Guide Ricky Kellum always has a stock of trout candy, aka live shrimp, when available, but the pinfish that have taken root on AR 398 make it nearly impossible to float one long enough for a trout to see — at least during daylight hours. But according to Kellum, the reef is also a hot spot on a cool, fall night, and a supply of shrimp is the go-to trout killer.
“I don’t even play with them at night,” said Kellum regarding artificials. “I’ll float a shrimp and let the wind and the tide move me. Just drift through an area, catch a fish, drop the anchor and try it out. Just move around until you hit them.”
Live shrimp are best fished under a 4-inch Billy Boy slip cork, suspended a foot or two off the bottom on a No. 6 treble with one hook inserted under the horn. About 20 inches of fluorocarbon leader is sufficient, tied to a barrel swivel, with a bead and a ½- to 1-ounce egg sinker atop of the swivel to keep the bait down.
Live shrimp are readily caught in the river until cold weather pushes them outside.
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