Just started using live shrimp and saw a couple different ideas. The first involved putting the hook right through the head under the horn while the other was running the hook parallel to the shrimp through the last joint in the tail. Any thoughts?

To me through the head would be a more natural presentation. Thats what ive always done, but havent ever tried the tail. So not much help there.

I am no expert on shrimp , but I have been told to use the
second segment ahead of the tail for a carolina rig presentation
and thru the head for a popping cork.

MO

Problem I was having was them not living very long after going through the head. I wasn't using too big of a hook either.

When ever you hook them make sure you are not putting the hook in the dark spot. I was always taught to go in front of it.

That's what I'm doing, but for some reason they keep getting off or dying quickly.

For me i hook them just above the dark spot , under the horn . BUT if the shrimp are soft ( usually old or got hot ) i will hook them in the tail , but not stright across the tail , but rather at an angle .

To keep your shrimp alive longer, I use baitkeeper hooks, the ones with the 2 barbs on the shank. Firstly I tie my trace line to the hook. I then tie 1 wooden toothpick to the inside of the hook shank and as far as possible up the trace line so that the 2 baitkeeper barbs remain proud, with bait cotton. This serves basically as an extension of the hook shank and should be stiff. This will assist in keeping the shrimp straight when you tie the shrimp belly down onto the hook without inserting any hook through it's body. The hook itself must remain proud at all times and I tie my shrimp on head down. The shank barbs will not kill the prawn but it will assist in keeping the shrimp in place.

May be the case that the shrimp you bought at the bait stand were in SaltH20 with a higher salinity than the SaltH20 you were chunking your bait.

Not through the HEAD, hook through HORN on top of head. If you dont add weight it allows for the shrimp to move "naturally" (as natural as a hook in the head can be).

We went through a thirty minute lull last weekend, where I recasted at least 15 times and the shrimp stayed alive- BIG CASTS too.

Good luck

Thanks for the response guys. Was going to try these new methods out today, but the waves are just a little much.

Would #8 hooks be enough? Seems like the next size bigger (6?) was a little much.

Was in Port A last week and asked the live bait salesman and he held up the live shrimp and showed the dark spot, explained to go between the dark spot and nose or hook midways back. I prefer the front hook, seems the shrimp stayed alive longer,... I was using 3/0 circle hooks.

I use a #4 or # 2 Kahle style hook or a small treble hook. The Kahle style has worked really well foe me.