How to Catch Grass Shrimp for Fish Bait

When fishermen want to hit the water, many stop at bait shops to buy live bait. For others, though, catching live bait is part of the whole fishing experience. There are a variety of baits fishermen can catch on their own, including grass shrimp, which are effective for catching fish including bass, catfish, crappies and sunfish. Grass shrimp, which live in freshwater and river estuaries, can be found living among vegetation, where they are susceptible to capture.

Things You'll Need

  • Dip net
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate a bed of vegetation growing near the surface in shallow water. Hydrilla is one of the most common vegetation types in which to find grass shrimp.

    • 2

      Grab a dip net that has a fine mesh and that you can extend at least a couple of feet down into the vegetation.

    • 3

      Sweep the net through the vegetation.

    • 4

      Bring the net to the surface and look carefully for any grass shrimp, which are about 1.5 inches long and can be nearly transparent.