Anyone care to shed some light on this subject?? 
Sheepshead on the beach??
Moderators: bman, Chalk, Tom Keels
-
Bonecracker
- Posts: 187
- Joined: November 6th, 2006, 4:17 pm
- Location: Thomasville, GA
Sheepshead on the beach??
Was over on Dog Island beach this weekend and was seeing a lot of sheephead cruzing the beach in 3-1 ft of water! I wondered if anyone ever targeted these fish and I assume they are looking for crabs on the white sandy beach areas! They look like they would be fun to chase on a fly rod (sight fishing) but that's just my opinion!! Anyone care to shed some light on this subject??
Anyone care to shed some light on this subject?? 2012 Maverick 18-HPX / Yama 115 4 stroke
2006 28 Whitewater/ twin VMAX HPDI 200HP
2006 28 Whitewater/ twin VMAX HPDI 200HP
-
silverking
- Site Sponsor
- Posts: 5113
- Joined: June 29th, 2003, 6:31 pm
- Location: Panhandler
Re: Sheepshead on the beach??
Sheepshead can be very challenging to sight-fish, but it can be done. Best bet with the fly are with crustacean patterns (small shrimp and crab). They have excellent vision, so stealth/low profile is a must.
More options might be with sand fleas or fiddler crabs and a split shot. I've also thought about using DOA crab lures and adding a squirt of Pro-Cure gel to coax them into biting. Haven't had a chance to try that yet on sheepies or redfish. Might have to swap out the weight in the crabs so they land softly to avoid spooking.
More options might be with sand fleas or fiddler crabs and a split shot. I've also thought about using DOA crab lures and adding a squirt of Pro-Cure gel to coax them into biting. Haven't had a chance to try that yet on sheepies or redfish. Might have to swap out the weight in the crabs so they land softly to avoid spooking.
Re: Sheepshead on the beach??
Don't have any experience sightfishing for them, but I catch tons of Sheepshead incidentally while surf fishing for Pompano with sand fleas.
-
Bonecracker
- Posts: 187
- Joined: November 6th, 2006, 4:17 pm
- Location: Thomasville, GA
Re: Sheepshead on the beach??
I threw a 1/4oz jig with some (newpenny) Gulp and they just laughed at me! So while I have caught SH on live bait (fiddler crabs and shrimp) I have never tried chasing them on a fly rod and it looks intriguing! Seeing them swimming all around me kind of reminded me of chasing bonefish in the Bahamas!! Not to mention, they sure to make for fine table fair!!
2012 Maverick 18-HPX / Yama 115 4 stroke
2006 28 Whitewater/ twin VMAX HPDI 200HP
2006 28 Whitewater/ twin VMAX HPDI 200HP
Re: Sheepshead on the beach??
Stalking those things on foot is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to sight fishing.
Someone already mentioned the only way to catch those things, and it's not a fly. They will just follow a fly, on their side with their eye right next to it, that or run away.
Even with the secret setup, on light line with a long light flouro leader your looking at 1 out of 10 actually eating, and then a slim chance of hooking up.
They're on that beach for a reason, and if you watch them long enough you will see what they're doing, they have an interesting relationship with stingrays.
Someone already mentioned the only way to catch those things, and it's not a fly. They will just follow a fly, on their side with their eye right next to it, that or run away.
Even with the secret setup, on light line with a long light flouro leader your looking at 1 out of 10 actually eating, and then a slim chance of hooking up.
They're on that beach for a reason, and if you watch them long enough you will see what they're doing, they have an interesting relationship with stingrays.