# Sheepshead Season is upon us! HERE ARE SOME POINTERS!



## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Live sandfleas or live fiddlers, followed by dead if you can't find live... are the 2 best baits for Sheepies. Use just enough weight to get your bait where you want it. And where you want it is on the pilings, or on the rocks with barnacles on them, seawalls encrusted with barnacles, etc.. Shorten you leader a bit to about 1ft max length. 

2 things that are an absolute must:

1.) Braided Line
2.) Hold your rod in your hand

Sheepshead are easy to fish if you keep those two things in mind. We normally sight fish them, with the exception being a few holes we know hold them even though you can't see them. Good spots in the river are pilings you see holding them. Watch the pilings and you will see them feeding on the algae on the poles. Sunglow Pier and the Ponce Jetty rocks are 2 of the best places for sheepshead in our area.

You pretty much have to be an *ACTIVE* fisherman to catch sheepies. What I mean by that is NO setting your pole down and waiting for a fish to take your bait (ie. *PASSIVE* fishing). For, my friend, they are called baitstealers for a reason! If you set your pole down you will miss them 99.999 percent of the time. Nossir... always want to be sure to hold your pole in your hand with your braided line resting on your index finger waiting for that bump. 

Perhaps the single most important thing to practice when sheepshead fishing is keeping your line TIGHT with ZERO slack in the line. That, along with keeping your finger on your line will allow you to feel the second that sneaky sheepie takes your bait into his mouth. Then it's a slow gradual lifting up hard as he starts to pull away with your bait, and WHAM, YOU'VE GOT HIM!

I prefer 1/2oz egg sinker (depending on current), 40-lb floro leader, and size 1 Owner hooks (NOT CIRCLE). I easily caught over 500 Sheepies last season, and they are the reason why I haven't wanted to filet or eat fish for a while


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Great info*

Zach.....This is some great insight for you guys that want to able to catch some sheepheads. I am sure if you follow every step that he outline for you. You won't have any trouble catching these sheephead, and he has given you great detail on where, with what and how....There is no need for any more questions on this matter. Just go out and fish....sheephead are great eating fish and put up a good fight. Again great info on how to catch this gamefish Zach Can't spoon feed anymore then this


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*That's*

sort of the same kind on set up that some of us use along the seawall in North Wildwood for tog.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

What are TOG? Do tell...


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Hey Zach*

You have mail.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Wow, thanks Rudedogg! Those Tautog are a motley lookin fish. I'd like to catch one like this:










How big do they get?


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*They are*

also known as Blackfish and can go from 3lbs up 25lbs....They are almost the same thing as our sheephead....They eat shellfish, and are great baitstealer. A really slow growing fish, so a big one is a really old fish. I use to catch them in NY and Conn with my dad, but i always remember them being alot darker then the picture. Almost solid black but i guess it depend on water you are fishing them.


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## OtterPop (Oct 24, 2006)

Is it true they are really just a good fish for chowder and not really grilled or pan fried?


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## snookman (Sep 13, 2004)

Blackfish or Tautog were one of my favorite fish to catch or eat when I lived on Long Island NY.
If I recall the meat had maybe a light pink color to it, with big thick filets. Fishing for them was exactly as described for sheepshead. I remember them being mostly black in color and getting a white chin as they got bigger and older.

Clay


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

I have read articles on sheepshead fishing and I have 2 things I need your opinion on.

1) Braided Line. I've heard it was better to have monofilament on one article because the sensitivity of the braided line makes people try to set the hook prematurely. I see your point about gradual jerking of the rod.

2) How do you tie your 40 lb. leader to the braided line? Or is your 40 lb. leader also on the hook and the leader and braide joined by a 2 way swivel?

How do you tie the hook (snelled, rapala knot, etc.)

3) What color and how many lbs. for the braid. I use Stren Magibraid both green and gold 30 lbs.

I was going to bring extra spools with mono for sheephead.

You have obviously caught a lot of fish so I want to do exactly what you do.


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

*Hi Snookman*

Does your license plate have Snook 1 on it?


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Tog*

Hey OtterPop any way tog is made is good eatin. I prefer to grill mine.

Hey ccc I fish alsmot the same rig as Zach does but I use a steel leader instead of the mono.


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

I use a swivel as the connection and the stopper for however big of an egg sinker I'm using. Braided line works best for me and I use a #40 flourocarbon with a stout #2 shortshank hook. Then again, I'm not much of a sheepshead expert, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

emanuel said:


> I use a swivel as the connection and the stopper for however big of an egg sinker I'm using. Braided line works best for me and I use a #40 flourocarbon with a stout #2 shortshank hook. Then again, I'm not much of a sheepshead expert, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.


Congratulations man. Hopefully, your lady fishes. You know ladies do attract fish. It's a pheromone thing and women have a disproportionate amount of the world records for fish. It's true. So take her fishing.

I'll be there soon, but I guess you'll be on your honeymoon.


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

1) Mono for Sheepies, LO-friggin-L!!! Yeah, and?!?! Seriously, whoever wrote to use Mono for sheepies is either W-A-Y old school, or just not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I do agree with one part of this though, the lighter weight and higher quality inshore rod you have, it can cause you to prematurely set the hook when the first nibble occurs.(( SIDENOTE: One thing that mono fishermen cannot seem to get used to is that when using braid, you don't need a SAMAURI HOOK SET.)) A simple, steady uplift of the rod [because it doesn't stretch like a rubber band like mono] will do the trick. As far as having too sensitive of a rod though... the St. Croix Avid rod is a prime example. However, IMHO, the main running line used should always be braid for sheepies...

2) I use a swivel. I've got a pretty mean braid to floro knot, but like Emanuel said, you gotta have something to stop the sinker abover the leader and swivels fail far less often than a braid to mono/floro knot.

3) Moss green PowerPro from 20-lb to 50-lb does the trick. 40-lb leader is a must around structure though, the only exception being when the water is gin clear, then reduce down from 50-lb till you find the size they will bite,.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Again*

follow what Zach said and you should be okay. They have really hard mouth!! and by slowly lifting your rod, the pressure here will make him swim away from you...Now just reel with a little more pressure. And this should set the hook on the side of their mouth. The sides of the mouth is soft and pulling hard while fighting them will more then likely pull the hook out.  Hey has anybody ever seen a Californa sheephead??? i saw one when i was station out there (MARINE corp) They are kinda of neat looking, dark heads and red to orange body and a dark tail....Maybe someone can find and post a picture...I still havent learn this art..  For the new guys, Zach has answer "everything", so instead of asking more questions....Go and do what he said and you guys should catch fish....(You can only spoon feed so much) I am not trying to be mean, but learning comes with doing things. And if you question him by saying...."well won't this work also" Thats where guys get upset.....Do the advice that has been given, go out try it. And then if it doesnt work....Come back and ask what you did wrong....


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

_*1) Mono for Sheepies, LO-friggin-L!!! Yeah, and?!?! Seriously, whoever wrote to use Mono for sheepies is either W-A-Y old school, or just not the sharpest knife in the drawer.*_

There's a guy who fishes on the pier where I fish. He catches more sheepshead by accident than most other people catch on purpose. I've seen days where he gets a cooler full and nobody else gets any. I'll have to tell him that mono doesn't work. I don't think he knows what braid is. Maybe he spits on his fiddler crabs, I dunno....

I was getting ready to go fishing this morning, but then I started thinking about all the things I've learned at P&S. 

I can't catch fish if I can't tie a Bimini Twist.....

I can't catch fish if I don't use braid.....

I can't catch fish if I use circle hooks.....

I can't catch fish unless I have the right color line....

I can't catch fish if I can't cast 3/4 of a mile.....

I can't cast 3/4 of a mile because I don't have a RainCloud 1569 or a BrokeAway heaver.....

All these years I thought there was a minor amount of skill required to catch fish. Now that I've realized I can't catch fish because I don't have the right equipment, I think I'll just leave the Jeep in the garage and go back to bed.


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## VICIII (Apr 8, 2005)

*Classic*



Surf Fish said:


> _*1) Mono for Sheepies, LO-friggin-L!!! Yeah, and?!?! Seriously, whoever wrote to use Mono for sheepies is either W-A-Y old school, or just not the sharpest knife in the drawer.*_
> 
> There's a guy who fishes on the pier where I fish. He catches more sheepshead by accident than most other people catch on purpose. I've seen days where he gets a cooler full and nobody else gets any. I'll have to tell him that mono doesn't work. I don't think he knows what braid is. Maybe he spits on his fiddler crabs, I dunno....
> 
> ...


Classic... Well thought out...


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

That said though... anyone want to grab a spool of their favorite mono and some circle hooks and come have a sheepshead fish-off against me?  We can put the theory to test, so-to-speak....


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Hey look, my advice worked: 

http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=558613

I'll have to ask if he was using Mono and Circle hooks


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Mono will work, but flouro is better. I have seen sheepies caught on circle hooks, but that is a rare thing. Zach, next time I get the chance, we'll go to Sunglow and you can teach me the finer points of sheepshead fishing. That's one fish that I have yet to figure out.


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

KodiakZach said:


> That said though... anyone want to grab a spool of their favorite mono and some circle hooks and come have a sheepshead fish-off against me?  We can put the theory to test, so-to-speak....


I would venture to guess that your success with sheepshead has a lot more to do with techique than it does with equipment. 

The reason I would venture that guess is because the local sheepshead expert here uses rods, reels, and tackle that looks like they came from the garbage can in back of Goodwill. But he can catch 10 times as many as I can irregarless of how braided my line is. I can stand on the pier right next to him and fish around the same piling and not catch any sheepshead while he fills up the cooler.

I don't have a problem with the information that it is presented here at P&S. What I think is confusing, especially to new guys, is the way it's presented sometimes. For example:

You can't catch a "fill in the blank" fish if you don't use "fill in the blank" line or a "fill in the blank" reel and a "fill in the blank" rod. 

Another example: It's not MANDATORY to hold the rod when you fish for sheepshead, and it's not MANDATORY to used braided line. The reason I know it's not mandatory is because I caught two sheepshead this fall, and both times I was using mono line and bait, and the rod was sitting against the pier railing. I wasn't fishing for sheepshead, but I caught two anyway, by accident.

It's probably BETTER to hold the rod, and MAY BE better to use braid (I wouldn't know, I've never used any and don't intend on using any).

We don't see things presented here as "This is how I do it, here's my opinion", we usually see them presented as "This is the ONLY RIGHT WAY to do it, and if you don't do it my way, it won't work". Which is baloney. On stale bread. With stinky mayonaise...

If there was only ONE rod and ONE reel and ONE kind of line to catch fish, then everybody on the beach would be using the exact same gear, and that's obviously not the case. 

We don't need a fish off. The only way I could catch a sheepshead is if you put it in the bath tub and gave me a hand grenade to throw at it. If I had a Star Stepper Lite rod with a Screaming Eagle 4600 reel filled braided line and a titanium silicon doublebrested flour carbon leader, I still couldn't catch a sheepshead. I don't have the "touch". 

Plus we fish with different rulers - you use a Florida Law stick, and I had a mile of fun on the beach fishing all day today and came home with a cooler that contained only 2 diet cokes and some stinky shrimp....

Maybe that guy that told me I couldn't catch any fish if I couldn't tie a Bimini Twist was right. I'll have to find that thread and read it again.


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## Mullet Wrangler (Jul 4, 2003)

Hey Surf Fish,

Did somebody kick your puppy?  No rules here say you _have to_ follow someones advice. I, for one, have only caught one sheephead in my life and it was in my cast net, so I'll gladly read advice from anyone who has caught more than me - 500+ more. But I won't get mad at 'em if it doesn't work for me either.

As the great Capt. Rodney Smith once told me, _*"Take my advice. It's not doing me any good!"*_


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## sprtsracer (Apr 27, 2005)

Hey...don't knock that "fillintheblank" equipment. That's all I use! Picked it up at Wal-Mart real cheap. Made in Vietnam, I think...but their technology has come a long way. Always nice to fish with the same stuff I fired outta my M16 when I was over there. Lotsa brass parts which don't corrode in salt water. BTW...saw a little 6 year old catch a sheepie with a little pink "Holly Hobby" outfit. Pretty sure she wasn't using braid...but I think the pic of the girl on the side of the reel was WEARING braids. Anyways...I think the point is not whether you can catch 'em on braid or mono or circles or whatever, but how many you'll catch and how often. Heck...I caught a channel cat on a "jitterbug" once, but that doesn't make it a good catfish lure. I don't fish for sheepies, but I can tell you I've been on Sunglow Pier and saw Zach and others catching them on numerous occasions, and what they were doing worked. Could be that what works for them doesn't work for others and vice versa...who knows? Heck...try it several ways and find what's best for you.


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

I have been going down to Florida to fish SI for the last several years around Thanksgiving. Last year, I saw a Chinese couple catch bucket full of sheepshead every day I saw them. They were using mono and generally using cheap outdated equipment. I caught a few with my braid, but the couple were experts. For example, when the sand flea they were using was attracting too many small fish (pins and whatnot), they went by the rocks and started picking up some crabs. They knew the exact time of the tide to fish and the exact swirls to put their line. Hell, the lady would jump over the fence to put her line by the piling which is considered illegal and generally not done during the day (snook fishermen do it during late night).

Hell, I think they sell the fish as they knew exactly how many pounds they caught and the fact that the UPS man came right to where they were fishing. I know those sheepshead would make a nice Chinese fried fish going for over $40 a fish in NY. The dude used to own a resturant and is now retired. They were well known as the sheepshead assassins by the locals.

I had braid and I tied the line just like they did, but they caught the hell out of fish. Then I read an article where the expert said that mono was better probably due to premature hook set.

Regardless, I though I amuse myself with sheepshead during the day if the flounder and pompano and other gamier fish weren't biting during the day. Of course, my main objective is to get my heart pumping with snook during the night on jigs. 

I'm addicted to snook fishing. It's a damn good thing, I don't live in Florida or I would be a snook junkie.


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## Nature Boy (Nov 10, 2005)

do any of you guys know wheather its season for sheepies in palmbeach and south ?


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Damn Zach*

You started something again   heh heh...and i wasnt even in this. Okay I think i said this before, I could put the best gear in you hands(Everything even bait) that MONEY can buy, and if you still lack the SKILLS!!! to catch anything. Guess what you still are going to suck, Zach posted some infor (That i agree with ) That might give a edge to some guys, get them them on some fish. I have also seen those oldtimers on top of Rocks at the jettys with a big old thick cane pole catch big Sheepheads. Now let say he gave me that cane pole would i catch fish....HELL NO!!!! it took these guys that you are talking about, some years and someone showing them. On how to fish and catch this way. Some of these people don't have the money to get the gear we have, but i bet if you ask them if they wanted your gear. They would take it Maybe you should trade them and see how you do. As for giving advise, that's what this forum is setup to do. You try to give the person,who doesnt have the skill the best chance he can have. People come here for info, it's not our fault that some of us like some of high tech stuff.  It works.....I don't know about knots, but if you don't learn how to tie them right...You are going to lose fish.....a cane pole can't cast in the surf.....Skill of catching fish (any fish) comes with time....This forum is just like TV....you have the right to change the channel. If you don't like what you are watching As for all the great info that has been given....You can use or not....Thats up to you and anybody else, I have use can's wrap with Mono when i was a little kid in NY...and caught my fair share of fish. Some really nice one, so should i tell people that...Ah you don't need that reel, just get a coke can put some line on it....I will go show you how to catch some sheephead....  Its really simple you can use the infor or not, We who have fish for any years. Have found better ways to fish and catch them. So we in turn are telling others the facts, no filling in the blanks....You can choice to use all this infor or not....But don't shoot it down...and thats just the way i took your reply...and you are right to voice what you think, but so am i


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Ccc6588*

I also am a Snook junkie  Jigs work okay...But if you want a chance at some large Snook, go to livebait....Jumbo Shrimp if they have them....At SI I like to freeline all my livebait, i also fish late at night out there. I havent gotten out there this year yet. But have some friends that fish for only snook. And the only problem they have is catching a slot size Snook....almost everything caught is over slot  Jigs and lures will work...but livebait will get you more hits, and larger livebait will get the big ones to hit you. The locals are really not helpful people, i have seen them give wrong advise to people. but they been like that for a long time...But if you can catch some spots, pinfish, whiting....if you can't get shrimp. And freeline one of those baitfish....I bet he wont last long....


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

_*Hey Surf Fish,

Did somebody kick your puppy?*_

No, I don't have a puppy anymore. Some fat lady that drives a school bus ran over him....


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Wow, guess I need to quit posting cuz some peeps can't take jokes...

Whatever dude, it's free advice, take it or leave it. I don't recall saying that it is not humanly possible to catch sheepies on mono and circles. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. And with Sheepies, if you chum the water, you can hook them on a scooby doo pole (landing it might be another story). The sheepshead assassins probably chummed the water, as do the old brothers in our kneck of the woods who know what they are doing... and yes they all use mono on the oldest crappiest reels possible. 

MY ADVICE was for those folks who need pointers if they want to actually go out and target sheepies this year when maybe they've had no luck landing them in the past. I feel that braided line is one of the key ingredients for leveling the playing field between those people who have no luck catching them, and the pesky baitstealers in the water because the sensitivity helps them feel everything going on.

More specifically, I actually wrote this post for another forum where my buddy RedDaddy asked me how to target sheepies because he normally doesn't fish in the winter and he wants to start. So he took my advice and he went out and caught Sheepies this morning for the first time [yes, that's plural as in more than one].

Dude, to each his own... maybe it's your time to take another one of your anti-anxiety pills and when it kicks in you should relax and go fishin, nobody said anything was friggin MANDATORY.


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

jettypark28 said:


> I also am a Snook junkie  Jigs work okay...But if you want a chance at some large Snook, go to livebait....Jumbo Shrimp if they have them....At SI I like to freeline all my livebait, i also fish late at night out there.


How do you tie your line to leader. Also what hook do you use with the jumbo shrimp. I'm trying to find some tough skinny hooks to provide a natural presentation to the snook that won't overwork and kill the shrimp.


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

*nobody said anything was friggin MANDATORY.*

Sure you did....

"2 things that are an absolute must:

1.) Braided Line
2.) Hold your rod in your hand"

I think we can assume that "absolute must" means basically the same thing as mandatory....

It's not the message, it's the presentation that counts. For example:

"I feel that braided line is one of the key ingredients for leveling the playing field between those people who have no luck catching them, and the pesky baitstealers in the water because the sensitivity helps them feel everything going on."

That's nice. Much better than:

"Mono for Sheepies, LO-friggin-L!!! Yeah, and?!?! Seriously, whoever wrote to use Mono for sheepies is either W-A-Y old school, or just not the sharpest knife in the drawer."

Keep up the good work.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Zach*

I guess cause you didnt say it in a certain way, he is taking it like its the LAW!!! :--| This is a open forum anything is open to talk about it. Alot of debates will start over the stupid things. AH....like this one. Zach gave some great pointers, Surf you think that Zach is telling everyone "Use this or else" and you think that most of us present things in that way. Well alot of things arent going to make everyone happy, you stated that guys catch sheepheads all around you. And you arent catching nothing or as many right....Okay before you go shooting somebody down over the high tech stuff they use....Start catching some fish, then you might have a right to shoot somebody down. But those were you own words, people were outfishing you using junk and old mono....There's the problem right there, learn to catch fish in any way you see possible. Then you can come back on here and give us your expert advise on catching sheephead with canepoles....But until you can catch Sheepheads and not get beaten by old man with rusty poles and circle hooks....NO one is going to listen to you.....I am always amazed by all the experts, that shoot down other tips and advise. when they themselve cant catch the fish, that people are talking about catching. I know you will turn this around in your head, to make it fit somehow. But putting down somebody just because it wasnt sugercoated enough for you is just wrong. And and somebody cant give helpful advise or add to that. Then they arent being any help to anybody, I might not agree with you but i won't shoot somebody down. When the person is just trying to help other out...Something that you should listen to, cause it seem that you arent catching much. At least not Sheephead


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Ccc6588*

I use 1/0 to 2/0 livebait hooks and just push the hook thru the horn or the back of the shell pushing upward and not into the body at all (on large jumbo shrimp). There a spot right on the shrimp, that the shell come apart some. This is where you push the hook thru. At night i use 60lb mono leader three to four foot. Tie to my main line with a uni knot, that knot has never let me down. If the shrimp are small....run to any wal-mark. They carry this thing called a shrimp hareness It's looks small, but it has two small hooks that ride on each side of the shrimp. With a spring that hold the shrimp in place without killing it at all. And its light enough for the shrimp to swim all over the place. Now i only use this in areas when the current isnt fast, in the back of the inlet is some great places. Trust me it works, (its so simple) some sportstore carry them also. But almost every wal-mark here has them. Make sure to stop at more then one. just incase.....Keep your leaders simple, and if you catch bigger baitfish. Don't be afraid to go up to 5/0 circle hooks for the snook, hell you seen their mouths. They can fit a football in there


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## VICIII (Apr 8, 2005)

*The cold front hit everybody eh??*

KZ has givin up all great info and advise. It is better to use braid, better to use crabs and sand fleas, better to be ready to feel slight bumps, even chum will help--pssst it is the real secret--.
Thanks for your help and info KZ! What a great article to help us get started and understand what we are doing and why they are hard to catch.
I appreciate all info and it helps me understand why and how thing can work.
Keep it up.
Remember some people will alway try to knock down the leader....
It is just opinions guys... lighten up. 
I caught a sheepshead in the middle of the ICW when I set down the rod to help tie on a leader and jig with shrimp for my kids and a 4lb. convict took my jig and came over for dinner...


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## greybeard (Nov 9, 2004)

If you are in Florida and use smashed oysters for chum, you should take your receipt for the oysters with you. That way you won't be explaining to the deaf ears of the warden where the oysters came from.


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Everyone has their techniques, try what works for you. I can personally vouch for KZ and I would consider him to be the Florida expert on sheepshead on this forum.

I for one, can murder flounder with the best of them down here, but wouldn't catch a sheepie unless God dropped one in my cooler while I had a cigarette in one hand, and a beer in the other while peeing over the side.  

If anyone really wants to catch one, go play around with them and see what works for you. They're a very tricky fish and it takes time and practice to get it down pat.


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