Please help me on this subject! I know I'm doing it all wrong and I hate it when I have to 'maul' my Gulp shrimp to get it on a jig only to find out It doesn't look right or swim right. Help!

FL
Get a long shank screw lock jig head or a Flutter Hook.

On the Jig head, hold the jig head against the bank and mark where the hook should exit. Then just thread it on and make the hook exit there. You might take a small piece of Brass tube and cut a core out of the gulp. We do this for putting rattles in them, and then work the jig head in as well.

In aransas, you've got GRASS. So the Flutter hook is BOMB. Or you can get a Worm hook with a spring Keeper and Texas Rig em. I've used both with great success down there.

But I have to ask, Why not just throw a spook jr?

I would agree with Harv418. The hook is the key. If you get a short shank, small hook, you will get a lot of short strikes and burn through your gulp or soft plastics. As far as holding your bait, some people love the screw lock. I think a good double hook keeper is as effective and much easier to rig. The hook I use depends on the conditions. I use an Owner flutter hook in the heavy grass. It is by far the best in my book. For a regular jig head, Capt Sonny Schindler in Miss turned me on to the Marsh Works jig heads. They use a long shank 4/0 hook in all their jig weights. They have a fantastic new penny color that I use a lot with new penny gulp. With both, I put the hook in the head and insert down the middle until I reach the bend of the hook. Then, I come out. Hope this is helpful.

My main problem has been that I insert the hook into the Gulp shrimp and see that it isn't swimming straight so I take it out and reinsert it again, then again sometimes and my poor shrimp is just hanging there in pitiful shape. They are not made like the plastics I normally would use for Bass. In other words, I mangle the shrimp before the fish get a chance to do so. And these things aint cheap.
Just wondering if there is a surefire way to 'judge' what I'm supposed to do before I actually get the hook started.
Also, when I use just a plain big hook, do I have it sticking out the shrimp's back or it's belly or does it matter?
I will excuse you for laughing out loud at my description of my antics. I am self-taught since nobody in my vicinity would come to my rescue when I do something wrong, they'd just rather stand back and watch and...chuckle!

FL-Fishlady don't worry. You're not the only one that is in that boat. I think you have to mangle a few to see what works...I've been mangling my bait a lot too lately since I've been trying new methods and baits. No worries!

And sorry, can't help you on the Gulp shrimp rigging...

FL,
Trout described it well. you just want to track the hook right down the middle.

I will still push you to the flutter hook down there.. it will save you a lot of grief. Just look up TEx-posed rigging, and you'll have a great tool in your arsenal.

BTW, Don't over look the Jerk Shad... I use it more than the shrimp. And It is WAY easier to rig.

hey fl, i used gulp shrimp this weekend for the first time, and i just used a regular hook and it didnt look pretty either lol, but id cast it out and was catchin fish on it, to me just in my opinion it desnt matter if it looks right or pretty the fish will bite it either way, again thats jusy my opinion

Thanks everyone! I did look up TEx-posed and bookmarked the page for future reference. Here's hoping I can do it right, now.

the way i do it is to put the jig head next to the shrimp and see where the hook is suppose to come out then mark it, insert the jig head till the hook reach the spot and push it throu..there you have it, a normal looking gulp shrimp with jig head.