Learn To Enhance Your Bait To Catch More Shrimp

By: Tim Bouchard

There’s great shrimping across Alaska and along the coast of British Columbia. And, it’s no secret the most important vehicle to success when shrimping is having good bait. Shrimp are scent feeders. They follow the scent trail of the bait. The more scent you put down deep the better chance you have of full pots of shrimp. Poor bait brings limited success.

I shrimp in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and always use shrimp pellets with ok success. Meanwhile, the last few years we’ve been brining those pellets in Crab N Shrimp Fuel and have seen increased catches likely due to the stronger and longer lasting scent trail that comes with using the Fuel.

You can use the Fuel on any medium. Crab N Shrimp Fuel is designed to absorb into carcasses, cut bait and manufactured baits to create a longer lasting and more potent scent trail. When shrimping, many people like to use salmon or halibut carcasses because they are cheaper than buying pellets. On the other hand, shrimp pellets or any manufactured shrimp bait bring success, too. The key is soaking these baits in the Fuel overnight to enhance them and get the most of out them. Using it couldn’t be simpler.

Employing Crab N Shrimp Fuel

Step 1: Got Bait?

Whether using fish carcasses or pellets place them in a Ziploc.

Step 2: Fuel Up

Pour enough Crab N Shrimp Fuel into the bag to submerge the bait.

Step 3: Let It Brine

Leave overnight or a few days. It’s crucial to leave it as long as it takes for the Fuel to absorb into the pellet. This normally takes a day. Nevertheless, commercial pellets might take a bit longer. When the pellets look bloated and most of the Fuel has been absorbed you know it’s done.

Step 4: Bait Up

When the pellets have absorbed the scent it’s time to put them in a bait can and screw on the lid. Then, attach it to your pot and drop it down. Normally, in Alaska and BC you want to shrimp 300-500 feet down. I recommend letting them sit 12 hours to overnight. Using the Fuel with the pellets will bring more and larger shrimp to your pots than you’re used to.

Editor’s Note: Valdez Outfitters doesn’t offer shrimping charters. They specialize in halibut, rockfish, lingcod and salmon. For more info please visit www.valdezoutfitters.com.