# Snaggin sheepshead



## matt anderson (Jan 29, 2006)

Dos any body snag sheapshead ?? ......from the pier 

Or use bait to catch them

Whant to increas my catch this year

Matt





_________________________________________
They call me .............Tatersalid


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## big brother (May 15, 2002)

sand fiddlers-you need to set the hook just before they bite. LOL
charlie


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## matt anderson (Jan 29, 2006)

set the hook before they bite ...thats what the oldtimers tell me....snagin is a hole lot easer.. lol


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

Matt, I must say, you of all people should know what you just said was BS.

You KNOW snagging them is not easy, and for anyone who thinks its easy, can go try it 


Sheepshead are not easy to catch, either way you look at it, you have to have a very good feel for them.

I didnt see you snag any this year matt 


Jesse


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Don't get caught......It'll be expensive.


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

get caught snagging?


Last time I checked, it aint illegal around here.


Ive had marine fisheries guy stand behind me while i snagged a sheepshead before, and he said "Nice job!"

He told me I can snag them, but they woulndt count for records, or citations.



Jesse


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## matt anderson (Jan 29, 2006)

Bs jesse I snaged a few (3or 4) not much 

more then you  ....hehehehehe


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Snagging gamefish is illegal in my neck of the woods....I hereby retract my warning.... 

Snag to your heart's content!


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

Matt, I snagged 4 that ONE day.

You were too busy "on the farm" in NY LOL.


They said it is totally fine aorund here to snag.


Only thing I know you cant snag around here...is carp.

 Sheepshead beware  


Jesse


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## b3butner (Oct 1, 2003)

Railroader said:


> Snagging gamefish is illegal in my neck of the woods....I hereby retract my warning....
> 
> Snag to your heart's content!


Snaggin' aint fishin'. I'm with you brother.:--|


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

lol


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

Ever try snaggin a sheepshead from 20ft in the air?



Just wondering.



Jesse


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## MacPE6 (Feb 28, 2006)

A real cool person I once knew once said,
 "OOPS".


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## cchae (Mar 10, 2004)

setting the hook before they bite is BS...i catch them from the inlet from shore all the time. It is my favorite fish to catch and my specialty. It is easy when fishing straight down(from pier or boat) but is harder when your casting for them from the beach with the current and all. Anyways, it is almost impossible to set the hook before they bite...you must wait for them to suck your fleas or fiddlers. set the hook as soon as you feel a pull or a sucking feeling. sheepshead fishing your gonna go through lots of bait. Quick tap...or pull just set the hook as fast as you can.


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## cchae (Mar 10, 2004)

where in nc do you fish for them...i always wanted to fish for them down there. i target them in julythru end of august or early oct.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Most of the piers down here on OBX catch them from late may when you start seeing them to aug.. I used to snag them off the planks many yrs ago.. It ain't fishin in the conventional sense,but it *definatly ain't easy..* 
RR,they aren't gamefish,and in NC it is legal to do so.. I agree with you,that using a sandflea or fiddler is the way to go as far as catching them. But,I was once young as well as them and remember how much fun it was *trying* to snag one.. When you did snag one he would pull even harder than with bait because he was foul hooked.. Haven't done this in yrs,what sheepshead I have caught were caught on fleas,but do remember snagging to be fun..


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

I like trying with bait too, but mostly when I'm out there kingfishing, I just keep a rod with a mullet gaff on it, so if I see a nice one hanging around the poles, I can try and stick em'.


"OOPS"
(inside joke between me,mat,and mac(macpe6)




Jesse


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## Reelturner (Dec 24, 2003)

*Sheepshead are..*

a fish that I'll never get if I have to snag them. 

Yes, I have tried to snag them and coming to think about it don't think I've ever got one up that way either as I haven't had much luck with bait. But, I like the idea if I get one I did it with bait more. To each his own.  

I've used a St. Croix Premeire graphite, the Tidemaster, 7ft. 10-20# with a 6500 and tried a St. Croix Premeire series, 7'-6" 15-30# with a 7000 too. On the 65 I have 30#PP and 50#PP on the 7000. Don't know if I am using the optimal stuff to bring them up as sometimes I wonder if using the braid, that the sheep can feel "ME" and thinking that could be a disadvantage and the fish letting go. 

I've heard some sheeper's say to me that it seems that later in the year around the pilings of the piers when the weather get hot that the sheep get more "weary" or "finickey."

I've tried to set the hook blindly, I've tried to set the hook "Bill Dance Style" and I've gradually increased the pressure when I've felt the tug and can't say one way is more productive than the other.   What is true in my experience is to use the smallest weight or no weight if possible that you can get by with.

I did have one probably close to 10#'s out of the brine until I watched him tie the knot with the wood and laugh at me while doing it.   My friend and myself fished for them last year while kinging and he caught one weighing 5-9. Nice one. 

Good luck 

RT


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## db prater (Sep 27, 2005)

*Sheepies...*

Advice from a novice. A must is a sensitive rod, at least IM8, with a blank through handle that is sturdy. I taught myself how to catch em after hours of aggravation. I baited with a fiddler and ran a second hook 7" below the baited hook, sort of a bare trailer hook. Sometimes they pick the fiddler but I would get with the trailer, a tru turn short shank "2. Thats just me.


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## matt anderson (Jan 29, 2006)

Jesse Lockowitz said:


> I like trying with bait too, but mostly when I'm out there kingfishing, I just keep a rod with a mullet gaff on it, so if I see a nice one hanging around the poles, I can try and stick em'.
> 
> 
> "OOPS"
> ...



Don't forget The Dancing Queen (gilly21) lol. oops


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