Float fishing coon shrimp question

[Pete112288]

So where I fish it is dominantly bobber jig from the bank for summer steel. I have seen 1 guy come down and throw some home cured prawns and coon shrimp and most of the time he would out fish everyone. However I never see anyone else do it. Jigs do pretty well and I have pretty good luck on them. But every now and then consider trying it but every time I put it in the water, someone else hooks up on a jig and all my confidence is gone. If float fishing 3-5 feet of water where jigs are almost always whats out there would you throw a prawn or coonshrimp? Should you straighten prawns out like most suggest for coonshrimp? I am a major rookie when it comes to any prawns/coonshrimp/sandshrimp. Not looking for secrets but whatever advice I can get I will be grateful for.

[Bullkllr]

While I have less experience with coons/prawns, I don't think it's a stretch at all to say a fresh sandshrimp under a float is maybe the best bait ever for summer runs.

Not every fish will get caught on the jig. Change up to the shrimp, and most of the time you'll find a biter.

[WAmuleyHunter]

First off I think you always do best with what your confident and fish the most with. Not knowing where you fish or what your set up is.... I would say that 3-5 summer steel rig, I would fish a stealth rig, if just jig maybe a nightmare jig under clear float. And then regards to shrimp, you can buy already cured coon shrimp at your good local store I hope. I would personally probably just pull the tail and hook that from the back thru, or use the whole bait and thread hook thru right at the joint of back and tail. Probably don't need to double hook and half hitch to straighten tail. Also fish sand shrimp is game over for steelhead. If you can get them.... I would.  Also you can get hooked and start curing up your own shrimp and add your own scents etc. check out pautske website in the bait lab tab. 

[TheHunt]

I use them in a double hook rig.  I will fish with the tail extended and curled up to see what they like.  I have no confidence in the store purchased cured coon shrimp.  I think they are too big.  But if you buy some frozen you can sort them by size.  The summer coon shrimp need to be pretty small as well as the hooks.  I use the wide gap finesse hook when running that double hooks in size number 4. 

To be honest I have no idea why those hooks are not very popular.   I use them all the time. 

Oh, I also put two half hitches in on the top hook.  The bottom stinger I just let it float.  That way if the fish comes up and mouths it I can get it.  Anyway, that is how I run it.   

Low clear water Fluorocarbon is the only thing I use for my bumper line and leader.  If I am using it for a bobber dogging setup I still use Fluorocarbon with a clear drift type of float.  I am no master and there are way better fishermen than I, but I am just telling you how I do it.