Sheephead

[el capitan]

Trying to learn the area. I would like to get into some sheephead or black drum or grouper. Have a 19 ft. bay boat. 150 Mercury. I am thinking of trying the spoil area south of the last marker out of Spring Creek. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Rainman]

Rotary Reef, St. Marks Reef, or any other rocks in the 20ft mark. Use a small hook and shrimp for sheepshead. They tend to move offshore with the cold and hold on those near shore structures. Can be hard to locate but once you do, its lights out action. Check out the GPS Numbers link on this webpage for publish numbers to local reefs.

[BloodyChamp]

When I was little before flats fishing was popular among average joe fishermen, my old man got a wild hair and decided we were going flats fishing. We were straight rednecks too...I mean we didn't even use rods and reels. We fished all the time but it was all cane poles and worms that we dug because there was no paying $2 for a can of worms in this house.

So anyway we get out there and my MOTHER gets a giant Sheephead on her cane pole. Low and behold we actually got it in the boat. Fun times...

[Ebryant]

I remember drifting the flats with bream busters, it was crazy but fun.

[doomtrpr_z71]

I think I'm going to try the st marks reef on 2/15, will sheephead hit artificials or do I need fiddler crabs and shrimp?

[FishWithChris]

I think I'm going to try the st marks reef on 2/15, will sheephead hit artificials or do I need fiddler crabs and shrimp?

yes. to all of them. They'll hit artificial, but will tear up fiddlers and shrimp.

Fiddlers > shrimp > artificial

[SS-342]

When I was little before flats fishing was popular among average joe fishermen, my old man got a wild hair and decided we were going flats fishing. We were straight rednecks too...I mean we didn't even use rods and reels. We fished all the time but it was all cane poles and worms that we dug because there was no paying $2 for a can of worms in this house.

So anyway we get out there and my MOTHER gets a giant Sheephead on her cane pole. Low and behold we actually got it in the boat. Fun times...

Thanks for a good story! Sounds like my growing up and my family. Looking back on it, I have to laugh but we did the best we could at the time. I still think about taking a long cane pole and trying to catch a trout. That would be fun!

[DixieReb]

I think back in the older days cane poles were about all folks had. I used to hear stories from them about fishing cut mullet from a long cane pole. And they did catch some fish. 3 hp motors on wooden skiffs, on the flats. Sounds a lot different from today, big rigs and 150 hp motors and boat full of rods.

[BloodyChamp]

I still haven't caught 1 myself. 1 chased my bass lure once and I wish he'd a grabbed it lol!

[DixieReb]

Throw him a fiddler crab, they're suckers for them. Under bridges with a lot of barnacles on a falling tide might work.

[doomtrpr_z71]

Has anyone tried the savage gear tpe fiddler crabs? Would they be worth using?

[hambric85]

Zman fiddlerz with a little pro cure. They cant tear them up!!!!

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[Salty Gator]

If your going to take the time to target them, use live bait. You can always pull out the artificials if your having lights out action, but they prefer shrimp or fiddlers. If your going thru the effort, throw down a few dollars to really increase your chances of success. I've caught them on gulps, but also watched them turn their noses up at gulps then fight over a piece of shrimp. Also if you get into the really big females, especially full of roe( fat bellies) consider releasing them and keeping the smaller males for the table. If you accidentally kill small keepers, fry them whole like a big bream. Yum Good luck

[doomtrpr_z71]

Would it be worth the extra ride to dog ballard? Does shields have fiddlers?

[el capitan]

Thank you ladies and gentleman. I think we going to try St. Mark's reef and the ones in front of Dog Island.