Sheepshead Fishing

Sheepshead have some serious front teeth, which makes their mouths resemble a barnyard animal. Those teeth are needed to chisel barnacles off structures and to crack the shells of crabs and other crustaceans. Rock and concrete jetties and pilings are the first places I try when I head out to catch sheepshead, but I also visit the petroleum platforms just off the coastline, as well as bridges and oyster reefs.

Sheepshead hang out in areas covered in razor-sharp barnacles, so you’ll need to have the tackle to deal with that. Always carry plenty of sinkers, leaders, and hooks. It’s not if you are going to lose some tackle - it’s when. As with most species, the lighter your fishing line is, the better. However, you will likely have to put pressure on the fish to get them away from the structure. You can try the 10- or 12-pound line, but go to the 15-pound test if you keep getting cut off. Fluorocarbon line has better abrasion resistance than monofilament, but fluorocarbon can get a little stiff if you go up too much in line size.

Make sure you use 2x or stronger hooks because that tough mouth can straighten lighter hooks. I use hook sizes of No. 2 to 1/0 sizes, and I like 7-foot rods with a good backbone to be able to get the fish away from the structure.

It’s hard to beat fried fish, and sheepshead filets dredged in fish fry mix and dropped in 350-degree peanut oil are delicious. If you want to try something different, you can make faux West Indies salad by boiling the sheepshead with a little crab boil. Take the fillets out of the water and let them cool. Take a fork and shred the meat into flakes that resemble lump crab meat. Chop onions and red bell peppers and add to the fish. Pour in either Italian salad dressing or a combination of olive oil and cider vinegar and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Most people won’t be able to tell the difference.