Thread: How to: Rig a Berkley Gulp! Shrimp

The 3" shrimp on a jighead are deadly on flounder and redfish.

How to Rig a Berkley Gulp Saltwater Shrimp For More Bites (Product Review)
Published by Luke Simonds on September 10, 2015 under Fishing Tips, Product Reviews

I’m here to publicly admit, I’m a Berkley Gulp believer!
If you are a serious saltwater angler, you have certainly heard (and probably used) a Berkley Gulp shrimp before (one of their most popular Gulp baits for saltwater).
I know the first time I came across Berkley “Gulp! Alive” baits, I was a bit skeptical on how an artificial bait could really help me catch more fish due to the “juice” that it comes in. Seemed kind of like a marketing ploy to me…
And I also had a problem spending more money per artificial soft plastic bait that what I was used to with some other brands, as these Berkley Gulps are not cheap.
But all of the skepticism and price fear went out the window after I finally got out on the water with Berkley Gulp Shrimp!

In other words, these Gulp Shrimp can catch some serious inshore fish!

Berkley Gulp Saltwater Shrimp Review


In this independent review of the Berkley Gulp “Alive” Saltwater shrimp, the 11.5 oz “bucket” of 3″ New Penny color Gulp shrimp is featured since it’s the most affordable way to get Gulp shrimp (click here to get these Berkley Gulp Shrimp on Amazon).
As I mentioned above, I used to be very skeptical of these Gulp baits as there was a ton of hype and they aren’t cheap.
But after actually using them on the Florida flats, I realized that they are a fantastic choice for catching redfish, snook, sea trout, flounder, and any other species that feed on the flats…
So here are my overall Pros and Cons of Berkley Gulp Shrimp.
Pros of the Berkley Gulp Saltwater Shrimp

• Inshore fish LOVE these baits
• They are easy to use in terms of putting on a jig head, casting, retrieving, and they can even be fished weedless
• These artificial shrimp are tough enough to last through multiple strikes (except for those pesky puffer fish that can bite them in half)
• Comes in a ton of different colors for certain areas, water colors, times of year
• Gulp shrimp catches less “trash fish” (like catfish) compared to fishing with live shrimp

Cons of the Berkley Gulp Saltwater Shrimp

• A bit more expensive than other soft plastic shrimp
• They cannot be left on a hook or jig head when not is use because they’ll shrink/harden when they dry out (click here for Gulp maintenance tips)
• They seem to cause hooks to rust faster than normal, so be sure to rinse hooks/jig heads off with fresh water after use
• The juice really does smell bad, so be careful not to spill on your clothes, boat deck, car, truck, etc.

How to Rig a Gulp Shrimp

Here is a quick video that will show you how to rig a Gulp shrimp onto a jig head for inshore fishing.

https://youtu.be/n89hhrsI07A

Bonus Tips for Gulp Shrimp

1. Turn Used Gulps Into Bait Catching Machines

After feeling tons of small nibbles from baitfish and seeing lots of pinfish follow the Gulp shrimp up to the boat while fishing with them, I began cutting up old ones into small pieces for catching pinfish for bait… small Gulp chunks work amazingly well for pinfish, pigfish, squirrelfish, grunts, croakers, etc
(like whiting and groundmullet and even pompano)…
Click here to see a great tutorial on exactly how to catch loads of bait with used Gulps.

I agree with the fact of using every small piece of Gulp shrimp for whiting and pomps. Been there, done that.

Originally Posted by bodebum

I agree with the fact of using every small piece of Gulp shrimp for whiting and pomps. Been there, done that.

Also, small pieces work on spadefish. Caught 15 small ones just today using a small piece of Gulp shrimp.

What weight/size is ideal for the 3 inch gulp shrimp? Plan on fishing some in the surf and from the pier the last week of August/first week of September. Looking at using these as opposed to dealing with live bait as much (especially on the beach...) . First timer so any advice would be great. Thanks.

I like the quarter or three eighths ounce with a long hook shank

Usually I am in the surf when the wind makes fishing a 3/8oz lure impossible. What kind of hook would be best for a Gulp shrimp on a Carolina rig?

... something like an O'Shaughnessy with a fairly long shank and a gap wide enough to accommodate the shrimp tail and still hook the fish effectively.

3" New Penny Shrimp seems to be the size and color of choice. What color jig head is best?

I prefer the red with black iris and white pupil just because it looks more 'natural' than other colors, but even unpainted works fine.