Oh where art thou!??
Every tournament I fish I see the guys come in with there limit on some monster sheepshead, goofy teeth and all.
Whats the magic, I have thrown fiddlers on and fished the Jetties, whats the proper way to bait the hook with them.
Anything in particular that i should be looking for to when fishing for sheepshead, tides, depth,structure.
Thanks to all for any input.
You have two ears and one mouth, science would say you should listen twice as much as you speak.
You have the curse. So do I. The best way to catch them is to spend piles of money on good braided line, use a good strong J-shank hook with ultra-sharp points (use smaller hooks, not huge ones), use a shovel to knock off barnacles for chum, and use a paranormal sense of touch in detecting the strike.
Once you’ve done all that, go to the market and just buy some sheepshead since you still didn’t catch any.
“Sire, it belongs in truth to the Church of God, in whose name I speak, to endure blows and not to inflict them. But it will also please your Majesty to remember that she is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.”…Theodore Beza
So I’ll share some pro tips…
Find good pilings in deep water. Use a whole oyster or clam for bait. Use some pliers to open up the hinge. Place a stout circle hook in the gap where it won’t move much. Chum the area however you can… The big sheeps will come and swallow the whole oyster and hook themselves with the circle hook… I’ve seen it work many times… Trial and error
“mr keys”
see saltfisher on here about his treble sheepclips…
The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org
Haha, I appreciate the humor Redfish_Matt, at least we can have fun with our losses.
Northchucky, so if i understand you correctly your saying basically to clamp the hook in the mouth of the oyster so that it sticks out and when the fish grabs it he will naturally hook himself?
Thanks again guys.
You have two ears and one mouth, science would say you should listen twice as much as you speak.
Devote your life to the heads!
Wife/Girlfriend–DITCH
Job–BAIL
Figure them out!
Get your priorities straight!
the best way I figured out was find an area with lots of structure and oysters and barnacles growing all over it(ex under bridges) scrap an area with a shovel and use a short shank hook with a decent gap and a medium action pole with fiddlers. oh yea and have ALOT of time to figure out just how fast u gotta react!
quote:
Originally posted by Ryan.Greenthe best way I figured out was find an area with lots of structure and oysters and barnacles growing all over it(ex under bridges) scrap an area with a shovel and use a short shank hook with a decent gap and a medium action pole with fiddlers. oh yea and have ALOT of time to figure out just how fast u gotta react!
[u]
[b][b]scrapping Barnacles are a great attractant
I have never tried the oysters. I always use fiddlers. Might have to try that.
At the jetties, it can be difficult to feel the strike, especially with a decent chop and a bouncing boat. Until you get good at feeling the bite and setting the hook, try finding a dock or bridge that has some good barnacle growth in 10-15’ of water somewhere relatively calm. Use the methods others have discussed. Years ago when I fished a lot for them, I used a sensitive rod with a stout backbone with 30lb braid and 3’ of 30lb flourocarbon tied directly to the braid. I used the lightest weight possible for the depth and tide and an Owner 1/0 hook and placed that hook right through the back of the fiddlers. Good luck.
Sheeps bite are vey light,try putting your line in the crease[the sensitive part] of your finger and learn to feel just the slightest bump then set the hook,or if you are near a dock/piling with a calm water or moving water you can watch you line move from side to side or the tip of the pole will move slighly then set the hook,I like to call it setting the hook before they bite.Just take your time and feel it out.
Double D.
How are you guys hooking the oysters/clam, every time I try to do it, it falls off, if someone had pictures that would help a lot!
WS Tarpon 140
What’s a dozen fiddler crabs cost these days? Thanks.
quote:Seems the rubber band is the only way to keep the bait on:smiley:
Originally posted by StuckonLandHow are you guys hooking the oysters/clam, every time I try to do it, it falls off, if someone had pictures that would help a lot!
WS Tarpon 140
Double D.
are you keeping up camera guy?!
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
I haven’t been able to catch any Sheepshead yet. The guys I talk to all do, but I when I try with Fiddlers I just end up losing bait. Can’t feel that bite.
fish straight down,use a short leader, drop down, hit bottom, lift up about 6" off bottom,slowly lift rod every so often, watch the line and rod tip for bite,if the line moves any direction other than the way the current is going,set the hook. Any bump,set,hard. If you are losing fidders,you are in the right place.
Bonzo, is that one of the guys from Beavis and Butthead?
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
quote:
Originally posted by pitviper0404Bonzo, is that one of the guys from Beavis and Butthead?
Key West 19’6" CC 115hp Merc
14’ Fast Craft w/ 60hp Merc
Its the ShamWow/SlapChop guy…
That had a lil run in with a hooker - and she got the best of him.
I have caught the large ones on oysters. Fiddlers seem to only catch small ones for me. I agree with all the tactics mentioned above except for one factor. Fish around low tide. When the tide is gushing you will have a hard time keeping the bait in the right spot. 1.5 hours either side of low is when you want to be fishing.
