# sheepshead



## jared (Nov 6, 2007)

Alright im going nuts not catching any fish. What is my best bet around FWB,Navarre, Destin? When do the sheepies start showing up around the bridges?


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

we're starting to see a few show up here in pensacola... they should show up in good numbers within the next 2 months.... they won't get super thick until about february though.


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## User1265 (Oct 15, 2007)

YeaI have seen a few around the bridges but they aren't really biting yet. Give em time they will come around.


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## deadly dick (Oct 31, 2007)

The sheepshead I've seen have been here year round. I was actually hitting up mid-bay bridge this summer and tied into a few. I did some research and even went diving to see what kind of structure was around. Been using some of the resident hermits and fiddlers to catch them. Shallow-water angler has actually described them as the hardest inshore fish to catch so do not get discouraged. My cousin in the picture below caught a nice 8lb 3 oz one last month. I call it luck!!!


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## vietvet (Nov 11, 2007)

As an old timey sheepshead chaser, I can tell you the sheepshead are here year round, at least around the interstate bridge and CSX railroad trestle across Escambia bay. Fiddler crabs, live shrimp, small pieces of oyster will all work. Best results will be on a very light rig (9 foot fly rod, or cane pole) with about a 20# mono line. Use #1 eagle claw or smallerhook with 2 or 3 large split shot, depending on tide and wave action...lighter is better. Best to fish the morning incoming tide, if you can, especially before the wind gets up (usually around 1000), when the bay is smooth because a sheephead can bite and steal your bait without you ever feeling them. On an ideal day you can anchor close to a set of double pilings or trestle platform and ease your bait straight to the bottom then raise up your rod until you feel those split shot just about break bottom then hold what you got. Sheephead will not bite a moving bait (rarely) so hold as still as possible, tight line, but don't bring your weights off the bottom. If you follow these techniques, in about 30 seconds you may detect a very delicate nibble or a slight trembling in your rod or your line will act like the tide is starting to drag it off...immediately set the hook...don't wait for the strike...it never (or rarely) comes. My experience is that the bigger the fish, the more delicate the bite. Be sure to quickly move these fish away from the pilings before they cut you off. Best results will come from moving to a new set of pilings as soon as the bite slows (sometimes 5-10 minutes). Sheepshead fishing is an art form and can be addictive.....they are a good eating fish (grilled, fried, baked) but hard to clean as the dorsal fins are really sharp spines so be careful.

Oh yeah, one more thing, watch out for the construction idiots running boats around teh intersate bridge....they obey no rules of the road or courtesy and throw all sorts of stuff off the bridge for you to dodge (if you see it in time).


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## hewes22 (Oct 4, 2007)

thanks for the help also he is not kidding about bridge workers throwing stuff off the bridge last week i was fishing under there and got hit with at least 16 oz of dip spit,all over me and my boat i tried to find who did it but couldnt anyhow good luck out there Garett


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

> *vietvet (11/10/2007)*Sheephead will not bite a moving bait (rarely) so hold as still as possible, tight line, but don't bring your weights off the bottom.


Maybe that is the norm, and this was the first time I caught them, but everyone of the Sheephead in my photos were caught on the retrieve, at a depth of about 20' in 35' of water. We had caught over 60 this day. We fished fresh, dead pieces of shrimp.

http://www.teamsouthbound.com/pictureprocessor/galleries/usergallery.asp?gallery=786

http://www.forumpictureprocessor.com/pictureprocessor/default.asp


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