# Wintertime Trout Tactics...DOA Shrimp



## wharfrat (Jan 9, 2012)

Here's the latest blog from our website, hope you enjoy...

A plastic shrimp.  Never work.  That’s what I thought until I met Mark Nichols about 20 years ago at the old Pine Island Fish Camp in St. Augustine.  Mark explained the key to this bait, was nothing.  Do nothing.  I didn’t completely understand that at the time, but over the years I’ve figured it out.  Mark had explained that a shrimp actually moves forward at a slow and meticulous pace. That is the real magic of probably the best shrimp imitating lure on the market.  I guess the “do nothing philosophy” probably needs to be explained.  This bait needs to do nothing but look natural.  It is the angler’s mission to keep this imitation crustacean looking “au natural”. 

Here on the Georgia coast we are heavily influenced by seven foot tidal changes, which equates to current.   As with most artificials, I like to bring the bait with the current.  In the case of the D.O.A. shrimp, this typically means long cast up current, and counting down the descent to the bottom, while constantly maintaining contact with the bait. This bait will often get eaten on the fall, and only the faintest tap will signal the take, which is why maintaining contact with your lure is critical. Once the shrimp reaches bottom, usually just lifting or crawling the bait, with the assistance of the current is all that is needed.  I will give an occasional twitch or hop, but mostly just try to keep this bait head forward, in its natural posture of movement.

Often, as with a lot of finesse baits, it is just plain hard to feel what the bait is doing-- especially with depths up to 20 feet combined with current.  I try to concentrate my efforts on the couple of hours on each side of low tide. The current is slower, the bait is out of the marsh, and the predators know it.  One of the main things with finesse fishing is eliminating the “bag” or “bow” or slack in your line that current and wind can cause.  And we all know the wind seems to blow usually about the time you get to the hole.  I try, whenever possible, to have the wind directly at my back or directly in my face. This will eliminate much of the bow in your line.  Lining up with your target and wind can often be tough and sometimes impossible.  If this happens, I usually drop the rod tip to the water and alter my stance accordingly--whatever it takes to maintain that straight line contact.

I know I did not mention color, because personally I think colors are made for fisherman, not fish.  That being said, D.O.A. makes just about every color of the rainbow…so go with what you know.

The D.O.A. shrimp is deadly in all of the usual haunts.  If you can make yourself slow down, just like the shrimp, and let it act natural, you will get bit.  From January 6th - 8th I saw nearly 70 trout come to the boat in the few hours around the low tides.  Nearly all came on the D.O.A shrimp…and a few on the Rapala CD 9…but that’ll be another bog.  Until then, you won’t know if you don’t go.


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## oldcsm (Jan 9, 2012)

Great article..... full of wisdom from years on the water!


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## Altamaha Stalker (Jan 9, 2012)

Very nice blog, my freind! 

The DOA will catch them for sure! Great info on the slower presentations!

Thank you for posting!


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## coltday (Jan 9, 2012)

My dad and I just had this conversation last weekend about fishing deeper (like we have always bass fished during the colder months). Thanks for the information, as always!


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## 56willysnut (Jan 10, 2012)

No wonder I have a bunch in my tackle bag...


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## ROAM (Jan 10, 2012)

cool information.  This is the kind of stuff i am hankering for.  Its funny that you have just posted this as i was looking at the DOA shrimp just yesterday and thinking about getting my hands on a few. Must be a sign! haha.  
I really appreciate your advice and will look forward to trying out these tips in the future.


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## Walkerdawg (Jan 10, 2012)

Good Info. Thanks for sharing.


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## vafisherman (Jan 10, 2012)

Thanks Capt. Tim. I noticed when we were fishing with you, that you never had that "bag" or "bow" in your line. Good stuff.


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## evan m (Jan 11, 2012)

One of the things I have stopped doing over the years is fishing during the real high tides, except in the summer with reds in the grass, which I love. This weekend we are looking at eight foot tides with highs at 615 and 630 it is dark at both those times so I am not seeing a huge 4 or 5 hour tide window to fish the low. I am going based on this report and trying it deep like this report ssuggests.  But I need a little help midday when the tide is high whet is the typical high tide winter game plan?


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## evan m (Jan 11, 2012)

Just beat up the oyster bars?


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## imac985 (Jan 12, 2012)

evan m said:


> One of the things I have stopped doing over the years is fishing during the real high tides, except in the summer with reds in the grass, which I love. This weekend we are looking at eight foot tides with highs at 615 and 630 it is dark at both those times so I am not seeing a huge 4 or 5 hour tide window to fish the low. I am going based on this report and trying it deep like this report ssuggests.  But I need a little help midday when the tide is high whet is the typical high tide winter game plan?



i was gonna ask almost the same question!  ive been fishing with a popping cork (cajun thunder) under a 18-24" leader and live shrimp lately. ive always fished liked that in louisiana/mississippi coast during the cold months and never had a problem but here in SE georgia particulary the savannah area i have rarely caught anything on that rig..... im just gonna go with the DOA on the bottom and see how that goes since i have a stock pile of them! good info hopefully i can hook up with something tomorrow


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## wharfrat (Jan 13, 2012)

evan m said:


> One of the things I have stopped doing over the years is fishing during the real high tides, except in the summer with reds in the grass, which I love. This weekend we are looking at eight foot tides with highs at 615 and 630 it is dark at both those times so I am not seeing a huge 4 or 5 hour tide window to fish the low. I am going based on this report and trying it deep like this report ssuggests.  But I need a little help midday when the tide is high whet is the typical high tide winter game plan?



high tide can be tough during the cold months, especially if they are around the full and new moon and water quality is poor due to low lows and high highs.. usually, the last of the incomming and very first of the out will be the cleanest water during big tides. i usually just throw lipped divers but live or artificial under the cork will work. it will take a lot of casting though. you can also use the trolling motor and creep along close to the shore over oysters and grass and do a little sight fishing. you should see a few reds and heads(sheephead). i plugged that nasty(and cold) water a little bit today and yesterday. i'll post the results...i didn't break off any big branches either day.


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## evan m (Jan 13, 2012)

Wharfrat. Thanks for the help!!


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## gcobb (Jan 14, 2012)

Good article...I may get my DOAs out and try next time.


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## brown518 (Feb 1, 2012)

Great information Capt. T. I just learned something new


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