For fishing the Biloxi Marsh this time of year, live shrimp isn’t an absolute must, but it sure makes life a lot easier.
Purists can definitely put fish in the boat throwing spinners or gold spoons, particularly when water levels are up and clarities are near perfect.
At the other end of the spectrum, anglers can use dead shrimp to draw strikes from redfish, black drum and sheepshead.
Hardheads and gafftops also feast on the latter, and can sometimes cause headaches in the salty marsh.
The cats will also hit live shrimp, but the reds are so thick in the area that they usually get to the good stuff first.
Capt. Mark Munson fishes live shrimp on No. 4 treble hooks (which he calls Velcro) tied to 2-foot-long 30-pound mono or fluorocarbon leaders below rattling corks.
When the water is up, he’ll fish as close to the edge of the grass as he can without getting tangled in it.
