Frozen shrimp can be an excellent bait for catching a variety of saltwater fish. While live shrimp is often considered superior, frozen shrimp offers several advantages. It’s affordable, easy to store and transport, and can attract just about anything with fins when fished properly. Here’s a complete guide to using frozen shrimp bait to catch more fish.
Advantages of Frozen Shrimp Bait
Here are some of the main benefits of using frozen shrimp versus live
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Convenience – Frozen shrimp can be bought at any bait shop or grocery store and kept on hand for spur of the moment fishing trips No need to search for live bait.
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Affordability – Farm raised frozen shrimp costs a fraction of the price of live shrimp This helps stretch your bait budget
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Durability – Frozen shrimp stays on the hook better than fresh since it’s firmer. You’ll lose less bait to bait thieves.
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Versatility – Both whole shrimp and cut shrimp pieces can be used for different applications. Tail sections work great for finicky biters.
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Ease of use – Frozen shrimp thaws quickly in water and is easy to thread onto hooks. No need to keep it alive like live shrimp.
While live shrimp has more action to attract fish, frozen often gets the job done just as well at a better value. Keep reading to learn pro tips for rigging it.
Thawing Frozen Shrimp
Frozen shrimp must be thawed before using to bait hooks or create chunks for chumming. Here are a few fast thawing methods:
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Place frozen shrimp in a sealed bag and submerge in a bucket of cool water. Change water every 15 minutes. Thaws in 30-60 minutes.
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Put frozen shrimp in a colander and run cool tap water over. Thaws in 15-30 minutes.
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Microwave 5-10 seconds to start thawing, check often to avoid cooking.
Once thawed, drain excess water and blot shrimp dry before baiting up. The shrimp should be soft enough to thread onto hooks but still firm. Now it’s ready to fish!
Rigging Thawed Shrimp
Follow these tips when baiting hooks with thawed frozen shrimp:
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Hook placement – Thread hook from tail end to head to keep bait secure.
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Hook size – Match hook size to shrimp size. Use thin wire hooks for better penetration.
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Bait keepers – Add rubber bands or mesh bait thread to prevent shrimp from sliding down hooks.
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Jig heads – Prefab jig heads help keep thawed shrimp in place and add casting weight.
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Bulk bait – Use shell-on or head-on shrimp to bulk up bait size when needed.
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Tail sections – Just use tails for finicky biters. The tails move in the water and give off scent.
Take the time to properly hook thawed shrimp to prevent lost baits and missed strikes. Now it’s time to fish!
Fishing Techniques for Frozen Shrimp
Adjust your fishing method based on the species you’re pursuing:
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Bottom fishing – Let baited shrimp sink to the bottom. Use pyramid sinkers for current or structure. Reel up slack and wait for bites. Targets flounder, snapper, grouper.
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Drift fishing – Slowly drift baited shrimp over structure. Use circle hooks and keep lines tight. Targets trout, redfish, sheepshead.
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Surf fishing – Cast shrimp-baited rigs beyond the breakers and reel back slowly. Targets whiting, pompano, black drum.
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Pier fishing – Drop baited shrimp straight down around pilings. Use enough weight to hold bottom. Targets mangrove snapper, black sea bass.
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Chumming – Grind up extra shrimp into chum and toss it periodically to attract fish.
The beauty of frozen shrimp is that you can tailor baits and tactics to the exact species you want to catch.
Frozen Shrimp Fishing Tips
Keep these additional tips in mind:
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Check regulations – In some areas, regulations prohibit using thawed frozen shrimp. Make sure you know the rules.
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Add attractants – Consider soaking thawed shrimp in menhaden oil, shrimp juice, or scented gels.
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Top and tail – Remove the head and shell from shrimp bodies to expose the meaty tail.
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Match the hatch – If small live shrimp are present, use smaller thawed shrimp or cut chunks to match.
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Fight rotation – Rotate thawed shrimp every 10-15 minutes if getting short strikes. This prevents excessive bait tearing.
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Watch the rods – Carefully monitor lines for any bites. Frozen shrimp won’t naturally alert you like live would.
Planning ahead and using effective techniques will help you catch just as many fish with frozen shrimp as live. It just takes some practice. Before long, you’ll have confidence in keeping frozen shrimp bait on hand for all your saltwater trips.
Storing Frozen Shrimp for Bait
To keep frozen shrimp bait fresh as long as possible:
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Buy frozen shrimp specifically sold for bait rather than food grade. Bait shrimp is handled better.
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Ensure shrimp is frozen shortly after harvesting. Avoid bait frozen after sitting thawed.
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Store frozen shrimp in original airtight packaging at 0°F or below. Place in coldest part of freezer.
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Minimize temperature fluctuations by not opening the freezer frequently.
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Use thawed shrimp within 12 hours. Do not refreeze thawed shrimp bait.
Proper storage and handling will keep frozen shrimp optimally fresh for use as bait.
Fishing Different Types of Frozen Shrimp
Not all frozen shrimp are equal. The type of shrimp used will impact its performance as bait:
Rock Shrimp
- Very small shrimp perfect for panfish or inshore Species
- Use whole with small hooks or cut into chunks
- Tough shell helps keep shrimp on the hook
White Shrimp
- Most affordable and available frozen shrimp
- Moderate size good for many inshore species
- Softer flesh compared to rock or brown shrimp
Brown Shrimp
- Larger shrimp best for big gamefish like reds and snook
- Hearty texture stays on the hook well compared to white
- Only found frozen along the Gulf coast
Peeled & Deveined
- Least durable since shell helps keep bait secured
- Easier for fish to eat since shell is removed
- Best for wary fish that avoid shells or bait stealers
Match the shrimp type to the species you’re targeting for best results. Don’t be afraid to experiment to see what works.
Best Fish Species to Target with Frozen Shrimp
While live shrimp is best for species like sheepshead, frozen will produce plenty of bites from:
- Redfish
- Speckled Trout
- Flounder
- Snapper
- Grouper
- Black Drum
- Pompano
- Whiting
- Sea Bass
- Croaker
Frozen shrimp works well for most bottom feeders and crustacean eaters. Adjust hook and bait size to match the species you’re pursuing.
So don’t hesitate to load up on bags of frozen shrimp bait. Just follow the tips above and it will catch fish just as well as live. Have fun putting frozen shrimp to the test on your next coastal fishing adventure!
Keeping Live Shrimp
- What kind of hook would work best for this? Michael Reynolds is the owner of Long Beach, California’s Fishing Lessons by Michael Reynolds and a professional fishing instructor. In the more than 40 years that Michael has been fishing, he has learned a lot about the different ways to fish. He loves teaching people, from newbies to experts, what he knows about fishing. Michael is licensed and bonded with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and has been a fishing guide and teacher for more than five years. The best hooks for fishing shrimp for bait are J-style hooks, according to Michael Reynolds, a professional fishing instructor.
- Michael Reynolds is the owner of Long Beach, California’s Fishing Lessons by Michael Reynolds and a professional fishing instructor. How do I keep the shrimp from flying off the hook? The answer is: In the more than 40 years that Michael has been fishing, he has learned a lot about the different ways to fish. He loves teaching people, from newbies to experts, what he knows about fishing. Michael is licensed and bonded with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and has been a fishing guide and teacher for more than five years. Answer from Michael Reynolds, Professional Fishing Instructor: Wrap the shrimp in sewing thread so it doesn’t fall off when you cast. The color of the thread should match the color of the shrimp—orange is the #1 color that I use.
- Professional Fishing Instructor Michael Reynolds owns Long Beach, California’s Fishing Lessons by Michael Reynolds and is a professional fishing instructor. How do I get more fish to bite shrimp? In the more than 40 years that Michael has been fishing, he has learned a lot about the different ways to fish. He loves teaching people, from newbies to experts, what he knows about fishing. Michael is licensed and bonded with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and has been a fishing guide and teacher for more than five years. Expert Answer from Michael Reynolds: As soon as the anchor is down, run to the front of the boat and throw out the line with the shrimp on it. Let that sink to the bottom. There will be a lot of fish looking for food there because the anchor made a cloud of trash.
- If you want to catch live shrimp, use the smallest and lightest hook possible for that type of fish. This will let the shrimp swim as freely as possible for as long as possible. In general, the bigger and stronger the hook should be, the harder the fish’s mouth is. In these situations, you may also want to use a treble hook instead of a single hook. Most of the time, you won’t need a hook bigger than 3/0 or 4/0. [8] [9] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0 .
- Find out if there are bait shops in the area you want to fish that sell bait shrimp. Also, find out if there are any rules about using shrimp as bait in your area. [10] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0 .
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Putting the hook all the way through the top of the shrimp’s head is one way to catch it alive. This way of fishing is best for bottom fishing, but the shrimp is more likely to slip off the hook. When drift fishing or float-rigging, put the hook through the shrimp’s body across the middle. Avoid the dark spots that look like the stomach and pancreas. If you want to catch cruising fish, cut off the fan on the shrimp’s tail and thread the hook through it. Then, poke it out the bottom. If the shrimp are frozen or dead, cut off the head, feet, and tail fan. Then, thread the hook through the rest of the body. For more tips, like how to store live shrimp, read on.
How To Rig & Fish FROZEN SHRIMP For Inshore Slams
FAQ
How do you defrost shrimp for fishing?
Can fish eat frozen shrimp?
How to fish with frozen shrimp?
Here’s a basic method for fishing with frozen shrimp: Thaw the Shrimp: You’ll need to thaw it before rigging it. Read below how to thaw a frozen shrimp. Prepare the Hook: Choose an appropriate fishing hook size based on the size of the shrimp and the fish species you are targeting.
How do you rig frozen shrimp?
Use a jighead to keep the shrimp from coming off the hook easily. If you do not want to add more weight to the hook, you can just put the shrimp on a plain live bait hook. The best way to rig the frozen shrimp to the hook is to go through the rear of the shrimp instead of the head.
How do you use frozen shrimp for bait?
Once you have the hook or jighead threaded deep into the body of the shrimp, push the hook out the bottom side of the frozen shrimp. This is the most durable way to use frozen shrimp for bait. Many fish will not be attracted to frozen shrimp bait because it is dead and not moving.
How do you hook frozen shrimp?
For this rig, we slid an egg sinker onto the leader and then tied a circle hook on. One of the big problems people have with frozen shrimp is that they fall off the hook too easily. Put the hook through the shell twice. First, put the hook through the underbelly of the shrimp down near the tail.