best artificial

For the past three trips to Fort Morgan, I've used Gulp shrimp (either in the plastic jar or the bags (new penny, natural) when fishing off the beach. Last summer we came across some guys out on the Ft. Morgan point where we were, and they were using Voodoo shirimp and gave me one. Didn't have any luck, but I wasn't having any luck regardless. Another brand I hear a lot about is DOA. I did some searching around the forum, and I got lots of hits, but I didn't see a thread where people compared the three. Any thoughts? The gulp baits have produced 1 large red, multiple lady fish, a ray or two, and that's about it. Generally I use them on a fishfinder type rig with the weight on a slider on the bottom and a 2-3 foot leader to a hook with the shrimp. Would you fish the Voodoo or DOA the same way? I've also tried putting a jighead on and doing a slow retrieve across the bottom without much luck.

IMHO Gulp shrimp ought to be outlawed they are so effective.
j/k but they are pretty effective in the 3" colors mentioned (also pearl white ;-)
I use them with a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce jig head, mainly targeting flounder but using them have caught speckled and white trout, red and black drum, southern and gulf and northern kingfish (ground mullet & whiting), ladyfish, hardtails (blue runner and baby jack crevelle), catfish, even a few pompano.

If I used a Fishfinder Rig (or Carolina Rig) I would probably switch to the floating Gulp shrimp pearl color (again in 3" size).

The popular Voodoo shrimp is a tough plastic artificial with no scent, as is the DOA.
The Voodoo shrimp has kevlar molded in the tail so it won't get bit off.
The hook is molded onto a 'standup' style jighead which doesn't sink or rest very "naturally" IMHO.
I prefer the 3" or 4" Savage Gear Manic Shrimp (also with kevlar in the tail, but) with a 'swimbait' style weight molded onto the hook to give a more "natural" fall and presentation.

The DOA is another popular and proven lure, but at twice the cost of H&H TKO Shrimp (which have "natural looking" black eyes), they are NOT twice as good (if at all better IMO).
The Live Target Shrimp look most "natural" (to me) of all the unscented arty shrimp, but are fairly expensive.

Hope this helps!

The baits that you describe are not really designe to use as just bait They need action like on the jig head as you describe or a popping cork or otherwise I'm not a real fan of artificial a in the surf Catch a lot more fish there on natural bait like live shrimp fresh dead shrimp cut mullet etc but if you are going to use them keep them moving with some type of action They all work The pier is the ticket for artificials Easy to use and you can catch a lot of fish with them

P#'er deserves a raise. I'm down for a dollar, anyone else?

#r,
any input on how best to work the Yozuri Crystal Shrimp lure?

Have to agree on the Gulp, under a cork it rivals a live shrimp for it's effectiveness.
I have several of the others mentioned in my tackle box, they never produced much and just take up space.

The Yo-Zi Crystal shrimp is a contradiction for me.
It's a hard plastic bait molded to look like a shrimp (in various psychedelic colours)
but it runs 'backwards' from the way a shrimp swims to escape a predator,
and it has an exorbitant price tag which negates my ever using one.

But I've heard say it works,
sometimes ;-)
But don't they all?

Yep...even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Hope you're doing well David.

I bought a brown crystal 3D shrimp but I'm scared if I use it I will break it off and lose it! Academy has a clone of the Vudu shrimp(Mojo Shrimp) on sale right now for $2.99 for a 2/pk.

New Foley Academy store opens in a week. I will sure enough see if they got em.

My biggest flounder ever 23" was on a voodoo. Gulp is ridiculously effective though

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pier#r

IMHO Gulp shrimp ought to be outlawed they are so effective.
j/k but they are pretty effective in the 3" colors mentioned (also pearl white ;-)
I use them with a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce jig head, mainly targeting flounder but using them have caught speckled and white trout, red and black drum, southern and gulf and northern kingfish (ground mullet & whiting), ladyfish, hardtails (blue runner and baby jack crevelle), catfish, even a few pompano.

If I used a Fishfinder Rig (or Carolina Rig) I would probably switch to the floating Gulp shrimp pearl color (again in 3" size).

The popular Voodoo shrimp is a tough plastic artificial with no scent, as is the DOA.
The Voodoo shrimp has kevlar molded in the tail so it won't get bit off.
The hook is molded onto a 'standup' style jighead which doesn't sink or rest very "naturally" IMHO.
I prefer the 3" or 4" Savage Gear Manic Shrimp (also with kevlar in the tail, but) with a 'swimbait' style weight molded onto the hook to give a more "natural" fall and presentation.

The DOA is another popular and proven lure, but at twice the cost of H&H TKO Shrimp (which have "natural looking" black eyes), they are NOT twice as good (if at all better IMO).
The Live Target Shrimp look most "natural" (to me) of all the unscented arty shrimp, but are fairly expensive.

Hope this helps!

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Pier#r, thank you. very helpful. I didn't know all those other brands existed. I have to say, that Live Target Shrimp is impressive. Would fool me quite easily.

You mentioned using a floating gulp shrimp if using a carolina rig type set up. To me that makes sense and I will try that with my bigger set up (10' Star Rod and Penn 7500SS reel) where I try to wade out and get the bait into that first big trough. Regarding my smaller set up (7' rod / Shimano 3000 stradic), how would you fish those artificials? It's often too choppy for a popping cork, so I end up either putting a gulp on a jig head and dragging it across the bottom (never has produced for me) or I end up throwing mirrolures or gold spoons or bucktails with pork rind. In the end it all kind of feels like grasping at straws and just trying to use what I have.

For me, those unscented lures are sight fishing only, though a popping cork may help draw the attention of trout (etc.) to it,
but popping corks are most effective for fishing shallow (less than 3 feet under float) over suspended fish or in relatively shallow water.
Anyway the water should be fairly clear for these sight fishing shrimp imitations which it often is not when the wind has been blowing onshore.
Also the Gulp shrimp dragged on the bottom in dingy or roiled water will not get as much action as a floating one under those same conditions.
That will get it up off the bottom and stirred up silt where the fish can 'feel' and see it ;-)

Hope this helps!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pier#r

For me, those unscented lures are sight fishing only, though a popping cork may help draw the attention of trout (etc.) to it,
but popping corks are most effective for fishing shallow (less than 3 feet under float) over suspended fish or in relatively shallow water.
Anyway the water should be fairly clear for these sight fishing shrimp imitations which it often is not when the wind has been blowing onshore.
Also the Gulp shrimp dragged on the bottom in dingy or roiled water will not get as much action as a floating one under those same conditions.
That will get it up off the bottom and stirred up silt where the fish can 'feel' and see it ;-)

Hope this helps!

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Pier#r, you are always helpful. It's why I come back to this board every spring before my trip. So much good advice from guys like you over the years. It's really a great site. So for me a "typical" fishing day (when not chasing my 2 or 6 year old daughters around the beach) usually involves me fishing in the late afternoon. Probably not ideal, but dad duty is tough to avoid. Usually I just figure out what I feel like throwing out there first, and then if that doesn't work, I move to the next lure. We fish off the beach in Fort Morgan on the gulf side. The general slope in front of our rental house is very gradual (i I have to walk about about 100 yards at least to be neck deep) and getting anything into that first trough takes a good bit of wading out and the big rod (this is where I have used the carolina rig set up with the gulp shrimp (which will now be a floating gulp shrimp!). With that being said, how would you fish the gentle slope with the 7' rod, (assuming you aren't actually seeing fish (and don't have the option of walking away to find better ground))? Floating gulp on a small jig head to keep it just off the bottom? This area is where I struggle the most. Trying to figure out how to fish that gentle slope with what I have, and further more, figuring out what I trying to fish for (pompano, trout, flounder), as they all seem to require different approaches.