Shrimp pots are set deep, on long lines, with heavy weights. That's a different job from pulling a crab pot in 40 feet of water. A shrimp pot puller has to handle hundreds of feet of line, repeated several times a day, without slowing down.
Short answer: A good shrimp pot puller needs enough line speed to keep shrimp from escaping at the surface, enough power for weighted line and several pots, a tall davit so the line comes off at a comfortable height, and a line tensioner to keep rope feeding cleanly. Match the unit to your depth and the number of pots per line.
Why Shrimping Is Harder on a Puller
Shrimp gear is often fished in water several hundred feet deep. Fishermen on forums describe pulling 400 to 600 feet of line several times a day, with two or more pots on a line and 20 pounds or more of lead. Boating Magazine notes that deep sets and stiff leaded line make gear heavy, and that hand retrieval becomes back-breaking.
Speed matters too. If a puller is slow, shrimp can swim out of the pot as it nears the surface. You want steady, consistent line speed.
What to Look for in a Shrimp Pot Puller
- Power for the whole string. Add up the pots, weights, and line weight at your depth, not just one pot.
- Davit height. A taller arm, like the 75" extended frame on the EZ-E80X, brings the line off the wheel at a comfortable height and gives the pot room to clear the rail.
- Wall thickness. Schedule 80 pipe takes repeated heavy hauls better.
- A line tensioner. Tension keeps the rope seated and feeding, so you aren't managing the line by hand through every pull.
- Reliable wiring. Sustained pulls draw sustained current. Undersized wire or a weak battery shows up as slow pulls.
Hands-Free Tensioning
A line tensioner holds pressure on the rope against the drive wheel, so you can coil or stack line without gripping it. Our hands-free line tensioner and rope roller are built for our haulers. If you pull several hundred feet at a time, this is one of the most useful add-ons you can make.
Pair It With the Right Pot
A puller works best with pots that retrieve cleanly. We build the EZ-Pull shrimp pot and the Mondo Condo shrimp pot for the same conditions our haulers are built for.
Setup Checklist
- Estimate depth and total string weight
- Choose a 1.5" or 2" Schedule 80 hauler sized for the load
- Add a tensioner or rope roller
- Check your battery and wiring
- Confirm your mount is solid under load
FAQs
How deep can a shrimp pot puller work?
It depends on the unit's power and your line, weights, and pot count. Size for your real string, not a best case.
Do I need a tensioner for shrimping?
It isn't required, but it makes long pulls much easier by keeping the line feeding.
Is a manual puller enough for shrimp pots?
Rarely, in deep water. Shrimp strings are heavy, and most fishermen move to electric quickly.
What size davit should I use?
1.5" Schedule 80 covers most setups. Go 2" for the heaviest strings.
Will a slow puller lose shrimp?
It can. Steady speed at the surface helps keep catch in the pot.
Get a Setup Built for Deep Water
Browse our electric haulers, or contact our team with your depth and pot count and we'll recommend a shrimp pot puller that fits.
