| When you cross a bridge in Florida's Space Coast, it's | | | | All you need is a Florida saltwater fishing license, a |
| not an unusual to see fishermen hanging from the | | | | long handled dip net (with extensions and flotation), |
| walkways trying to catch dinner or just having a fun | | | | and some sort of lighting configuration to light up the |
| time. | | | | water column so you can dip out the shrimp. The |
| What has also become more and more usual in this | | | | small Honda type portable generators with an |
| area of the world, are the groups of people | | | | underwater lighting array of two to eight lights are |
| gathering on the ICW of the Indian River Lagoon | | | | preferred by the regulars. Don't forget the bucket! A |
| bridges preparing for the night's shrimping activities. | | | | 5 gal. plastic bucket is required if you are successful in |
| The first time I noticed, what has now become a | | | | your efforts. The limit per person is one 5 gal. bucket |
| popular sport in this area, was when I drove to my | | | | of shrimp with heads on per day or, if in a vessel, |
| first space shuttle launch a few years ago. | | | | one bucket per vessel. |
| The launch was a relatively rare night launch, and in | | | | Let me assure you, if the shrimp are running, a |
| order to get a good view, I was told to get on the | | | | bucket limit is no problem at all. That's a lot of scampi! |
| bridge early to beat the rush. I grabbed my video | | | | If you become an addict to sport shrimping, you may |
| recorder, my fishing rod, a pocket full of lures and | | | | want to customize your nets, and lighting arrays. |
| decided to position myself on the Max Brewer | | | | Start paying attention to the Farmer's Almanac, tide |
| Memorial Parkway bridge on the Indian River. | | | | charts, and lunar cycle. The hard core regulars say |
| I remember that the weather was pretty chilly, and | | | | that the shrimping is best just before and right after |
| it was late fall. In addition to the spectators who had | | | | a full moon. Although I don't know this to be a fact, I |
| come to watch the shuttle launch, and a few other | | | | do know that there are more shrimpers on the |
| fishermen; there were at least 30 other people with | | | | bridges during these periods. |
| buckets and armed with extremely long handled | | | | There is no tide activity to speak of in the Indian |
| shrimp nets, that were tied to the railings, lining both | | | | River Lagoon and the shrimp in general are much |
| sides of the bridge. | | | | larger than in other areas of the state. Six to twelve |
| These were "sport shrimpers" getting ready for a | | | | inch long shrimp are commonly caught but in fewer |
| night of shrimping and a lot of camaraderie. To them | | | | numbers. |
| the shuttle launch was a diversion. | | | | If you get tired of watching the depressing news on |
| From October to late April, when the shrimp are | | | | the tube and have nothing to do during the next |
| supposed to be running the best, hundreds of people | | | | lunar cycle, you might want to consider visiting |
| visit the ICW bridges around the Space Coast in East | | | | Titusville, Fl. and catch your own shrimp scampi dinner. |
| Central Florida to participate in sport shrimping. | | | | |