Crabbing, Casting Nets, and Shrimping with the Kids

Описание: Crabbing, Casting Nets, and Shrimping with the Kids

One of the best parts of our primitive camping trip in the backwater marshes wasn’t just setting up camp—it was heading out onto the dock with my kids and getting our hands wet with crabbing, cast netting, and even shrimping. For my children, it wasn’t just about catching seafood—it was about learning, laughing, and living in rhythm with the marsh.

Crabbing with the Kids

We carried our crab traps down to the water, the kids skipping alongside me, eager to see what the marsh would give us. Together, we baited the traps with scraps of fish and chicken, lowering them carefully into the water with ropes tied off on the dock.

The kids crouched down, staring into the rippling water as if they could see the crabs crawling in already. Every time we checked the traps, their excitement grew. When we finally pulled up the first one, heavy with blue crabs clacking their claws, the kids squealed with joy. To them, it was like pulling treasure from the sea.

Using the Cast Net for Bait

Of course, to keep the crabs coming, we needed bait. That’s when the cast net came out. I showed my kids how to hold it wide and toss it in a smooth circle so it spread open before sinking into the shallows.

The first throw came up with a wriggling handful of small fish—perfect bait. My kids ran to see them flip and shimmer in the net, their little fingers pointing and their laughter filling the marsh air. Every cast became a game, each pull of the net a surprise. Sometimes it was just minnows, sometimes a bigger fish that made them gasp.

Catching Shrimp at Night

When the sun went down and the marsh settled into quiet, we tried something new—shrimping. With the lantern light reflecting on the water, we dropped small bait and nets into the shallow edges. Slowly but surely, little shrimp began to gather.

The kids were amazed watching the translucent shrimp dart through the water, their bodies glowing faintly in the lantern light. With patience, we pulled them up, adding a handful of shrimp to our cooler. It wasn’t a huge haul, but to the kids, every shrimp felt like a victory.

A Marshside Feast in the Making

Between the crabs in our traps, the fish from the cast net, and the shrimp from the shallows, our simple camping trip turned into a feast straight from the water. More importantly, my kids learned the value of patience, teamwork, and respect for the marsh that provided for us.

As we walked back to our camp, traps and nets in hand, the night buzzing with crickets and frogs, I could see the pride on their faces. To them, they weren’t just kids anymore—they were little crabbers, shrimpers, and marsh explorers.

And to me, that was the greatest catch of all.