Thread: Recommendations where to shop when groceries not biting..

Looking for the places locals go for fresh seafood (including shrimp, crab, fish). Prefer to give money to locals than the Waltons or Winn Dixie. Would be awesome to find a local shrimp operation so I can show my kids where their favorite food comes from. Also what can I expect to pay for a lb of med shrimp of gulf crabs?

Thanks as always.

Mike

Billy's in Bon Secour, just follow the signs on County Rd. 10

Fresh Market Seafood next to the Shell station at corner of County Rd. 10 and HWY 59.

Beware the shacks and pickups with freezers in the back on the roadsides. Some of them are selling imported farm raised shrimp. Some of the tourist trap restaurants also serve imported shrimp and fish such as pangus, swai, basa and catfish. You can always ask the country of origin from your server. Expect to pay $5/lb and up for HEAD ON gulf shrimp and about double that for headless.

This exactly what I want to avoid. If I wanted to buy several month old Thai pesticide and god knows what else laden shrimp I would just bring some from home. We are planning on not eating out a ton so this info will really help.

Originally Posted by chillinfish

Beware the shacks and pickups with freezers in the back on the roadsides. Some of them are selling imported farm raised shrimp. Some of the tourist trap restaurants also serve imported shrimp and fish such as pangus, swai, basa and catfish. You can always ask the country of origin from your server. Expect to pay $5/lb and up for HEAD ON gulf shrimp and about double that for headless.

I usually pay $2.50 to $3.50 a pound for 25-27 count heads-on down in Bayou La Batre, right off the boat. One summer, they had 10-12 count for $4 per pound!
If you go down to Bon Secour and see a boat unloading, don't be afraid to pull up & ask them. They are usually willing to sell for what the dealer is going to give them.

If you do go into a shop, ask them where it came from and if it is fresh or IQF (frozen on the boat, still better than imported).

Fresh Market Seafood has been good to me on a consistent basis. It's ran by a good group of guys and the quality is always there. We bought 20# of royal reds from Billy's last year and had a good experience, I'll second Carl's recommendation on buying straight from the boat on Bon Secour as you'll save $$$ and it doesn't get much fresher. I can't say the same for some of the others I've been in that seem like a good place to catch diarrhea.

Carls idea is your best bet. He is serious about asking the boat if they would sell you shrimp. Fresh market sesfood is good as well. The prices are very reasonable. Plus they have bait. Kill two birds with one stone. If you want a great price that is a bit of a drive is joe pattis in pcola.

Aren't bait and groceries one in the same down there? Carl do you know any specific boats or what time to search one out?

Just checked, unfortunately we wont be anywhere near Bayou La Batre... I'll check Bon Secour.

Originally Posted by CarlF

I usually pay $2.50 to $3.50 a pound for 25-27 count heads-on down in Bayou La Batre, right off the boat. One summer, they had 10-12 count for $4 per pound!
If you go down to Bon Secour and see a boat unloading, don't be afraid to pull up & ask them. They are usually willing to sell for what the dealer is going to give them.

If you do go into a shop, ask them where it came from and if it is fresh or IQF (frozen on the boat, still better than imported).

Grocery stores and bait stores are not the same. Think of it as going to jewel, marcianos or caputos they might have seafood but they would not carry doa shrimp, mullet or whatever you use fo bait for sale. Also these stores might have live bait. I usually get 25 to 50 #s to bring home with me. Make sure bring a big cooler. Good luck.