Are bait shrimp small in the summer?

JerseyBlue732

This is my first summer in SWFL... I got some shrimp two weeks ago from a bait shop and they were incredibly small... the worker in the shop said they usually much smaller in the summer. 

Is this correct?   

crazy

That is correct.  Also what the fish are used to seeing this time of year.

JerseyBlue732

crazy said:

That is correct.  Also what the fish are used to seeing this time of year.

Great, thanks!  Do I use the same size hooks for these shrimp as I have been using?  1, 2/0, 3/0?

Lostconch

Summer is the time of year to use whitetail or greenbacks

Fisherman007

Lostconch said:

Summer is the time of year to use whitetail or greenbacks

You meant whitebait?

Lostconch

Yeah I guess spell check was helping me out

Fisherman007

Tarponator

JerseyBlue732 said:

crazy said:

That is correct.  Also what the fish are used to seeing this time of year.

Great, thanks!  Do I use the same size hooks for these shrimp as I have been using?  1, 2/0, 3/0?

For small shrimp, I use smaller hooks, #1, 2, or even 4.  I use a #1 for large shrimp though -- I'm just a believer in smaller hooks for shrimp in general, and I tail hook them.

That said, in the summer I prefer to fish with whitebait (scaled sardines preferably).

mplspug

Use baitfish in the summer and shrimp in the winter.