot, you’ll point your boat to shore and drift towards it going slowly. You’ll throw out your first shrimp pot and then place a second shrimp pot about 50 to 75 yards above the first.

I use a long line clip to attach my second pot to the main line. You can purchase long line clips at most outdoor vendors such as the Prospector in Valdez, or Cabela’s in Anchorage.

Buoy, main line, and shrimp pots

You’ll need to attach a buoy to your mainline that has your name, address and shrimp license number on it. Leave the shrimp pots in the water for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

If you leave the shrimp pot too long, you can often catch octopus. These octopous often eat all the shrimp in the pot.

I’ve found that sea lice will eat all your bait within 12 hours so there’s not much of a benefit in leaving the pots soak longer.

Step 4: Retrieve the shrimp pots

After 12 to 24 hours, it’s time to retrieve the pot. Slowly pull up shrimp pots using a davit and mechanical shrimp pot puller.

You can pull up the shrimp pots by hand, and I’ve done it, but it’s not easy particularly in rough weather. Once the pot is on the boat, carefully remove the shrimp from the pot into a bucket.

Record your catch of spot prawns

Spot prawn shrimp have a hard, spiny shell with a sharp point that can cause injury, so be careful when handling them. You can rinse the shrimp with seawater or ice before storing them in coolers or zip lock bags.

Record how many quarts of shrimp you caught on your shrimp permit. You’ll submit these numbers to the state after you’re done shrimping for the season.

You can count the number of quarts you’ve caught with heads on or heads off, just keep it consistent.

Step 5: Cooking and enjoying the Prince William Sound spot prawn shrimp

I’ve eaten raw spot prawn shrimp, which taste amazing. Do not eat spot prawn if you have a shellfish allergy, and use your best judgement when eating any raw fish or shellfish. I’m not telling you to eat them raw – I’m just telling you that I have and they taste great.

You can cook them by boiling them in salted water or grilling them with garlic and butter. Once cooked, serve them with lemon wedges or cocktail sauce. Spot prawns have a delicately sweet flavor and firm texture.