# Catching lionfish on live shrimp



## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

Ran across this article describing fishermen catching lionfish on a "chicken rig" and live shrimp.


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

WhackUmStackUm said:


> Ran across this article describing fishermen catching lionfish on a "chicken rig" and live shrimp.


 
Sounds promising. Would think something like a crappie sized curly tailed jig bounced right in front of one would work as well. Trouble is getting something that small down in front of one considering current and depth.


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## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

Sounds good but you got to consider... Everything else eats Shrimp too.. so getting the shrimp in front of a slow moving Lionfish may be a challenge.. but I may try some time. I'd love to be able to hook and line the critters


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## SWAngler (Sep 13, 2014)

Couple of weeks ago the PNJ had an article on Lionfish, mentioning that our local divers have seen Toadfish/Oysterfish eating them. About that time some here reported catching Toadfish. A few days later we fished the Bridge Rubble and caught some really nice size Toadfish too. Very aggressive. Of course, Toads are pretty common...but it was the most in that short a time I've ever seen caught.

Maybe nature, as some here have predicted for some time, has responded at last to the Lionfish problem by way of one very ugly predator. Anyone else catching more than the usual number and size Toadfish?

Something to keep in mind as to how you handle them next time before throwing back.


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## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

I dropped a 3 oz bank sinker with 2 each 1/4 curl tail grubs tied above it in chicken rig fashion on some shallow water structure earlier this winter and had considerable success with it. I had to drop it slowly while drifting to keep the lines from tangling but it might work on the lionfish. Dont think there were any on the Minton reefs where we were fishing.


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## Boboe (Feb 4, 2013)

SWAngler said:


> About that time some here reported catching Toadfish. A few days later we fished the Bridge Rubble and caught some really nice size Toadfish too. Very aggressive. Of course, Toads are pretty common...but it was the most in that short a time I've ever seen caught.


The Bridge Rubble is covered in oyster toadfish. It's crazy how many there are.


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## jwhite357 (Jul 4, 2011)

The Pcola news journal did a article a month or so ago, and said that the "toad fish" is a fish that will eat these Lionfish! I definitely will be throwing back the toad fish....


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

It would be interesting video to see if a diver could get them to eat.


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## jwhite357 (Jul 4, 2011)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGzli6R_49E

TOADFISH EATING A LIONFISH


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## Obvious (Mar 5, 2014)

I have a question for you divers. Is it possible/practical to dive with something similar to a cane pole and have a few bait options so that you can test and directly see what baits and presentations work best for lionfish? 

Also, I'd say that from the videos I've seen, the infested reefs have very few other fish to compete for the shrimp.


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## jwhite357 (Jul 4, 2011)

*Toad fish*

Bring in the toad fish. They have/will make a dent in the lionfish population!!!

Release the toads!!!!!


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

Obvious said:


> I have a question for you divers. Is it possible/practical to dive with something similar to a cane pole and have a few bait options so that you can test and directly see what baits and presentations work best for lionfish?


Sure. However it may be a little easier to dangle the bait in front of lionfish using a short length of mono.



Obvious said:


> Also, I'd say that from the videos I've seen, the infested reefs have very few other fish to compete for the shrimp.


The small artificial reefs that are overrun by lionfish often lack game fish. However, it is also common to see a few game fish among the lionfish when the reef is not completely overrun.


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

jwhite357 said:


> Bring in the toad fish. They have/will make a dent in the lionfish population!!!
> 
> Release the toads!!!!!


There is a group of kids and teachers at Washington High School doing experiments with lionfish. One experiment is trying to determine if there is a predator/prey relationship between the leopard toadfish and lionfish.

A couple of divers on this forum have reported seeing leopard toadfish eat small lionfish. A large toadfish swam out of its hole and snapped at a lionfish I was chasing, but did not eat it.


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## jwhite357 (Jul 4, 2011)

The article in the PNJ weeks ago, said the Toadfish may be a predator to the Lionfish....


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