Corpusfishing.com

[phoenix956]

How do you hook a live shrimp? What kinda rig, hook do you use?

[rabbit]

You can hook shrimp thru the head or back or tail. Use a circle hook under a mansfield mauler or poping bobber or alameda rattler. Or you can just freeline them.
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[David Ivanhoe]

love the mansfield mauler...I always hook under the horn on the head, and squeeze/crush head a little bit..to let the juice/flavor out...will increase strikes...have also seen guides pinch off the tail...I guess that keeps 'em from kicking/hiding into the grass from Moma BullRed.
best of luck
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[Big John]

[quote="rabbit"]You can hook shrimp thru the head or back or tail. Use a circle hook under a mansfield mauler or poping bobber or alameda rattler. Or you can just freeline them. [/quote]

Right on the money. Use a 5-0 or 6-0 circle hook. You can also use the wdie-gap hooks in the same size.

Another great rig is the lemon rig, which is great at the jetties. It allows you to cast a leader that is half the length of the depth your bait will sit at. 4 foot of leader casting = 8 foot of depth.
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[Cricket]

I've tried every different way possible including one of those special hook set ups that holds a shrimp on with a spring. I have had the best luck putting a circle hook through the head just in front of the brain (dark area). Allows the shrimp to dance and flip his tail pretty much normally. I saw a program on TV a couple of weeks ago where the guide broke off the tail and then threaded the hook up through the body starting where the tail had been. He caught fish, but of course, it was a TV show. Anyway, most important thing is to just get the hook in the water and have fun!

[phoenix956]

Does anyone have a picture of the "lemon rig"?

[Big John]

Don't have a picture, but here's how to make one:

After you have used up one of those plastic "lemons" full of lemon juice they sell in the produce section, wash it out good. Don't leave anything in there or it will get to stinking.

remove the cap and the valve. Put a small hole, big enough for 60lb test line or better through. Use a piece that is 4 foot long if you want 8 foot of depth, 5 foot for 10', etc. Then put it through the hole in the valve. Tie a swivel or something on the end of the line to secure it.

fill the lemon with about 12 to 15 BB's (or .22 pellets). Thread the swivel into the next, replace valve and screw back on the cap. You should now have a lemon on the end of a string with BB's in it that rattle.

Now tie the other end to a black three way swivel. Use a 4 or 5-0 size for this. Tie another section of 60lb or better line on, and tie on a 5-0 or 6-0 circle or wide gap hook.

All you have to do is tie you main line to the thrid eyelet on the swivel when you get to the jetty or pier.

I wrap them up and use a twisty tie to secure whenI put in tackle box.

The good thing about them is that you are casting 4 or 5 foot of leader. Hold it by the open eyelet, and you will notice that the hook and lemon cork come together at the bottom. The lemon act as a float, weight for casting, and an audio actractant from the BB's. They are cheap to make too.

If there are spainish macks biting, you just tie on a 6 inch or longer braided steel leader, then the hook. If pompano are around, go to a smaller hook. 2-0 or 3-0 circle hooks work great for those bigger pomps at the jetties. Just use the smaller shrimp in your bucket.

You are also connected to the line between the cork and the hook, so the cork doesn't affect you hook setting.

They work awesome! You will see lots of them on the jetties.

Tight lines!
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[phoenix956]

thanks i think i got it down

[Bluffer]

I hook live shrimp thru the last segment in the tail. Stays on longer & keeps em alive longer.
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[Cricket]

Thanks, Big John. I have been saving those lemon containers for several months thinking that someone would put the directions on the web. Guess I could have asked, but would not think about it until I was either fishing or seeing the containers sitting on my work bench, not when I was at my computer.

[stxangler]

try this link:

http://socalangling.tripod.com/rigging/id6.html

Orlando

[Lost Cajun]

I always use a wide gap hook and hook them in the head just in front of the big black spot and just behind the other stuff in front. I know I got it right if the shrimp is jumping out of the water around the cork.

[reef-rat]

I have tried hooking shrimp every way possible. It depends on the fish you are targeting and how they are biting. When fishing for drum or redfish I hook the shrimp from the tail up through the body. Sometimes I will pinch the head for added scent and/or peel back a couple sections for an injured/fresh dead bait. Reds and drum seem to attack the body of the shrimp.
If I get a strike and reel in the bait to find the head missing I will hook through the head. Normally trout strike at the head of the shrimp.
When fishing with a float I usually hook through the head. I have never done a scientific experiment but everyone always says not to hook through the black spot in the head. Also when using a float, since shrimp spend the majority of the time on the bottom, you should rig up so that the shrimp is as close to the bottom as possible without hanging up. This is not guaranteed method, and when using a float you can vary the depth until you find what the fish prefer.
I read somewhere that pinching the tail off increases the scent released and decreases line twist when reeling in the bait. I personally have not tried this, but it sounds reasonable.
Since almost all bay fish eat shrimp, if you secure the hook well enough through the shrimp so that it does not get slung off on the cast and are able to hit the water with your cast there is a reasonable opportunity to catch a fish. Just another handy hint, when fishing near/under a bridge do not tenderize the shrimp by casting it into the side of the bridge. I have tried this technique and apparently the shrimp is only palatable to perch and hardheads after being properly tenderized.

Reef-rat
Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

[kweber]

tenderized on the bridge!!! love it
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[FINS]

thats a great tip from John, I usually hook the live shrimp right under the horn underneath the vain so it wont kill it. If the trout are there and not willing to bite shrimp i will freeline the shrimp and hook it thru the very end of the tail. U just need to be careful when casting as they dont stay on very well when hooked thru the tail and casting, the benefit is they are much more lively then when hooked thru the head and when casting a live shrimp where theres trout they will usually always pick it up. I guess they just cant resist it. The lemon rig is good at the jetties or anywhere for that matter since it allows u to fish any dept. Something i use instead of a lemon container is simply a 20 oz water bottle. Just peel off the label and use the same technique John mentioned above. If im fishing at night i will put a glow stick in the bottle and when its out it makes a great lighted float. It looks even better when a big fish picks it up and takes on running with it. If u need alittle weight put about 1/2 in or and 1in of water in it. Not too much as alot will be too much weight.