Targeting Sheepshead

[Hollywood]

We were recently fishing out of St.Marks and we were trying to fish for some reds around the oyster bars at the mouth of the river. We spooked off several large schools of sheepshead, I would like to go back a really target them. I have never tried to fish for them so do any of you guys have any sugestions on rigs to use. I know they like to feed on fiddler crabs and sand fleas are two good baits. If you guys have any sugestions let me know.

[bman]

Fiddler crabs on a stout #1 or 1/0 hook.
fluro leader.. swivel and just enough lead to keep it on the bottom.

[slowroller]

And if you think you got a bite,your bait is already gone!

[Hollywood]

Has any one tried the Gulp fiddler crabs or sand fleas they may last longer than live bait ?

[bman]

they will bite a gulp but the real thing is better...

[oreocwby]

I had one hit a spook last thurs. @ least 5lbs. I was totally confused that he would hit it. So was he..taking that free ride back to town...So if they wanna feed they will

[Steve Stinson]

I have a few suggestions that have helped me.

1. Use peeled shrimp for bait placed over the tip of the hook and just enough of a split shot to get the bait down. (Raw oysters are good too, but have you ever tried to keep one on a hook?)
2. Use smaller, stout hooks.
3. When you get a bite, rather than set the hook, just pull up gently on the rod tip. When they feel the resistance, they will turn and swim off with the bait while munching it down. Drop your rod tip until the line becomes tight, then set the hook.

Tip #3 alone has caught me coolers full of them. Good luck cleaning the d@mn things. They are a pain.

Steve Stinson

[DixieReb]

When I was a kid we caught bunches of them under the old Cooper River bridge in Charleston. All we used was fiddlers on small steel hooks. And a short steel leader because it seems like they bit our hooks off if we didn't use a leader. Good luck.