I am new to sheepshead fishing and am looking for tips and tricks. If you have any please let me know. Stuff like good locations, bait, rigs, and etc. 
I have a 16 foot jon boat. Can put in at most any ramps.
16’7" Crestliner w/ 30hp Mercury
Charter Saltfisher from this website. You’ll learn ten years worth of knowledge in a couple of hours.
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
^ THIS ^
Saltfisher is THE authority on sheeps, and a hell of a great guy
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
Thanks y’all:smiley:
16’7" Crestliner w/ 30hp Mercury
I 3rd Saltfisher
experience noun \ik-#712;spir–#601;n(t)s
-
the fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge through direct observation or participation
-
that thing you get just moments after you needed it.
I like to make my own chicken rig style with 2 or 3 small hooks and a small weight at the bottom.
The logic is, the more fiddlers on the line, I spend less time getting robbed and having to re-bait. Sure, I get robbed, but I’ve got 3 chances vs 1 chance at getting lucky.
I like the weight at the bottom so I can bump it on the bottom and maybe put a little tension on the line so I can see the line move when a sheep tries to steal one of the fiddlers.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
ECFC
quote:
Originally posted by claimI like to make my own chicken rig style with 2 or 3 small hooks and a small weight at the bottom.
The logic is, the more fiddlers on the line, I spend less time getting robbed and having to re-bait. Sure, I get robbed, but I’ve got 3 chances vs 1 chance at getting lucky.
I like the weight at the bottom so I can bump it on the bottom and maybe put a little tension on the line so I can see the line move when a sheep tries to steal one of the fiddlers.
Where do you hook the fiddlers and what size hook should i use?
16’7" Crestliner w/ 30hp Mercury
quote:
Originally posted by redfish.wrangler21quote:
Originally posted by claimI like to make my own chicken rig style with 2 or 3 small hooks and a small weight at the bottom.
The logic is, the more fiddlers on the line, I spend less time getting robbed and having to re-bait. Sure, I get robbed, but I’ve got 3 chances vs 1 chance at getting lucky.
I like the weight at the bottom so I can bump it on the bottom and maybe put a little tension on the line so I can see the line move when a sheep tries to steal one of the fiddlers.
Where do you hook the fiddlers and what size hook should i use?
16’7" Crestliner w/ 30hp Mercury
Last rig I made I tried to use a #4 circle hook, but the leader was too thick to stick through the eyelet of the hook, so I switched hooks to a 2/0 circle.
I managed to hook this monster 7# sheep with it.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
ECFC
Lots of good advice here. I’m a novice at sheeps but i’ve been doing better with my hook up ratio by using a quarter ounce bullet weight on a carolina rig with about an 8 inch fluorocarbon leader and number 4 treble hooks. I bought some expensive saltwater worthy trebles at haddrell’s and they work great. I’ll have to look at the brand but i’m pretty sure they’re number 4’s. I’ve
“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
-Benjamin Franklin
Malibu Stealth 12
94 J16 Carolina Skiff/2004 yamaha 25
Half ounce egg sinker with a 6-8 inch leader, no longer, and a #2 J-hook. Can use a smaller sinker if not too deep. If you wait to feel the bite you’re too late. Have to set the hook just before they bite. Drop to the bottom then ease the rig up, let it down and ease it up again. If you feel any tension, set the hook. Sheephead is a different kind of fishing and takes practice to get hook-ups consistently.
Seafox 246 w 300 Yamaha
quote:
Originally posted by sulcataman Have to set the hook just before they bite.
There is so much wisdom in this one sentence alone…
When you really get good at sheepshead fishing is when you set the hook when they first look at the bait, a split second before they think about biting it.
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
quote:
Originally posted by sulcatamanHalf ounce egg sinker with a 6-8 inch leader, no longer, and a #2 J-hook. Can use a smaller sinker if not too deep. If you wait to feel the bite you’re too late. Have to set the hook just before they bite. Drop to the bottom then ease the rig up, let it down and ease it up again. If you feel any tension, set the hook. Sheephead is a different kind of fishing and takes practice to get hook-ups consistently.
Seafox 246 w 300 Yamaha
How do you know when they are about to bite?
16’7" Crestliner w/ 30hp Mercury
quote:
Originally posted by redfish.wrangler21quote:
Originally posted by sulcatamanHalf ounce egg sinker with a 6-8 inch leader, no longer, and a #2 J-hook. Can use a smaller sinker if not too deep. If you wait to feel the bite you’re too late. Have to set the hook just before they bite. Drop to the bottom then ease the rig up, let it down and ease it up again. If you feel any tension, set the hook. Sheephead is a different kind of fishing and takes practice to get hook-ups consistently.
Seafox 246 w 300 Yamaha
How do you know when they are about to bite?
16’7" Crestliner w/ 30hp Mercury
When your bait is in the water, you’ll feel a small thump, then you set the hook. After losing a couple hundred fiddlers, you’ll get the hang of it.
'06 Mckee Craft
184 Marathon
DF140 Suzuki
I almost do better in calm water. If I see my line moving I jig my rod tip for the hook-set.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
ECFC
save your time and sanity. buy a pint of fiddlers, go to the coal chute, dump the fiddlers on the pilings, take a nice ride up the cooper.
claim that sheep isn’t an ounce over 6#
quote:
Originally posted by PeaPodsave your time and sanity. buy a pint of fiddlers, go to the coal chute, dump the fiddlers on the pilings, take a nice ride up the cooper.
claim that sheep isn’t an ounce over 6#
First to catch me at telling my lie the way I wanted to.
Should be 6 inches.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
ECFC