# Shrimp vs mud minnows



## Gafiveo

So I have always used shrimp for inshore fishing but been curious about using mud minnows instead. I heard they are easier to keep alive and you don't get as many trash fish biting and stealing your bait. I normally use shrimp to fish for trout, red fish, and flounder. Is it worth the change? How is the bite/catch rate vs shrimp? Can I still catch the same type of fish with mud minnows?  What other types of fish can I catch with mud minnows? Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks for the help


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## sea trout

I use both.
I would say I catch more fish with shrimp.....but that's not really fair because I use shrimp so much more. I have a memory of a nice day when the water was slick and a school of trout were in the area, we'd put a shrimp on the hook,,,cast it up current of the strike zone....when the poppin bobber would drift over the strike zone it would sink on EVERY cast. We ran out of shrimp.
Probably would've happened with minnows just as well.
Try both and find out!!!


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## 1eyefishing

I like mud minnows.
Mud minnows good.
I like them especially during the summer and the Dog Days.
They're cheaper and lasts longer in the live well than shrimp.
Buy both and use them both till you can decide for yourself.
As a divider in my live well, I use a small plastic bucket with a hundred small holes drilled through. I put it in my live well with a small weight in it (I use a two and a half pound dumbbell weight) to hold it to the bottom. I keep the water level about halfway up the bucket.


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## fuelman1

Mud minnows are much easier to keep alive and are plentiful this time of the year. I prefer minnow when targeting flounder. A Carolina rig with a mud minnow worked slowly over the bottom works great for flounder.


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## Gafiveo

Thanks for the info guys. I guess I'll have to try them next time out.


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## mdgreco191

minnows for flounder and live or Gulp shrimp for trout and reds works for me.


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## Fatback1

I use both. 
But, Trout definitely prefer shrimp over mud minnows but will hit both.
A Flounder on the other hand will knock a shrimp out of the way to get to a mud minnow.
Reds will eat whatever whenever.


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## Scallen2112

Catching the mud minnows is my problem. I know some places and how, but I have to drive out to the islands to get them. By the time I do that, I can just buy some shrimp and go fishing. Does anyone know of a place around Brunswick that sells mud minnows?


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## Redman54

I use both, but mainly use minnows in the spring and summer. As many have stated above, mud minnows are easy to keep alive, easy to catch, and if you can't catch them, they are cheap to buy. Come fall I will switch to shrimp because they are easy to catch, but will still have some minnows to use as well. Word of caution, if you use both, make sure you keep them in separate bait wells. If not, you won't have many shrimp left. Mud Minnows are like little piranhas, they will eat anything in the bait well with them.


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## Shotgun2

Where do you catch the shrimp in the fall coming back to tybee in September


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## Gafiveo

Redman54 said:


> I use both, but mainly use minnows in the spring and summer. As many have stated above, mud minnows are easy to keep alive, easy to catch, and if you can't catch them, they are cheap to buy. Come fall I will switch to shrimp because they are easy to catch, but will still have some minnows to use as well. Word of caution, if you use both, make sure you keep them in separate bait wells. If not, you won't have many shrimp left. Mud Minnows are like little piranhas, they will eat anything in the bait well with them.




Thanks again guys. Awesome info. And thanks for the pointer Redman, didn't know that.


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## psh0408

Shotgun2 said:


> Where do you catch the shrimp in the fall coming back to tybee in September


The creeks are loaded with shrimp in the fall, they should be working their way back inshore now


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