# using live shrimp on the surf



## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

what are some recent experiences using live shrimp on the surf lately?

or am i just wasting my money with it and should i just try cut bait?


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## TheRoguePirate (Nov 3, 2011)

pomps are hitting so are the spanish on live shrimp


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## Snatch it (Feb 17, 2009)

I think wasting money IMO! Here's what we do.. stop by your local seafood market and pick a 1 or 2 lbs of fresh dead shrimp its a little cheaper that way.I have found this to be the most productive bait along with sandfleas.


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

problem is i always catch a bunch of whiting and smaller fish on the cut shrimp. i'm looking to catch some decent sized fish for a change.


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Snatch it said:


> I think wasting money IMO! Here's what we do.. stop by your local seafood market and pick a 1 or 2 lbs of fresh dead shrimp its a little cheaper that way.I have found this to be the most productive bait along with sandfleas.


Is that cheaper than going to a bait shop?


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## OSAGEBOW (Mar 1, 2012)

we have not caught much at all on the live shrimp in the surf. we have been fishing every weekend now (fri, sat, and sun) for about 4 months. we use sandfleas and either dead shrimp from bait store or shrimp from fish market. the sandfleas have produced the most.


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

live or frozen sand fleas?


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## OSAGEBOW (Mar 1, 2012)

they are better alive but we have used both and had success


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## TheLooney1 (Jul 2, 2009)

Sand fleas!!


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## Snatch it (Feb 17, 2009)

johnf said:


> Is that cheaper than going to a bait shop?


 I thinks so plus they are pretty fresh not frozen. So they stay on the hook better! Also what u don't use u can fry up at the house! Lol


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## Snatch it (Feb 17, 2009)

Snatch it said:


> I thinks so plus they are pretty fresh not frozen. So they stay on the hook better! Also what u don't use u can fry up at the house! Lol


 also get the 30 to 40 count!!!!


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## PompChaser315 (Feb 18, 2011)

Snatch it said:


> I think wasting money IMO! Here's what we do.. stop by your local seafood market and pick a 1 or 2 lbs of fresh dead shrimp its a little cheaper that way.I have found this to be the most productive bait along with sandfleas.


I'm with stupid :thumbup:


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

like i said guys all i have been catching on the surf with dead shrimp is small fish.. whiting, pinfish.. fish barely big enough to even bother keeping.. if i can catch a few pomps, maybe 1 red or bluefish i would be very happy.. but coming home with 20 whiting and 10 pinfish is getting old


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## OSAGEBOW (Mar 1, 2012)

have you been changing locations??? we have found some spots better for pompano and others better for whiting etc...... we have fished from perdido key to navarre pier.


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

yes, but you are saying that pompano will hit cut shrimp? in my experience the only way they do is by accident when I am reeling it in and the ones that i get bites on are small.


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## OSAGEBOW (Mar 1, 2012)

yes pompano like any peeled shrimp whether its cut or whole. however, they prefer live sandfleas. we have better luck with the medium size ones, not the great big large ones.


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## OSAGEBOW (Mar 1, 2012)

we also use a pompano rig made by mustad that you can buy at walmart. they have the yellow corks next to the hooks.


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

I'm gonna try live sand fleas if i can get them on 1 hook and shrimp on the other this weekend.. lets see what happens.. gonna fish the fort pickens area and find a spot in the morning that isn't crowded with surfers.. sunday morning the surf won't be rough like its been lately


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Snatch it said:


> I thinks so plus they are pretty fresh not frozen. So they stay on the hook better! Also what u don't use u can fry up at the house! Lol


 
Any recomendations on a market? I wouldn't mind having a couple pounds of big one I could grill too.


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## OSAGEBOW (Mar 1, 2012)

the beach just before you go into ft. pickens gate is a good place. go over the walkway and take a left. go about 100 yards. we have caught some nice pompano there. also, all the way at the end of ft pickens. take a left at the dead end in front of the pier. go around the curve at the rock jetties. the first parking lot on the right then walk over the sea wall to the beach. excellent pompano fishing there. hope this helps.


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## jasonh1903 (Aug 6, 2010)

stevesmi said:


> problem is i always catch a bunch of whiting and smaller fish on the cut shrimp. i'm looking to catch some decent sized fish for a change.


Are you actually cutting your shrimp? Put a whole fresh dead shrimp on your hook. Put 2 if they are small. Peel it too... that's important. I've caught lots of big fish on shrimp. It's my go to bait in the surf.


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## Crab Man (Oct 21, 2011)

I've caught pomps on live shrimp.


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

jasonh1903 said:


> Are you actually cutting your shrimp? Put a whole fresh dead shrimp on your hook. Put 2 if they are small. Peel it too... that's important. I've caught lots of big fish on shrimp. It's my go to bait in the surf.


Didn't know that. Nice tip.


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## stevesmi (Mar 15, 2012)

thank you guys for those tips, i will be printing those directions up OSEW and taking them with me this weekend so maybe you will see me out there. I've been surf fishing since I was a kid but I am new to this area (navy brought me here and i love it except for the spring breakers who hog up the beaches), and i've always tore up whiting on the surf fishing the atlantic... especially small ones, so hopefully this sunday i can catch some decent fish. they are very very thick on central FL beaches from brevard to volusia where i've fished and hit as soon as the bait hits the water, so its like you cannot avoid them. 

one more question.. when is bluefish season around here? is it during the cold months ? i used to tear up the bluefish on the atlantic during the winter on cut mullet and shrimp. they are really good eating IMO and helluva fighters.


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## OSAGEBOW (Mar 1, 2012)

we caught blue fish at the ft. pickens pier a couple of weeks ago also. we caught some live menhadden and used carolina rigs on the bottom as well as rigs with corks on top. the blue fish hit both. we were on the right side of the pier throwing toward the old pier.


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## Snatch it (Feb 17, 2009)

FUPAGUNT said:


> I'm with stupid :thumbup:


 Really???? Stupid???


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## sandyshoes (Apr 18, 2012)

Been Fishing Johnson Bch. through the week with Sand Fleas (fresh) and live Shrimp, not much success. Hit and miss single Pompano catches. Looking for anyone using Baitcasters on Surf rod, Now using Diawa Seagate and 11ft Rod better than most ,Spinning reels just looking for more distance.


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## Kachok (May 1, 2012)

I use live bait in the surf, mostly mullet pinfish and croker for large trout, reds or sharks, never brought live shrimp to the beach though, I do fish live shrimp around jetties for sheepshead and trout just never on the beach.


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## jcallaham (Dec 13, 2009)

sandyshoes said:


> Been Fishing Johnson Bch. through the week with Sand Fleas (fresh) and live Shrimp, not much success. Hit and miss single Pompano catches. Looking for anyone using Baitcasters on Surf rod, Now using Diawa Seagate and 11ft Rod better than most ,Spinning reels just looking for more distance.


 I almost picked up one of those seagates at the outcast sale. Looked like agreat workhorse reel, I really liked the 20 size. I go back and forth between abus and small spinners with braid on them. when I have backlashed all my baitcasters I switch over to the spinners till I almost cut my index finger off, then it's change the line on the bait casters and start all over.
there are afew of us on the surf fishing section that use baitcasters inthe surf, Myself,Pomoano Joe,Charlie 2 and Matt C that i know of and I think theres afew more. I personally do not know a surf fisherman who is not looking for more distance.

I hav'nt been able to fish much latley because of work schedule. when I have been down there I have been doin about the same as you,kind of hit and miss or worse. PM one of us and let's go sling some led


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Pompano Fishiing*

I have been fishing JB on a random schedule with a conventional(ABU 6500 CS Mag Elite) and a Mitchell 406 spinning reels and like Jim says: It's a pretty hit and miss operation. I manage to catch a few fish with few 'blitzes'.

While down there, I have noticed that the runouts, rips; whatever, frequently change. I don't know why the rapid changes but it happens. Go find a rip then fish the edges.

BTW; I fish mainly with jigs on the spinner and when I'm bait fishing I use salted shrimp on the conventional with a high/low two dropper rig. C2


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