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Live Shrimp: The Best Bait During a Florida Winter

With the changing seasons, the appetite also changes for the fish in our Florida waters. Have you not been having much luck catching fish lately? Try baiting your hooks with live shrimp.

You’ll find that you’ll have great luck using live shrimp to catch redfish, black drum, sheepshead and other species depending on where you’re fishing.

If you happen to be traveling in the back country areas this holiday season, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see what this seasonal bait will catch you. Look out for catches of flounder and mangrove snapper in these areas.

Perhaps this is your first time using live shrimp as bait. Here’s how to bait a live shrimp depending on your fishing method:

Drifting

Hook your live shrimp through the carapace, avoiding the stomach and pancreas. Your hook should be just under the shell and crosswise through the carapace.

Longer distance casting

For this fishing method, you’ll want to place the hook under the chin and through the carapace’s center. Hooking your live shrimp this way will allow for easier retrieval and a shorter lifespan for your bait.

Another way to bait your shrimp for this method is to go through its tail. By doing so, there is less risk of you losing your bait.

Fishing in grassy areas

To ensure there are no weeds on your casting rig when in these areas, remove the shrimp’s tail fan and insert the hook through the tip of the tail. In addition, going through the center of the tail prevents bottom snags. 

We wish you the best of luck during your holiday fishing trips this season!

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