Sheephead newb advice

[Swampcreek]

I have never targeted sheephead, but i want to. I have heard about scraping off a piling and waiting. Any advice on how/where to target them? How to set up my lines?

[silverking]

Check your email.

[rebel10]

Silverking, I'd sure like to know also. Fishing from 14ft jon 9.9. Thanks

[silverking]

Told him about the Flats Pro Seminars, where we cover all kinds of topics like this.

Use a light-wire, short shank hook tied directly to 20-pound leader. Depending on depth/current, you either pinch on a split shot sinker or add a small egg sinker to the main line and a small barrel swivel as a stopper. If you're fishing around a lot of rubble or rocks, you can tie several rigs in advance and wrap them around a piece of cardboard with slits cut in it so you'll have quick replacements.

For bait, small to medium live shrimp work well. Or you can gather fiddler crabs on low tide mud/sand flats. Sheepshead are notorious light biters. If you feel a subtle tap, set the hook. Others like to add a small piece of rubber tubing to the bend of the hook ahead of the bait to keep them biting longer.

If you carry a hoe or rack (or a piece of metal conduit), use it to scrap the barnacles off the pilings to act as chum. Another way to attract 'em is to save your eggs shells, break them into small pieces and use them for chum if you're stationary. Sheepshead like rocky jetties like Bob Sikes Cut, plus bridge and dock pilings, but you can also find them regularly in the tidal creeks hanging around limestone rocks.

Hope this helps. They fight hard and are very tasty to eat since their diet consists of crustaceans.

[Salty Gator]

Interesting about the egg shells, never heard that. I think they are the most underrated inshore fish. Taste great and pull hard

[xXLoneBowmanXx]

Thanks for the info, silverking. I've only been able to catch them here and there while targeting reds and other fish, but I never really knew how to target them. They are definitely a good pull and a good eating fish!

[rebel10]

Thanks silverking. Could you send me a list of the flats pro seminars?

[silverking]

Thanks silverking. Could you send me a list of the flats pro seminars?

Here's the link to my earlier post with the schedule and details. Let me know if you have any questions.

http://www.bigbendfishing.net/phpBB3/vi ... =1&t=40389