Folks,

I've always hooked live shrimp through the tail when fishing for reds. In Florida while fishing with a guide (for different species), he hooked the shrimp just behind the head. I noticed that that way the shrimp can flap its tail much better. I've a trip coming up to South Padre, and I'm curious about your opinion.

How do you hook shrimp when fishing for reds or specks?

I have fished for about 10 to 15 years and I have only ever seen them hooked through the black dot right behind their head.

I have only seen them hooked through the black dot on the back of the head. I mainly just do bay fishing for reds, specs, and flounder and that is the way we have always done it.

I always hook the shrimp in the head, right at the base of the horn. Try not to penetrate into the head cavity as much as possible. And DO NOT go as far back as the black spot behind the horn, thats the brain. Never hooked in the tail. Also, I know lots of guys use Kale hooks but I've always used #8 treble hooks, so as not to loose many fish.

Last year I used a spring loaded little thing that slid over the horn and then hooked on the back of the "shell" with the hooks exposed. The shrimp was not hooked at all and was not affected, swimming up a storm.

I bought some of those hooks last week. Little orange packages right? I was gonna go down to Bolivar this past weekend and try them out but, the wind took care of that idea.

Were you happy with the hooks as far as good hooksets, the spring, etc.

-Kevin

I have always heard to not hook in the balck dot because it is the shrimps brain. Hook it through the head under the horn and clear of the dot. Also, if you snap off the tip of the horn it betters the hookset by staying out of the hooks way.

Great info! It seems everybody goes through the horn instead of the tail. Now let's see whether I can outfish my buddy

Sharman/Coastal Keb do you know what the name is of the spring loaded little thing?

Look for a little orange package in the hooks section at Academy. The package says "Shrimp Hooks". They are kinda expensive at $2.99 each!

-Kevin

Sometimes the live shrimp are too small to hook thru the head. For the small ones I hook into the second segment from the tail with a small treble.
Otherwise its thru the head on a khale with the horn tip broken off

Great!

Thanks for the help!

They weren't expensive at all. . . they were by brother-in-law's!

Ha! Those are the best!

I have heard that hookin' em in the horn, the bait will not last as long.

If you're not careful, the movement of your line, hook, shrimp will eventually touch the brain somewhat, killin it instantly.

I usually hook'em in the tail, unless they're kinda small.

But then again, if you keep the shrimp on that long then it's time to switch em out!

Good Luck!

Folks if you hook just under the horn at the base of the horn, that shrimp will last until he's eaten which usually ain't long. This location hinders the shrimp the least and penetrated no vitals. If you hook any place else, you're killing the shrimp.

Why the heck would you want to drag a shrimp backwards by hooking them in the tail? If the shrimp is small, use a smaller hook.