Hello everyone, I am a freshwater enthusiast until recently when I started taking interest in inshore fishing. The wife and I have taking 3 trips this last month to Galveston fishing the sea wall, Seawolf park, and then the Texas City dike. We have been catching fish but our hook up ratio is terrible. We are using live shrimp under a cork and on the bottom with a fish finder rig. I have currently been using a 3/0-2/0 straight shank hook. Any advise about hooks and size, along with the best way to hook a shrimp would be greatly appreciated. We are going back in a few weeks because saltwater is highly addictive!

I went with a guide a few weeks ago and he had us using about a #10 treble hook. It is a pretty small hook. If you go with a single hook, try a circle hook and let the fish set it for you.

How are you hooking them with a treble hook? I like the idea of a treble hook.

The guide put the small treble hook behind the head of the shrimp through a spine like thing. I guess you could say he hooked it though the neck armor. Does that make sense?

I usually use a 1/0 j hook under the horn. I've had good look with small trebles as well. Small trout can swallow either deep. So you have to be attentive.

Looks like I am using the wrong size hooks no doubt. I will down size for sure. Thanks

khale or circle hook

try a 1/0 or 2/0 live croaker hook. http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/mustad-ultra-point-wide-gap-croaker-single-hooks-10-pack/pid-18427
The treble hook is rough on the fish especially for "new to the salt" fisherman.

I use an treble hook under the bobber. I usually use an 8 for catching mac and trout. From my experience. Each brand has a slight different size. Even if it said its an size 8. It could be a bit bigger or smaller than another size 8. Fluorocarbon leader if spec trout are hitting or go with steel wire for mac. You can also use an 40lb fluorocarbon leader. But you have to check the link after each strike. They got sharp teeth. About 6-9ft of leader is good enough. I personally just use an steel wire. Been catching mac and trout and dont have to worry about the line getting cut.



Thats my bobber rig. 6-9ft of 20lb fluorocarbon from mainline 3 way swivel to this. I make my own bobber which has 2oz. 40lb from that to the 3 way swivel. I fish the jetty and it work there.

I use circle hooks, anywhere from #6 up to #2/0, they just hook themselves, have caught sharks on accident and brought them in because the hook got into the side of the mouth and they couldn't bite the leader, go figure.

Sounds good. Thanks for all of the help, now I just got to get to academy and get some hooks!

Ditto on the circle hook. As a kid we used a #6 treble at the base of the horn, but that will sometimes kill the fish when they take it too deep. The circle hook almost always gets them in the corner of the mouth. The hardest part of switching to circles is keeping yourself from setting the hook.

A general rule of thumb when fishing any baits, live especially is to allow the fish to eat the bait. Many fish grab more than they can eat in one gulp, allowing a free spool or minimal drag gives the fish time to take off eating the bait while on the run, give them a 20 count and then tighten the drag or whatever you need to do, then set the hook. In the case of circle hook, just start to reel in after giving them time.

If I can I use a live liner reel when fishing live bait, or a reel with a clicker like my 209s just for that reason.

4/0 mustad croaker hook is my inshore hook..i caught a 40 pound ling with it offshore..hook em throughthe head under the horn, dont be scared to put a few of them on the same hook...try some menhaden if you can find it..you will catch some big reds...

2/0-3/0 Octopus Hook Hooked through the horn.