What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

DinDaddy

Recruit
Joined
Feb 23, 2002
Messages
4
Ok you experts....give up you secrets to catching this fish! (Sheepshead)<br /><br />1. Fishing rig <br />2. Best bait<br /><br />I live in N.C. and thus far...I have fed a lot of fiddler crabs...caught a few sheepshead. Gotta be a secret to catching em that I dont know.
 

wilsonjg

Cadet
Joined
Feb 10, 2002
Messages
21
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

Got the same problem as you. I have fed more than I have caught. I can fish right beside my buddy and he can pull them up left and right and I will get maybe one, if I am lucky. Always use fiddler crabs on bottom line, but he tells me if you can feel them taking you bait, it's too late. I think he just knows the trick and will not tell me!!!
 

DinDaddy

Recruit
Joined
Feb 23, 2002
Messages
4
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

I think the ones I caught...l caught because they got full...and careless.<br />Oh well, guess you and I aren't the only ones who don't know secret or others are "true" fishermen... THEY AIN'T TALKING!<br /> :(
 

SeaDawg

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 3, 2001
Messages
418
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

I used to bet first time fishermen that they would lose ten baits for every SH they caught. I never lost a bet.<br /><br />You cannot have ANY slack in your line, and you have to use as light of a sinker that you can get away with. Also, start out with a sensitive tip, fast action rod. I also like the braided lines, since there is no stretch to them, like Fireline or PowerPro. Use about 30 lb. test.<br /><br />What I tell fustrated friends to try that are having a tough time catching them is to "time" how long it takes the fish to steal your bait. If you feel any quiver, see your line move, or any other "different" thing, your bait is gone.<br /><br />Let's say it take 5 seconds for you to lower your bait, and then it is gone when you retrieve. Then, rebait, and do the same thing, except at 4 seconds, raise your rod quickly about a foot. Most times you will have a fish. If not, leave it there and jerk it (not super hard, and only about a foot of rod tip movement) in 2 or 3 seconds later.<br /><br />Once you get the "feel" of the bite, you will start catching them.<br /><br />One more trick, cut 1/2 inch squares of squid, and put a small piece on the hook after you put on the fiddler crab. It is tough, and sometimes the wil make a second pass and you can hook them.<br /><br />Good luck, and don't get frustrated. If they get to you, you might as well quit trying for them.
 

EVMIII

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Nov 18, 2001
Messages
32
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

What I have found most important when fishing in the gulf is location. By far, the most productive sheephead spots are over oyster beds. Caught all mine on shrimp (alive and dead - not frozen). Catch them on light tackle w/ 12lb line and enjoy the fight. :)
 

Ross J

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Nov 30, 2001
Messages
1,119
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

Okay you guys, whats a "sheepshead"?<br /><br />Over here you'd have to catch a sheep first - excuse my lousy joke.<br />Ross
 

SeaRay245

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2001
Messages
91
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

for one thing u guys must not be on the great lakes we catch so many sheep head its unreal but the thing is there a garbage fish i dont know who in there right mind would eat one of them things
 

SeaRay245

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2001
Messages
91
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

oh forgot to say a sheephead is called a fresh water drum also never been sea fishin but i guess there good if there in salt water
 

boatsnmate 1

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Feb 21, 2002
Messages
43
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

Heck, i use nightcrawlers on the river and have caught as many as 125 drum in 3 hrs of fishing and have pic's to prove it. :eek:
 

SeaRay245

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Nov 4, 2001
Messages
91
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

when were casting for walleyes with an erie derie tip with a crawler u cant keep the off it somedays on lake erie
 

crab bait

Captain
Joined
Feb 5, 2002
Messages
3,831
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

i know a guy that takes fine wire & wire ties the crab / bait to the hook TRY AN STEAL IT NOW ....
 

slingshot

Recruit
Joined
Mar 2, 2002
Messages
2
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

You have to be able to jerk your rod when the sheepshead opens his mouth to bite. Really, I use sand fleas that I caught with a fine mesh net in the surf. I also use a special sheepshead hook becauce they can litterally bite a regular into. I drop my bait to the bottom then lift it about a foot or two and kind of balance the rod in one hand while the other hand is in position to jerk quick. when you feel the very first slightest movement I lower the rod tip just a little and most of the time they jump on it. A sheepshead usually crunches the barnicles on a pilon and grabs the pieces when they fall. This is how we catch them on the northeast coast of North Carolina. A lot of people use various types of bait. I would like to try for them one time in the Wilmington area. Don't forget jerk the rod when he opens his mouth to bite. A fish is like a woman, if they didn't open their mouth so much they wouldn't get into so much trouble. (joke) DAYSCATCH :confused:
 

Waco

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 2, 2002
Messages
138
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

I didn't realize that they were hard to catch. I have only fished for'em one time with some friends at Keaton Beach, and slaughtered'em. We were fishing with frozen shrimp on our fresh water bass rigs. Location was over a ship wreck about 30' down.
 

derwood

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
499
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

ross j A sheepshead is a headach with stripes. when you want to catch them you can't and when you don't they are the only fish in the sea. sounds like i should try a reverse zabeeda on em .
 

RJS

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 14, 2002
Messages
211
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

We've caught plenty of sheepshead around the jetty in Ocean City, MD. Sand fleas work really well. I would recommend a very sensitive line (Fireline) and circle hooks (Owner #3/0). Keep the rig simple. Tie a dropper loop on 50 lb test line. At the end of the line, attach the hook, ~6 inches away from the loop. Use the dropper loop to attach the weight. Tie a swivel on the other end. This rig seems to improve sensitivity and reduce snags.
 

mike b.

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
Messages
37
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

Searay the fish were talking about is a saltwater fish and no relation to drums.Here in Louisiana I catch sheepshead on 1/8 oz. double rigs.The hooks are real small and razor sharp.The only problem is they are sometimes hard to get out of the fishs mouth.
 

12Footer

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
8,217
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

sheepshead.jpg
 

smsean

Cadet
Joined
Dec 28, 2001
Messages
12
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

caught a sheephead on a bass jig once!Thought I had a big channel cat or something!4-6ft of water.right at the boat! Had to be at least 5-8 lbs. worth... :D
 

skeeterbuilt

Cadet
Joined
Mar 21, 2002
Messages
29
Re: What's the secret to catching SHEEPSHEAD?

When I was fishing at the jetty in Port Aransas,TX, I saw this old man with a long cane pole yanking out sheepheads left and right. I was right next to him along with a about six or seven people, probably 5 to six feet apart from each other and couldn't get a single bite. I keep my eye on this old guy to see what he was doing that I wasn't doing. Well, one thing I noticed was with his cane pole he doesn't cast, duh! he just drop his line in front of him. About this time he probably caught about 20 or so and lost a few... My fishing pole is not as long as his cane pole, so what I did was I cast and drag my bait at the bottom until I can feel it dragging on top of the rocks.. That's when I felt this faint tag on my line and set the hook.. Voila!!!! my first sheephead... I did that until I ran out of shrimps and about 50 sheepheads in my stringer.... And believe me, the old guy and myself are the only two people catching those sheepheads... I have to ask the guy next to me to help me drag my catch back to the car and it cost me half of my catch... ha-ha-ha... Anyway, I hope this helps..... <br /><br />Good Luck!!!
 
Top