# sheepies with pic



## scspecv22 (Nov 10, 2007)

i decided to go navarre bridgethis afternoon to try to catch some sheepies. iwent two previous time with no luck. i was out therefrom 11am-to about 1:30pm. The bite was really on but also really hard to tell if there was even a bite because of the current. i was using live shrimp with a# 3 circle hook. i caught 4sheepie and a bunch of green cow looking fish. 2 sheepies were under size so i only kept 2.smallest one was 10 1/2 inches and the biggest one was 15 inches.


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## snakeawave (Oct 1, 2007)

Good job ! I caught a few over ther last week , saw a guy spear fishing that day near the foot of the big bridge he was comming up with one every shot he limited out in about 10 minutes


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## scspecv22 (Nov 10, 2007)

i saw a guy bow fishing for sheepies about a week ago but i didnt see him get any before i left.


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## ted-hurst (Oct 4, 2007)

Nice shots, I'll be heading back out to the bridges soon.


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## Last Chance (Sep 27, 2007)

Nice catch,i may go look for some this week myself if the wind doesn't blow like they are predicting.:banghead Thanks for the report and pics.


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## scspecv22 (Nov 10, 2007)

you are right about the wind. the bite was good until the wind started picking up.


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## need2fish (Oct 2, 2007)

Nice report and pics. MostpostsI've seenrecently on Navarre bridge sheepieshave them prevalent but real finicky - way to go.


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

Sweet report man.......I might have to weasle on over that way and try that bridge out myself.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Thanx for the report man! I gota get out and spear some if there back in the bay! Sheeps are my favorite.


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

Clay I'll go with ya.......I'll even hop my fat ass in the water with a fork and get me one of them bastards......now that would be something to see.......hahaha


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## scspecv22 (Nov 10, 2007)

i know in about a month there will be so many thereyou can just ride up on a boat and wack them with a hammer. by the way how much do one of them spear guns cost?


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

> *scspecv22 (12/4/2007)*i know in about a month there will be so many thereyou can just ride up on a boat and wack them with a hammer. by the way how much do one of them spear guns cost?


All you need for sheepshead is a pole spear, you can get one for 50 bucks or less. I would not mess with the hassle of a gun of sheepshead, you can usually swim right up to them and kill them with a pole spear.


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## SeminoleSpearer (Oct 29, 2007)

Yeah, polespears work great but, remember spearfishing a bridge that allows fishing is illegal. Bowfishing on the other hand is not.


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## scspecv22 (Nov 10, 2007)

i didn't know that thanks for the info. by the way do you know why?


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## SeminoleSpearer (Oct 29, 2007)

I'm not sure why. Maybe they don't want us competing with or getting in the way of fisherman bound to the shore. 





Anyway, here is an excerpt from the regulations:

You May NOT Spearfish (excluding bowhunting and gigging):



-- Effective July 1, 2001, Spearfishing of marine and freshwater species in freshwater is prohibited. Possesion of a spear gun in or on freshwater is also prohibited.



-- Within 100 yards of a public swimming beach, any commercial or public fishing pier, or any part of a bridge from which public fishing is allowed.



-- Within 100 feet of any part of a jetty that is above the surface of the sea--except for the last 500 yards of a jetty that extends more than 1,500 yards from the shoreline.



-- In Collier County and in Monroe County from Long Key north to the Dade County line.



-- For any fish for which spearing is expressly prohibited by law.



-- In any body of water under the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks. (Possession of spearfishing equipment is prohibited in these areas, unless it is unloaded and properly stored.) Fishermen who catch and/or sell fish harvested by spearing are subject to the same rules and limitations that other fishermen in the state are required to follow. 



So if we can't spear at Navarre Bridge, are there any nearby spearable bridges that are holding sheepshead? I'd love to spear a few when I'm back for Christmas break. 



Also, thanks for those of you who take time to write reports. It's always a great help when I come home and I know where the fish are and what to target.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Technially, if you also read the definition of spearfishing and gigging, it is taking fish by any means that penetrates the fish with a sharp object, and bowfishing falls under that. I know there is oftewn several bowfishers on Bob Sikes when the sheeps are in, but I have never seen an exerpt from the regulations saying that bowfishing is not gigging or spearing.

Not that I care if people do bowfish from the bridge.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

Finally there moving in a little....just an opinion...try a size 1 Owner


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

"try a size 1 owner"

Dang it Josh...I have, and every other hook. Stil can't figure out how the hell to catch a fish with a fishin pole. I'll try a size 57. 57" speargun!!!:letsdrink

Good thing spearin is legal in florida, or Joe Patties would get a whole lot a my money!


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

By the way...lookin foward to commin to you and your dads and shootin with you guys soon.


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

> *wishiniwasfishin07 (12/5/2007)*Finally there moving in a little....just an opinion...try a size 1 Owner


Way too big, try a size 4 or 6 eagle claw


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

That always works too :doh When do you plan on coming to shoot? 







freespool: whatever floats your boat, but thats a little small for me. I would be worried about them bending or breaking


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

Don't have any trouble with them. Number 4 eagle claw is my go to hook for everything inshore. But if you don't miss a ton of fish with number one, then thats great.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Would like to after christmas maybe, when this whole holiday headache settles down. Wife already informed me I need to move all my blueprints in the spare room so she can put up the dang tree. The same tree that the cats eat all the tinsle off till they throw up, and ocassionally bring the tree down in a big loud crash in the middle of the night.

As you can tell, I aint real into the holidays. Did I metntion they cost a bunch of money?

Oh well, at least I get to eat a good ham.


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## Cubs Fan (Oct 17, 2007)

Sheephead should be illegal to spear.Its just too easy.Sounds like someone dosent know the way to catch them on hook and line. When in fact if you know howto fish for sheepies its not very hard at all. I hate to see spear fishing inshore .When a diver goes into the water it makes these fish nervous. They wont feed! So All the people trying to catch them on the bridge or in a boat are screwed until the meat hunters are finished playing Sea Hunt. THANK YOU.:usaflag


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

best hook for sheepshead... #6 owner ssw lightwire... it's 3 bucks for 10 or so, but when you get a bite, freespool the piss out of him then set the hook.... DONE DEAL


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Hmmm....should be illegal to spear sheephead.

If so easy, why not just spear them yourself? And if divers scare the fish away, how do we ever manage to get into shooting range? They all seem to swim TOWARDS me when I am under there.

Why do you fish? For enjoyment, and maybe mostly to provide a nice fish dinner for your family? Same reason I spear. And I already admitted I suck with a pole. So I go and get them the way I know how. 

I think bottom finders, gps, monofillement, graphite rods, and modern reels make it to easy. Should only be cane poles, string, and canoes. But I wont old it againts fishermen, I'll write my congressman if it bothers me that much to get the laws changed.


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## theangrydolphin (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Cubs Fan (12/6/2007)*Sheephead should be illegal to spear.Its just too easy.Sounds like someone dosent know the way to catch them on hook and line. When in fact if you know howto fish for sheepies its not very hard at all. I hate to see spear fishing inshore .When a diver goes into the water it makes these fish nervous. They wont feed! So All the people trying to catch them on the bridge or in a boat are screwed until the meat hunters are finished playing Sea Hunt. THANK YOU.:usaflag


Can't we all just get along? :banghead


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## lil_fisherman (Sep 30, 2007)

hell, i dont care if their shot with a 30.06, as long as the person aint in my "fishing area". i would LOVE to spearfish, but my breathing aint good enough, so i'll stick with a pole. what i hate is when "a few" bowfishermen walk over to where i'm fishing, and actually think they're gonna shoot...while standing between my poles...then there's a bit of a problem...but all you spearfishers, go out and slay them...then call me, i'd be more than happy to help ya clean them.


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## SeminoleSpearer (Oct 29, 2007)

> *Clay-Doh (12/5/2007)*Technially, if you also read the definition of spearfishing and gigging, it is taking fish by any means that penetrates the fish with a sharp object, and bowfishing falls under that. I know there is oftewn several bowfishers on Bob Sikes when the sheeps are in, but I have never seen an exerpt from the regulations saying that bowfishing is not gigging or spearing.
> 
> 
> 
> Not that I care if people do bowfish from the bridge.




It's rather complicated. Bowfishing and gigging are defined as spearing. However they are not defined as spearfishing. Spearfishing is includes harvesting with a sharp object that penetrates while swimming on the surface or underwater. Basically, bowfishing, gigging, and spearfishing are all various types of spearing. Spearfishing is not allowed near the fishable bridges but gigging and bowhunting are. That is at least how I interpreted it. The following two definitions were taken directly from the FWCC site.



Spearing is defined as ?the catching or taking of a fish by bow hunting, gigging, spearfishing, or by any device used to capture a fish by piercing its body. Spearing does not include the catching or taking of a fish by a hook with hook and line gear or by snagging (snatch hooking).?



Spearfishing is defined as ?the catching or taking of a fish through the instrumentality of a hand or mechanically propelled, single or multi-pronged spear or lance, barbed or barbless, operated by a person swimming at or below the surface of the water.?



The exlusion to for bowhunting and gigging (on my previous post) was also taken directly from their site. I've added a link

below:

http://myfwc.com/marine/spearing.htm



That is at least how I understand it. I'm no lawyer or anything.


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## SeminoleSpearer (Oct 29, 2007)

> *Cubs Fan (12/6/2007)*Sheephead should be illegal to spear.Its just too easy.Sounds like someone dosent know the way to catch them on hook and line. When in fact if you know howto fish for sheepies its not very hard at all. I hate to see spear fishing inshore .When a diver goes into the water it makes these fish nervous. They wont feed! So All the people trying to catch them on the bridge or in a boat are screwed until the meat hunters are finished playing Sea Hunt. THANK YOU.:usaflag




And that is why you can not spear those areas.


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## scspecv22 (Nov 10, 2007)

i've never tried spearfishing but it sounds fun. i'm definitely going to have to gets some advice from you clay-doh before i try it. i'm going out this saturday to navarre again to try to catch some more. thanks for all the advice from everyone i will definitely use it.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

scspecv, Spearfishing is definately fun!!! Fishin, and shootin guns at the same time, what more could you ask for!:letsdrink


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## Cubs Fan (Oct 17, 2007)

Why have laws? ..... Good luck


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## kTkGreenGo (Oct 2, 2007)

get bent Cubs Fan. Spearing is just as hard as pole fishing. It takes skill. and time and practice to get good.

Illegal my ass. Make Spearfishin manditory.


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## cotton (Oct 2, 2007)

> Sounds like someone dosent know the way to catch them on hook and line. When in fact if you know howto fish for sheepies its not very hard at all.


Can't say that I can always agree with that... SOMETIMES I can catch them fairly easily, even using powerpro and a 20lb test mono leader...other times I can't even get them to feed using 4lb mono and #12 hook with live fiddlercrabs or live shrimp. There are times when they are very skittish, and refuse to even look at a bait. So, while I may not bowhunt or spearfish, there are some frustrating times that I wish I did!:banghead 

If its "not very hard at all" could you tell me what I'm doing wrong?


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Yeah...what Greengo said.

Mankind was stabbin fish with sharp instruments 1000's of years before we invented poles and reels, and hooks. It is the most primal and pure way of fishing, when you put yourself in the fishes world, and hunt and shoot, not lure and trap with a hook. And when you give the fish an oppurtinity to hurt you also. And to have to fight a large fish underwater and finish him when he is doing everything possible to save his own life, mortal combat. Or in worst cases, become part of the food chain.

It is hand-to-hand soldiercrawlingthrutheswampknifestrappedonlegweaponinhandallout stalking combat. Not flying over safely in an airplane at 3,000 feet dropping a bomb. Not that I have anything againts our forces who do that nessacary part of a good wartime offence, or anything againts fishing with a pole. I fish also, but admittely suck ass at it.

But personally if I was bear hunting,(read=getting fish)I would rather stalk him thru the woods on his level, (read=jump in the water)and take him,(read=shoot with a speargun)instead ofset a baited trapwith a snare,(read=drop a hookwith bait on it) safely wait in my cabin,(read=sit in the boat)and then dispatch him onces I have him caught (read=pull him in the boatand put him in the icebox).

I can see you are irritated at spearfishers, but we all share the water. I am irritated to see tons of red snapper die when I am on a wreck because either they didn't make it from being yanked up a 120', or the dolphins ate em when they were thrown back. I am irritated to see under there TONS of mono line, hooks, sinkers all snagged up on structure. But I am even responsible for someof that line from my breakoffs. Unless they change laws, we will be sharing the same water, and will need to coexist and put up with the little things that the other personschoice of sport causes.

I can live with it without complaining about fishermen. And also tell any on a spot I'm diving what is down there, where exactly at, and how high or low in the water colum.Can you?


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## cotton (Oct 2, 2007)

I always wanted to spearfish; I think it would be cool to see what's down there. Just never had the oppurtunity and I'm not the best swimmer in the world. I have a lot of respect for those who do...not the safest sport in the world; mano y mano with the fish...cool. I know my 12 yr old would love to do that.


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## Cubs Fan (Oct 17, 2007)

Spin it anyway you like, It is against the law to spear fish at Navarre Bridge. ?,s 

I have caught sheephead on bridges from Destin to Biloxi .Its easy. I read up on them and then apply the tactics and catch fish. Knowledge is power.

War: Each time is different. Success : returning home to family:usaflag

Good Luck


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Never argued with you about spearin the Navare bridge. But you did make a pretty broad statement bout "meat getters palyin Seah Hunt" in the bay. Plenty of legal spots in the bay. To shoot. And I do.

And made broad statemnets bout shootin sheephead bein to easy.

If I accidently shoot to many cuz it's so easy, I have no problem sahrin with you.

Be careful with that "Sheephead Candy Chum" you make.


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## kTkGreenGo (Oct 2, 2007)

Get up Stand up, Stand up for our rights. haha.

Gettem Clay.


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## Cubs Fan (Oct 17, 2007)

Thanks Clay Doh. The candy is an old carp trick modified for sheephead. Cotton? probaly not a good idea but it worked when I was a kid.I dont use this concoction .I thought Id stir the pot a little. What works on sheephead is simple ,I read about it in Florida Sportsman about twelve years ago. I have been fishing this way since that day in January 1995.I wont divulge it on the forum, some things are fishing secrets,But if yous guys would like to go fishing sometime Id be glad to show you. I am not an antispearfishingite. I just follow the rules.Ive been on wrecks and had divers around . I respect them.I know they cant stay that long. Heck Ive even had them help me dislodge my anchor. I fish the bridges alot in the winter months I dont know the bay that well except for 3-mile. I do know the sound Very well. If you study it , you can fish it year round . Then mix in a little surf fishing . Fishing the back water is botheconomical and productive. Thanks and Good Luck


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## Cubs Fan (Oct 17, 2007)

Kt ******, You got me spitting coffee all over my keyboard. Your hilarious. Dean Martin had Sammy Davis Jr. Batman had Robin and Scott Fargas had the Toadie, Craig had Smokey . Have you ever considered a carreer as a comedian? Great support group . opcorn


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## SeminoleSpearer (Oct 29, 2007)

It's good to see that we are all getting along. I fish with rod n' reel and with my trusty polespear. I am happy to see people out there enjoying either sport as long as they follow the laws that pertain to their sport and are considerate to others. 



As for me, I'll be taking sheepshead from Navarre Bridge via rod and reel off my canoe and probably spear some other areas for them. Ill get the best of both worlds. We are all just out there to enjoy our beautiful waters and hopefully bring a good meal home to our families.



Good luck with your Sheepshead fishing or spearing everyone. Maybe I'll see some of you out at Navarre Bridge soon (I'm still at FSU, exams are almost done). I'll be in a sixteen-foot green canoe with Orange paddles.


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## Pier#r (Oct 2, 2007)

Why would anyone want to put a hole in a perfectly good sheepshead :doh

j/k guys :grouphug


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## kTkGreenGo (Oct 2, 2007)

Me a comedian.... NEVER. I'm a very serious man.:letsdrink


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## scspecv22 (Nov 10, 2007)

i hate to stir up things even more but me and another guy were fishing at navarre bridge today. fishing was slow and then a school of sheepies showed up so we got all excited. unfortunately3 guys in a boat parks right under where we were fishing and hops in the water and starts spearfishing. they had no respect for us. they got what they came for and scared the rest of the fish away. there wereno more sheepies to be found.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

And your right, that is rude Spec. Wether I amfishing, spearing, or farting, I always make sure to leave room for other people. 

Unfortunately, thats not just divers who are rude like that sometime. Fishing boats pull up to close to peirs, or each other on wrecks, or troll by someone anchored, ect. 

The reason spearing is prohibited from jetties and PULIC FISHING bridges (not all bridges) is for the exact reason of what happened to you. Landlocked fishermen not being given consideration.

Now, if I ever were to possibly spear by a bridge, or jetties, and I am not saying I ever would,I can guaruntee it would be at a time, or location were there were no fishermen, so that I would not interfere with there fun too. And that would only be because I personally try to be considerate to others regardless if I'm diving, or doing anything else.

Sorry them dudes ruined your fishin. That woulda pissed me off.


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## scspecv22 (Nov 10, 2007)

they ruined the fishing mood at the time but it happened for the best. i headed to destin bridge and caught some huge sheepies there.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Well sweet! Wheres the pics!

By the way, I notice last time I was there, at the pull of on the west end of the bridge, theres a sign that says if spearfishing, watch for swimmers, ect. 

I tought that bridge WAS a public fishing bridge, but was confused by the sign basically saying go ahead and shoot?


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## kTkGreenGo (Oct 2, 2007)

I can't stand when people pull up and someone is noticeably fishing... people need to learn to resect one another..


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## SeminoleSpearer (Oct 29, 2007)

> *scspecv22 (12/8/2007)*i hate to stir up things even more but me and another guy were fishing at navarre bridge today. fishing was slow and then a school of sheepies showed up so we got all excited. unfortunately3 guys in a boat parks right under where we were fishing and hops in the water and starts spearfishing. they had no respect for us. they got what they came for and scared the rest of the fish away. there wereno more sheepies to be found.




That's not cool. First, as we already discussed, spearing that bridge is illegal. Second, even if they were spearing someplace that is legal they should have never encroached on your area. 



I would have had no problem with calling the FWC in that situation and laughing as they got their ticket. The number is listed on your fishing license.



Just remember, not all of us spearfishermen are like that. I'm sorry some inconsiderate people spoiled your fishing.


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