Booger Fishing Lesson For Bonefish & Sharks

We’re in Islamorada with Capt. Hollywood doing some booger fishing for bonefish & sharks!!!

Unfortunately, the weather turned sour and we had to shake things up.

So we decided to find a shallow flat using and in using conditions to our favor, try to induce some strikes!

Check it out!

Booger Fishing For Bonefish & Sharks [VIDEO]

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Booger Fishing is basically just taking live shrimp and breaking it up into “boogers” or small pieces and tossing out 3-5 boogers per shrimp.

After you’ve thrown out a dozen or more boogers, go ahead and toss out a shrimp on a hook (rigging explained below!).

We strategically picked a 2-foot deep flat with our baits placed at the bottom and down current and downwind.

We were out there targeting bonefish, bonnethead sharks, mangrove snapper, or just about anything else that would bite.

This is an easy way to stay close to home but also get some quick bites on live shrimp.

Chum Peppering

To pepper the area around you with shrimp, simply grab a few shrimp and cut or tear them into small little pieces.

You want to use the wind and current to bring the shrimp where you want them to go.

This is in an effort to attract predatory fish to that area so eventually, they will bite the shrimp that is on a hook.

Every few minutes throw a few pieces to your left, right, and center.

Spot Selection

On this particular day, the conditions were rough and tough to endure.

We chose this spot to fish because we knew it can be very productive on a high tide when the wind and tide are moving together in the same direction.

Additionally, we chose this spot because it was easily accessible for the large bay boat to get in and out.

Using the trolling motor, we were able to power onto the flat without disturbing the bottom.

We also knew to be closer to deeper water in case we needed to move out quickly.

You want to avoid disturbing the bottom at all costs.

Live Shrimp Rigging

We used Eagle Claw 1/0 Bait Saver Hook because of the little barbs on the hook shank that help keep the shrimp in place.

Leader material will depend on where you are fishing but a 20lb monofilament leader should do the trick.

Then, tie down the hook to the leader with whatever snug knot you feel most comfortable tying.

Make sure the tag end is tight and always leave a little bit on the end in case you hook into a big fish.

You don’t want that knot slipping.

Furthermore, we want our baits to stay at the bottom.

A non-intrusive way of doing this is with split-shot weights.

You could get away with just one split-shot but on bad days you might need two.

Split-shots are easy to hold onto your line and crimp using a pair of pliers.

You want to have the weights placed roughly 6 inches above the hook that way fish won’t see them.

As far as rigging the shrimp on the hook goes, we like to keep the tail on when fishing in Islamorada.

Also, we just scattered small pieces of shrimp around the entire area.

First, take the hook point and feed it just in between the tail of the shrimp on its underside.

Come through the belly and towards its head with the hook.

Once you are just over halfway through the shrimp, you can expose the hook point.

Now, you’ve got a shrimp rigged on a 1/0 hook ready to go.

The shrimp will lay on the bottom and kick around a little bit but stay tied down due to the split-shot weights.

As far as casting and catching fish with this rig, you can go ahead and sight cast at sharks, or you can cast it out and let it sit.

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Conclusion

Don’t give up if the weather changes on you and you’re forced to shake things up!

You can always chum some shrimp pieces on a flat for bonnethead sharks, and mangrove snapper, amongst a host of other inshore fish.

Be sure to have this technique in your back pocket on your next trip out!

Do you have any more questions about booger fishing for bonefish & sharks?

Let us know your thoughts down below!!

And if you’re in the Keys and want to go out with Capt. Hollywood’s crew, you can find them at FloridaKeysFunFishing.com.

If you know someone who wants to learn more about booger fishing for bonefish & sharks, please TAG or SHARE this with them!

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• HOW TO TARGET BIG SHARKS ON THE FLATS (PLUS ON THE WATER TACTICS)
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• HOW TO CATCH BONNETHEAD SHARKS ON ARTIFICIAL SHRIMP