orlance510 Loc: Cocoa, FL

I have watched some YouTube but still like to get everyone's feedback on the season, rigging and tips as well as locations of success with catching Sheepshead. Please help all advice,pics as well as handling out of water and about keeping them to cook later and yes filleting. I have never caught one yet and just hope to this coming month when I head for the east coast from Cocoa to Ponce Inlet and if you have caught any in the Banana River just before the coast. Thank you guys.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Welcome to the Forum, orlance. Use the search button above and search for sheepshead, and see what comes up. Basically, structure, lite line, max. 8# to get them out of the structure. some people use a # 10 treble hook, 2X strong, or a strong # 6 circle hook on a Carolina rig. Live shrimp or preferable ghost shrimp. Good luck, you have to set the hook before they bite.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Flyguy is correct in all he said except when to set the hook. Ha! It has been my experience if sheepshead wants to bite, there is little you can do to stop them. I pay little attention to having a really skinny line but use 10 to 12 lb test monofilament on spinning and similar on baitcasting. If you feel a lighter line is necessary then use that as your leader.

Now, when you get ready to land one, if you have a net, use it. Otherwise, I would reach down and grab the fish with fingers on either side just behind the gill plates or in that vicinity. Be sure to post pictures! Just Sayin...RJS

JackM Loc: North East Florida

I use small circle hooks size 1 or even 2. I use a dropper rig with the hook about 5 inches above the weight. The saying is that you need to set the hook before they strike. How do you set the hook before they strike? Drop down and wait about a count of 10. Then SLOWLY lift the bait. Keep lifting SLOWLY. When you have moved the bait up 3 or 4 feet drop it back to the bottom and start over. Crabs, the preferred bait, don't sit still on the bottom but will move up and down in the water column so this looks natural.