Here is a visual transcript showing four different ways to rig a live shrimp if you prefer to read. 

[00:00:14] Hey, good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen. Joshua here at Salty Scales.com today, I'm going to be showing you four simple techniques on how to rig whole or live shrimp. Now, this is great, guys. I'm going to do a two-part series. The next video will show you how to rig cut shrimp. So let's jump in. I'm going to give you some nice close-ups so you can have some great visuals on how to rig shrimp so you catch some monsters productively. The very first technique that I want to show you and the most productive, in my opinion, for live shrimp is to hook the shrimp in the horn.

[00:00:44] So come on over here. I show you how to do it.

How to Rig a Live Shrimp in the Horn 

[00:00:48] All right. So right here, guys, you could see that there. The shrimp has a horn, which is their defense mechanism. But what I like to do is hook them in that particular horn. Now, you don't want to go too far back because you see this gray matter in the shrimp called the ganglion, and that's also known as the brain. You hook them in their brain, and you're going to have one dead shrimp and kind of defeats purpose if you are using live shrimp. So what I like to do is you see this horn here, you take your hook and make sure you're using a hook that's proportionate to your bait size. Usually, a 1/0 to 2/0 hook is all you need.

[00:01:24] And what you want to do is take this hook and go right through the horn here. So you don't want to go very deep. You want to go right under this horn, guys, and it's going to look just like that.

[00:01:42] And what that's going to do is allow the shrimp to swim freely, and it's going to make it look very natural. The shrimp is going to be very lively. He's going to kick strong, and he's going to get eaten, especially if there's a predatory fish around. That is probably my favorite way to hook a live shrimp. Now we're going to discuss my second favorite way to hook a live or whole shrimp, and it's through the tail.

How to Hook a Live Shrimp Via the Tail 

[00:02:10] All right. Now, as you can see from the shrimp's dynamics or the shrimp's anatomy, most of the weight is forward on the shrimp, meaning that if you hook it in the back of the tail. You cast it; it's going to travel long distances because it's more aerodynamic, and the weight is, you know, further back from your father's casting point. So the way I like to hook them also is right through the hard part of this tail now, right here above the tail. I take my hook, and I run it directly through the center, and I pull it straight out, now you'll see that naturally, the hook wants to lay flat up against the back of the tail. So it conceals it in that sense. But this allows the strap also to swim very, very freely. But you get some accurate cast when you're hooking your shrimp or rigging your shrimp in this manner.

[00:03:28] Look at that fat belly on that thing. What in the world you guys got to look at this?

[00:03:40] This thing has been down there, eating and let me get my pliers.

[00:03:48] God, I love how I turn around, and my rod is bent over there. Just look at the belly of this fish.

How to Tail Hook a Shrimp Through the Side

[00:04:08] All right, so now you've seen my first two favorite methods of hooking a live or whole shrimp. Now let's move to the third. OK, instead of going up under the shrimp's tail, what you could do is go right here on the side, and you pull the hook right through just like that. And this allows them to swim freely.

[00:04:40] You also get a great cast because the weight is forward, and it is very natural.

How to Rig Shrimp Without Tail 

[00:04:48] All right. So this fourth technique is a little gruesome for some of you guys that are a bit squeamish. So you may want to click away, but what I like to do is rip off the back end of the tail while they're alive and run the hook through the shrimp's body. Now, what this does is it makes the shrimp appear wounded, but it also allows for the scent to flow through the water. And it's beneficial for redfish. First things first, you go down here; you rip off the tail.

[00:05:18] Throw that away. Now, what you could do is you could take your hook just like this and run it through the body.

[00:05:30] And you'll see that it naturally curves, of course, slowly allow it to run up through the body and out the tail, and you'll get a finished product that looks like that once again cast very well. The shrimp stays alive for some time, but it also gives off the shrimp's scent, which draws in and triggers strikes.

[00:05:56] Those are my four favorite ways to rig a live shrimp. If you enjoyed this video, please give a thumbs up comment below, and hey, share and hit that subscribe button if you care to. I appreciate all the support, guys; if you have a video recommendation, put it below. A lot of you asked about Pier fishing, things like kayak fishing. I plan to get out on the water here soon. We're starting to heat up. It's spring, so get out there and do some fishing.

[00:06:23] And I've had a hectic schedule, but I'm telling you, it's coming till next time. Guys, I'll see you on the water.