How to Catch Fresh Water Grass Shrimp

Grass shrimp, or Palaemonetes, are a genus of freshwater and brackish water shrimp commonly found living among plants such as hydrilla and eelgrass. They make excellent live bait, especially for larger game fish. You can learn how to catch fresh water grass shrimp in a few steps.

Things You'll Need

• Fine mesh net
• Flashlight
• Wire rake
• Shrimp trap
• Fish-flavored cat food
• Cooler
• Ice cubes
• Newspaper
• Wood box
• Wet eelgrass or other aquatic plants

Instructions

1. Know where to look. Grass shrimp are sensitive to heat and changes in temperature and tend to congregate in shady areas. You can find them near aquatic plants and near submerged or sunken objects like docks, fences or pipes. Hunting at night by shining a flashlight into the water can be particularly effective.

2. Scatter shrimp from hiding places in plants by shaking the plants or combing through them with your hands, a wire rake or a fine, mesh net. Use the same net to scoop up any shrimp that you find. You can also use a sport or commercial shrimp trap baited with fish-flavored cat food.

3. Take a proper receptacle to store them in. Two good options are a cooler half-filled with ice cubes and lined with newspaper or a wood box lined with eelgrass or other aquatic plants collected from the area. Grass shrimp do not need to be submerged in water to survive, only kept cool and wet.

References

• Scottsbt.com: Scott's Bait and Tackle
• Capt. Mel Berman Presents: Bait options in freshwater are many
• Suite101.com: Shrimp Baits