# Sheepshead Fishing, These Fish Could Use A Dentist



## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Hey everyone, I've been gone for a while due to a very bizarre personal situation which consumed much of my time and thoughts. 

However, I am trying to get back in the saddle and thought you all would enjoy a blog/column I wrote last week while on a fishing vacation in Sanibel/Captiva.

This is a short blog/column I wrote last week while on fishing vacation to Sanibel/Captiva Islands down in Florida.

*Sheepshead Fishing, These Fish Could Use A Dentist*










Well I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, sheepshead are a dental hygienist’s nightmare.

Take a look at this old warhorse of a sheepie, I recently caught at Redfish Pass on Captiva Island. This fish fought hard and took me to structure like a seasoned old “convict fish,” as the old timers call them. It measured just under 18 inches.

If you look closely it appears to only have one upper, incisor tooth. Yes, I did say incisor tooth. These fish have incisors and molars just like humans, believe it or not.










This old fish actually fell for a bait I’ve learned over the years is highly successful at getting them to bite.

You see, it was caught on a hand select, shrimp head pinched off the body. I refrain from calling them “jumbo shrimp.” Aside from the jokes, hand select, is most the preferred term amongst anglers and bait shop proprietors.










Many of my biggest sheepshead over the years have been caught on shrimp heads. Sheepshead are a very peculiar fish. Their diet consists of marine life such as crabs, crustaceans, clams, mollusks, and barnacles.

This is where the head of a shrimp as bait comes in. I guess a big, crunchy shrimp head to them is just like a crab. It’s probably a delicacy to them.

I bet to these fish, a shrimp head is like a cross between a whole, live shrimp and a crab. A mix of the two that is like an enticing five star meal.

I guess you can’t blame them. After all, shrimp, crab, and lobster certainly end up on my plate as often as I can afford it.

It’s a good thing their eyesight is not as similar to people as their teeth. If that were the case, you’d probably have to use a lobster tail to catch those big, wise, old sheepshead.










*"May your lines be tight and your shake off's and break off's memorable."*


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Sheepshead*

I've used shrimp heads for Pompano but not for Sheepshead. I'll have to check it out. Big shrimp heads for big Pompano!

I really like to use a fiddler crab on a Kahle, yes; Kahle; hook for sheepshead. It holds the fiddler just at the right angle to keep them from stealing your bait all day. C2


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Check out this close-up photo of their teeth. LOL










I've become real fond of using Gami Octopus Circle hooks for sheepies. They are in between a traditional J-hook and a Mutu or Nautilus style circle hook.


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## rhodyman (Oct 31, 2008)

*Yeah, for sure those are some toothy critters*

who have a most interesting diet. I was fishing from a sound-side pier on Topsail Island, NC, (it has since been flattened, unfortunately), for whatever would hit a Gotcha when along came a dad, his brother, and the dad's 12-year-old daughter, carrying some stubby but stout rods with the biggest Zebco's on them that I ever saw. In a medium-size sand bucket, they had several clusters of little mussels, all stuck together as they tend to be. They each hooked on a cluster on some stout hooks, rigged above what had to be 4 oz. sinkers, and dropped those rigs straight down, next to the pilings.

Much to my surprise, as in MUUUUUUUUUCCCHHH to my surprise, they each proceeded to catch sheepshead larger than I thought existed. These were the most ginormous, (all went at least 24"), thickest, fattest fish that I had ever seen, with the ugliest set of teeth possible. In fact, their teeth looked like the fake "Hillbilly" teeth that are sold around Halloween time. 

The sheepshead ate mussel clusters and I ate a big piece of humble pie.


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## smoldrn (Sep 10, 2006)

Those pictures of his teeth reminded me of when I had my little brother stick his finger in a sheephead's mouth many years ago at New Pass there. Funniest thing I'd seen in a while, that sucker 'bout bit his finger off!


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## JONBOAT (Nov 5, 2009)

I'm glad to see some info on catching sheepshead...these bait stealers are hard for me to catch.. I need all the help i can get


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Hey Mook glad to see ya back. Great read.


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## Charlie2 (May 2, 2007)

*Sheepshead Fishing*

What I do extra is to put a little florescent pom pom from the craft store right on the hook shank. I also crimp down the sinker just a few inches from the hook. These fearful teeth tangle in the pom poms and help hook it.

I was once told by a good Sheepshead Fisherman to ' set the hook just before they bite'. C2


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## Fishman (Apr 23, 2000)

That circle hook did not hook the fish in the corner of the mouth. Whats up with that?


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Fishman--That's because I set those Gami circles like a j-hook.


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## Slammer (Nov 8, 2005)

Geez,it looks like they have molars in the back.


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Slammer--They basically do have molars in the back. The incisors are used for pulling off barnacles, and they use those for crushing the barnacle shells and such. 

Pretty amazing display of specific evolutionary biology there.


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