The Ultimate Guide to Catching More Redfish, Speckled Trout, Flounder, Snook & More
If there is one forage that nearly every inshore predator feeds on, it's shrimp. The best shrimp lures don't just look like shrimp — they fall naturally, suspend correctly, skip under cover, and pair with the right jig head to imitate the real thing.
Quick Answer: Choosing the Right Jig Head Weight
| Weight | When to Use It |
|---|---|
| 1/16 oz | Calm water, skinny flats, hover presentations |
| 1/8 oz | Our favorite all-around size — docks, grass flats, oyster bars, popping corks |
| 1/4 oz | Wind, current, deeper channels, faster retrieves |
Redfish root for shrimp on shallow flats, speckled trout ambush them over grass, flounder wait on the bottom for them to drift by, and snook crush them around docks and mangroves.
Artificial shrimp have become so realistic that many anglers now leave the live bait at home. Here are our favorite shrimp lures for inshore saltwater fishing.
1. PrawnstarZ™ LB
Our favorite overall shrimp imitation.
The PrawnstarZ™ LB has quickly become one of our confidence baits because it combines an incredibly lifelike profile with buoyant TPE construction. Whether you're fishing grass flats, oyster bars, docks, mangroves, or deeper channels, this bait simply looks alive in the water.
Unlike many traditional plastics, the buoyancy allows the bait to stand naturally when paused and move with very little rod action.
Best for: redfish, speckled trout, flounder, snook and juvenile tarpon.
Best rigging options: 1/8 oz Upgrade Jig Head, 1/4 oz Upgrade Jig Head, Upgrade Hover Hook, Weedless Hover Hook, or under a popping cork.
2. ZMAN Salty Ned ShrimpZ™
One of the best finesse shrimp ever made.
Don't let the compact profile fool you. The Salty Ned ShrimpZ excels whenever fish become pressured or the bite slows down.
Its buoyant ElaZtech construction creates an extremely natural posture on the bottom, making it deadly for trout, redfish, and flounder.
We especially love pairing it with light jig heads and Hover Hooks where the shrimp can slowly glide and suspend during the retrieve.
Best for: clear water, winter trout, dock fishing, sight fishing and pressured fish.
Best rigging options: 1/16 oz Hover Hook, 3/32 oz Hover Hook, 1/8 oz Hover Hook, or a 1/8 oz Upgrade Jig Head.
3. Berkley Gulp! Shrimp
Sometimes scent simply matters.
When fish are short striking or feeding by smell as much as sight, few artificials have the reputation of Berkley Gulp! Shrimp.
While it isn't nearly as durable as TPE or ElaZtech plastics, it consistently catches fish because of its scent dispersion.
If you're introducing someone to saltwater fishing or simply want a confidence bait, Gulp! Shrimp deserves a place in every tackle bag.
Best for: cold fronts, dirty water, flounder, sheepshead and black drum.
4. Boom Boom Shrimp
An excellent all-around shrimp profile.
The Boom Boom Shrimp has become another favorite, especially when paired beneath a popping cork.
Its natural profile and subtle action excel over grass flats and oyster bars where shrimp are naturally suspended throughout the water column.
Our favorite setup.
Boom Boom Shrimp, a 1/8 oz Upgrade Jig Head and a 4 Horsemen Popping Cork. The popping cork creates noise that imitates feeding fish while the shrimp hangs naturally below it — often resulting in explosive strikes from trout and redfish.
Choosing the Right Jig Head
The lure gets the attention. The jig head controls everything else.
Choosing the correct weight determines fall rate, casting distance, depth control, current control and natural presentation.
1/16 oz for calm water, skinny flats and hover presentations.
1/8 oz is our favorite all-around size — docks, grass flats, oyster bars and popping corks.
1/4 oz for wind, current, deeper channels and faster retrieves.
Don't Forget the Hover Hook
Traditional jig heads aren't always the answer.
Hover Hooks allow shrimp to fall more horizontally while maintaining an incredibly natural presentation. They excel when fish are suspended, cruising, or simply refusing faster-falling baits.
Our favorite sizes include 1/16 oz, 3/32 oz and 1/8 oz.
Color Selection
If we had to simplify it:
Clean water. Natural, New Penny, Rootbeer, Green Pumpkin.
Stained water. Glow, White, Chartreuse, Pink.
Dirty water. Bright colors, loud contrasts, and add scent whenever possible.
Match the Hatch
One mistake anglers make is fishing shrimp that are much larger than what's naturally available.
Take a few seconds to look around. Are shrimp two inches long? Four inches long? Tiny grass shrimp? Large white shrimp? Brown shrimp?
Matching the size often matters more than matching the exact color.
Final Thoughts
Artificial shrimp have never been better.
Whether you're throwing a PrawnstarZ™ LB, ZMAN Salty Ned ShrimpZ™, Boom Boom Shrimp, or Berkley Gulp! Shrimp, success usually comes down to matching the right lure with the right jig head, the right weight, and the right presentation.
Slow down when conditions call for it, experiment with your retrieve, and don't overlook Hover Hooks or popping corks when fish suspend higher in the water column.
The shrimp may get their attention — but the way you rig it is often what convinces them to eat.
Shop Our Favorite Shrimp Fishing Gear
Shrimp profiles, jig heads and hover hooks in one place. Shop the Ebb N Flow Outdoors Upgrade Series →