How To Rig Dead Shrimp On A Jig Head For More Bites [VIDEO]

It’s shrimp tactic time again!

Shrimp is a staple food source for just about all species of inshore (and many offshore) fish.

The only bad news is that live shrimp don’t last very long (especially if you are fishing from a kayak).

But even though some of your bait may be lifeless at the bottom of your bucket by the time you get to your spot, don’t get discouraged!

Fresh dead shrimp is a super effective bait to use to target inshore fish such as redfish, black drum, trout, and snook (especially if they are being very stubborn and will not take an artificial bait).

Even though the shrimp is now dead, it can be just as effective as live shrimp by rigging it on a jig head and using it as if it was an artificial lure.

Let’s discuss the best ways to rig dead shrimp.

Two Ways To Rig A Shrimp On A Jig Head

Version 1:

The 1st method, which is shown in the video below, is my go-to method when sight casting to fish.

Simply pop the shrimp’s head off and insert the jig to replace its head.

Note: This is the same as if you were rigging a Berkley Gulp Shrimp on a jig head.

Feed the hook into the shrimp and pop it back out through its back and the head of the jig head should be in place of where the shrimp’s head used to be.

It should look something like this:

Version 2:

The 2nd way to rig a shrimp on a jig head (this can be done to live or dead shrimp) is to pinch off the very end of the tail.

You would then insert the jig head through the tail and have the hook come out the bottom side of the shrimp.

This is an effective way of imitating a shrimp that is fleeing from a predator as they naturally dart backward to keep an eye on the predator.

Dead Shrimp Rigging Tips

• The key to using dead shrimp is to be sure they are FRESH.
• Old frozen shrimp (or shrimp that has been dead for a while in a hot bucket of water) will become very soft and mushy. This will cause your bait to either fly off the hook when you cast (or be easily picked clean by bait fish).
• To keep your shrimp fresh and from spoiling, keep them in a bag on ice. If you are in a kayak or small vessel, a small lunch box sized soft sided cooler is an easy way to keep your shrimp cool.
• You can either buy some live shrimp and use this method once your shrimp start to die off, or you can simply ask your local bait shop for fresh dead shrimp. They will typically just go through their tank and bag up a bunch of die-offs and give you a pretty good deal on them.

In the following video, you will see how I rig up dead shrimp on a jig head as an awesome bait for sight casting to fish that are reluctant to take an artificial lure.

I was also able to catch a really nice black drum using this method… Pa-POW!

Best Way To Rig Dead Shrimp On A Jig Head [VIDEO]

Conclusion

Dead shrimp can be highly effective for catching inshore fish.

The most important thing is that they shrimp are fresh.

After that, it’s as simple as ripping off the head and rigging it just like you would an artificial shrimp on a jig head.

Then wait for a tight line!

So what do you think?

Any other ways that you like to rig shrimp?

Let me know in the comments.

Related: How To Hook A Shrimp Like A Fishing Pro (watch it here now)

P.S. – If you think your angler friends or fishing networks would like to see this, please Tag them or Share this with them. You Rock! Pa-POW!