I had to catch a Flame Angel that was nipping at clam mantles. He wouldn't look at the bottle thing. I tried the fish hook thing from Dick"s Sporting Goods but the hook was just too big. He would bite the bait off from the side and not get the hook. I then ordered the smallest trout hook I could find from BassProShops. Caught him in less time than it takes to tell about it. Try chicken instead of shrimp, it stays on the hook better.