Shrimp: whats the secret

[30pointbuck]

So i was out on the North Pier in St joe and i seen a few fish taken on shrimp. Now i have never heard of using shrimp for steelhead, so can someone fill me in on the tacticts, What kind of shrimp, where do you get them, how are they rigged ect,ect... please let me know
thanks,
Brian

[quest32a]

Regular old store bought shrimp, cooked or uncooked. Fished 6-8 feet under a bobber. Were you out on the North Pier yesterday? I was out there in the afternoon.

[Speyday]

Like quest said; the kind of shrimp you get in the store. It may be splitting hairs, but I prefer the raw frozen shrimp; there seems to be a stronger smell.
I also get the larger sized ones, and use a size 2 octopus hook right through the back. Leave the shell on. Its kind of strange I know, but you become a believer quick.

You will usually see these rigged below a float, and most times they seem to be set between 4 and 6 feet down....though there have been 'some' times where people setting them as shallow as 2 feet have outfished others. I also know that some guys shake in some orange jell-o as a color dye because skamanias are so goofy in love with the color orange. Probably not necessary, but if the fish are finicky, we will try anything to get an edge.

[30pointbuck]

Regular old store bought shrimp, cooked or uncooked. Fished 6-8 feet under a bobber. Were you out on the North Pier yesterday? I was out there in the afternoon.

no i was out there sat night, and ill be out there tonight.
How did you do yesterday night?

[DonP]

.... that shrimp actually catches fish? :evil: :rolleyes:

Hmmmm... 1/2 of Ray's secret bait revealed... and the other half is...... is.... is.....

Nawwww... I just can't do it.... can't reveal the other half of Ray's secret bait!!

Ya gotta do some diggin' and find out for yourself!!!! :D

[quest32a]

.... that shrimp actually catches fish? :evil: :rolleyes:

Hmmmm... 1/2 of Ray's secret bait revealed... and the other half is...... is.... is.....

Nawwww... I just can't do it.... can't reveal the other half of Ray's secret bait!!

Ya gotta do some diggin' and find out for yourself!!!! :D
Its a powerful secret bait too!

[Hex4steel]

The Secret of Shrimp...........

Although it is not really a secret anymore, saavy anglers started using this hot summer bait after learning of the skamania strains feeding habits for shrimp on the west coast. Anglers "intercept" these fish on these tasty cocktail treats after they follow schools of baitfish towards the shorline/pierheads while trying to find a nice 55 degree glacier fed river river......oh wait, we are in Michigan, I mean the 80 degree St. Joe:D . Ol' factory senses elicit an instinctive feeding impulse of back in the day when our Great Lakes summer runs were ocean dwelling creatures, actively feeding on the smorgasbord of salt water shrimp before ascending the rivers in the summer months.

Some anglers have special recipes and certain ways they like to use their shrimp but after trying most of them, I would have to say you can't go wrong with cooked cocktail shrimp straight from the bag. If there are actively feeding fish, you will hit them (or at least they will hit one of the 1500 lines rigged with the same bait, up and down the pier).

As previously stated, depth plays a key role in presentation. You will have to vary your rig until you find where the fish are actively feeding. GOod luck

[MPsteelheader]

secrets are only secrets if noone knows...

forget the shrimp i got a new plan of attack;)

HOT DOGS and gummy bears!!!

hot stuff run to the stores and buy them out!!!

[Erik]

I've read some stuff in STS about prawns and sand shrimp. Guess these are popular on the west side. I think the shrimp put off a good scent. They're high in sodium too so maybe that has something to do with it. Don't get stuck on thinking thats the only bait they'll hit though. Sometimes if you have something a little different than everyone else it can be just the ticket.

[steelhead1]

I've read some stuff in STS about prawns and sand shrimp. Guess these are popular on the west side. I think the shrimp put off a good scent. They're high in sodium too so maybe that has something to do with it. Don't get stuck on thinking thats the only bait they'll hit though. Sometimes if you have something a little different than everyone else it can be just the ticket.


GOT SQUID?????? When I fished in Washington we used squid on the Calamathe(sp) and the Columbia.

[Ralph Smith]

Hmmm, if its the smell they home in on, maybe some stinky,oily, sardines would work great. They're even a fish.:yikes:

[martin1950]

Been using shrimps for several years now and I didn't think it was a secret bait. Sorry!! But I have learned not to put all my faith in just one bait. Last week I caught 1 on a spoon, 2 on Ales, and 1 on shrimp. Yesturday I couldn't buy a bite one shrimp but I did manage 2 nice grillers on live Ales. I alway take a dozen cooked shrimp, 1 pack of salt cures Ales and my Power Bait. Of course I roll my own the night before, the Power Bait that is!!!!!!!!!

Martin

[sprigdog]

coming from the west coast, i have been using a few strategies that worked awesome out there.

1. shrimp balls for river steelheading: chop up cocktail shrimp and tie them like
a spawn bag..dynomite when the fish have been pounded.(tuna bags for river chinook)

2. offshore salmon trolling: I use whats called a "rotary salmon killer" and buy anchovies/herring, clip the heads in and fish them behind a dodger. i inject the bait with either a sardine or shrimp oil

I dont pier fish, but shrimp(most shell fish) have a natural substance (think its creotene) that is appealing to the STS family. Thats why a west coast salmon/steel has a much brighter reddish/orange color to the meat(imo, way better taste) than the Great Lakes fish...eating shrimp/krill/and squid.

[FISH]

ya gotta chew it first:p

[Oldgrandman]

I am sorry, I can't resist. This thread keeps coming up to the top.
I like mine suateed in olive oil with garlic, parsley and crushed red pepper :corkysm55.
More a dinner than a bait with me, although I might give it a shot if I ever have any shrimp that "gets away from me" before I eat it. Have considered it but not tried it yet.
It seems to work from the posts so good luck with it!

[mike woj]

We all have that one bag of shrimp that has been on the bottom of the freezer for an indeterminate number of years. I don't think that steelhead are fussy about freezer burn.
MWoj

[ausable_steelhead]

Has anyone ever tried shrimp out on the Manistee piers? All everyone talks about is St. Joe. I don't see why it wouldn't work, I may have to investigate. I tried it up at Tippy a couple weeks ago, and nothing, though it was somewhat "early", I guess that could be my excuse:D .

[gomer]

They work in Grand Haven. Little manistee strain eat um too...:shhh:

[kroppe]

$0.02 cents for the pot. Shrimp are a very popular bait in saltwater fishing. Surf casting, pier fishing and boat fishing (bridge) piers all see shrimp used for bait. It is on of the "nightcrawlers of saltwater fishing". I've caught some nice snappers on shrimp under bridges in the Florida Keys.

[TAZ]

[QUOTE]I've caught some nice snappers on shrimp under bridges in the Florida Keys.

So did I before I got married. They liked them grilled with lemon butter.:lol:

[MPsteelheader]

taz this is a family site:lol: j/k...

[Oldgrandman]

:lol: thats funny guys. Work sucked bad today and that was the first time I laughed all day.

[mich buckmaster]

Its amazing how many people know Ray. I have fished with him for awhile. I still believe that there is structure, or something, because I have my favorite places that ALWAYS produce fish.

Anywho, the secret really isnt all that special!!:lol:

[JasonCarp]

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[MPsteelheader]

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what?

[gomer]

:yeahthat: