There are several ways of fishing with live shrimp as bait; however, most of the time you are better off fishing the live shrimp "free-lined".
Free-lining is exactly what it sounds like - the only thing on your line is a light leader and a hook baited with live bait. This allows the bait to move naturally in the water, thus attracting more fish. When fishing with live shrimp you can hook the shrimp right between it's head and back plates. This hook placement works well if you are fishing from a dock or other shore location. If you are fishing from a boat you are better off hooking the shrimp near the tail and drifting your boat with the tidal flow.
Saltwater game fish are especially fond of this type of bait presentation. I've used this type of bait presentation to catch Sharks, Cobia, Snook, Red Drum (better known as Redfish), Black Drum, Sea Trout, Grouper, Sting Rays, Mackeral, and Striped Bass, to name a few.
Other types of live bait can also be presented by free-lining. Pinfish and Grunt work well in this bait presentation method because your bait will naturally cover more territory as it's desperately looking for cover to hide from the predatory game-fish called by it's panicking action. Additionally, the Grunt is appropriately named because it "grunts" when stressed and effectively "calls" the predator to it's location.
So the next time you do some flats fishing, canal fishing, dock fishing, shore fishing, or boat fishing try free-lining your live bait, you won't be disappointed.
Good luck and happy fishing - JD
Free-lining is exactly what it sounds like - the only thing on your line is a light leader and a hook baited with live bait. This allows the bait to move naturally in the water, thus attracting more fish. When fishing with live shrimp you can hook the shrimp right between it's head and back plates. This hook placement works well if you are fishing from a dock or other shore location. If you are fishing from a boat you are better off hooking the shrimp near the tail and drifting your boat with the tidal flow.
Saltwater game fish are especially fond of this type of bait presentation. I've used this type of bait presentation to catch Sharks, Cobia, Snook, Red Drum (better known as Redfish), Black Drum, Sea Trout, Grouper, Sting Rays, Mackeral, and Striped Bass, to name a few.
Other types of live bait can also be presented by free-lining. Pinfish and Grunt work well in this bait presentation method because your bait will naturally cover more territory as it's desperately looking for cover to hide from the predatory game-fish called by it's panicking action. Additionally, the Grunt is appropriately named because it "grunts" when stressed and effectively "calls" the predator to it's location.
So the next time you do some flats fishing, canal fishing, dock fishing, shore fishing, or boat fishing try free-lining your live bait, you won't be disappointed.
Good luck and happy fishing - JD
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