As if the start of summer isn’t enough to celebrate, there’s another reason to rejoice. Monday, June 2nd marks the official opening of shrimp season in all the waters of South Carolina.
Local is always the way to go, if possible. And local shrimp around here is worth the trip. Yet another great reason to come stay in one of our Isle of Palms beach rentals.
When in a IOP beach house, you must eat shrimp.
I mean, it’s practically a law around here.
A summer trip to the beach isn’t complete without some seafood, and what’s better than shrimp?
Just ask Bubba in Forrest Gump. "Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it."
Catching South Carolina Shrimp
The waters of South Carolina are home to three kinds of shrimp - white, brown and pink. The first two are the most common here, and all three taste about the same. White shrimp is caught in late spring, including the prized extra plump roe white shrimp. Brown shrimp are generally caught in the summer, and then the next generation of white shrimp arrive in the early fall.
Read all about them on the SC Department of Natural Resources’ website.
Most recreational shrimping’s done from an open flat boat at night, since that’s when shrimp move in to shallow waters to feed. The traditional technique involves setting poles to mark your spot and throwing downs some bait balls (fish meal that’s been mixed with clay or mud). Wait a while for those balls to do their thing, then cast nets near the poles, catching shrimp as they nosh.
Each year, approximately 500,000 pounds of shrimp are caught by this baiting method.
If you’re not quite keen on catching them yourself, no worries. There are plenty of places to get your shrimp fix.
Fresh shrimp on the IOP
You don’t even have to leave the Isle of Palms for solid shrimp options.
Simmons Seafood is located in the same shopping center as Jeff’s Bagel Run, which I covered in that last blog. Pick up bagels for breakfast, and shrimp for supper!
Simmons has been in business since 1947, so they really know their stuff. They have fresh local jumbo shrimp available, plus just about every other kind of seafood out there. Local catch includes fresh flounder fillets, stone crab claws harvested east of the Cooper River, little neck clams, swordfish, wahoo, red snapper and mahi mahi. They’re located at 1400 Palm Boulevard, on the other end of Ocean Park Plaza from Jeff’s.
You can find delicious shrimp, prepared and ready for you to eat at several terrific Isle of Palms restaurants. Some of our favorites include:
Long Island Café in the Harris-Teeter shopping center;
Islander 71 at the Marina;
The Boathouse at Breach Inlet;
Acme Lowcountry Kitchen on JC Long Boulevard;
Coda del Pesce on Front Beach.
Just over the IOP Connector…
One local shrimp purveyor has been getting some really good buzz on local neighborhood boards.
Palmetto Tide Shrimp and Seafood Company sells fresh local shrimp and more. Paul is the guy to look for. He usually sets up shop at Boone Hall Farms’ store, Willie’s Roadside Market, located at 2434 North Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant. Check out his website for the details.
The shrimp boats on Shem Creek
For the true shrimp experience, be sure to head to Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant. It’s a supremely scenic spot along Coleman Boulevard toward Charleston, where the commercial shrimp trawlers dock and unload their catch. Keep an eye peeled for the dolphins and pelicans that stick close by.
Local shrimpers are a hearty lot. They face a lot of adversity (weather, cheap imported shrimp, overfished waters), and they need and appreciate our support. Each April there’s a terrific event called Blessing of the Fleet, where we collectively pray over the fishermen and their boats for the coming season, then proceed to celebrate all things shrimp. Read more about it on our Events page.
You can buy fresh caught shrimp at multiple places along Shem Creek…
Tarvin Seafood/Miss Paula/Abundant Seafood at the Wando Dock, a tucked-away favorite of locals, at 102 Haddrell Street;
Geechie Seafood, open daily at 248 Magwood Lane with shrimp fresh off the boat;
Mount Pleasant Seafood, on the park side, at 1402 Shrimp Boat Lane. They’ve been in business since 1945. Check them out here.
While there, be sure to stroll along the scenic boardwalks of Shem Creek Park, which wander through the marsh along the docks and out to Charleston Harbor. Plenty of good restaurant options line the creek on either side, like Tavern & Table, Vickery’s, Water’s Edge, Red’s Ice House, and Saltwater Cowboys.
So whether you pick it up fresh from the boat and cook it yourself in the gourmet kitchen of your Charleston beach house, or have some prepared for you in a local Lowcountry restaurant - it’s all good. Very good.
All best,
Lowcountry Lisa
your Isle of Palms vacation blogger