Grass shrimp

[catsmeow]

Anyone now if there is some grass shrimp up in keyport at high tide. Want to take my grandson panfishing up in hunterton county in Friday. Grass shrimp are great bait for freshwater panfish. Thanks for any info...walt

[Jigman13]

I haven't seen any since late june early july. Mostly peanuts, spearing and mullets

[MasiJC]

Euro Tackle makes a micro finesse bait called the Gamma Scud that looks similar to a grass shrimp.

They work very well for me.

[catsmeow]

Just got back from keyport, just after high tide managed to get enough for tomorrow, have syrofam lined bait bucket, air pump and putting in ice packs to keep water cool, going to try mannys pond in Hoffman park outside of Clinton, first time going there. Hopefully shrimp will survive till tomorrow.....walt

[catsmeow]

Just looked up the gamma scud, looks really nice, do you rig it on a small jjig or just on a hook by itself, looks like a perfect artificial for grass shrimp, the panfish go crazy over the grass shrimp, need to be live.

[Jigman13]

How are you catching them? Scoop net in the marsh and eel grasses?

[catsmeow]

I have a net especially made for getting grass shrimp, it is on a long aluminum pole with a very fine mesh, as long as the grass shrimp are there I will get them, yes go along the edge of the grass, not a lot there but probably enough. There is keyport the area I used to get them was in bad shape with rotting piling, used to make like 2 scoops, it's now all fixed up and no grass shrimp there at all. Years ago would get them on navasink river road, but no where to park and now 76, I think it would be a tough task. My father worked at national lead in sayreville and they used to get the grass shrimp on the intake screens from the Raritan river. That was in the 50's and 60's. They would use them in Farington lake and clean up on panfish. That was a long time ago. Will see how we do tomorrow. Chaging ice packs hoping to keep them alive till tomorrow.

[catsmeow]

Not much luck today a few small panfish, yes that gamma scud looks like a great imitation, gonna get some, thanks for the tip. Heat was brutal today, looking forward to a change in seasons, wanna try some fall stocking trout on the musky.

[MasiJC]

Originally Posted by catsmeow

Just looked up the gamma scud, looks really nice, do you rig it on a small jjig or just on a hook by itself, looks like a perfect artificial for grass shrimp, the panfish go crazy over the grass shrimp, need to be live.

I put them on a small jig. The VMC Moon Eye jigs work the best for me.