Is it just me or has the inshore sheephead fishing gone to crap in the last 3-5 years? Seems like it is nothing like it used to be. Just me or anyone else noticing?
I have been fishing for sheeps pretty exclusively for the last 10 years and can say that the size has definitely gone down hill. We used to have 30-40 fish days with an average of 5lbs. Now, I let go all the big fish over 8lbs unless its a tourney or someone’s first. I think some of it has to do with the fact that there are a lot of people hitting the reefs now a days and any time you target a spawning group of fish it is not a good idea! Wish they would drop the limit to 5 a day and a 16in minimum…there are to many friggin people fishing here now. But maybe I am being a hippy.
My average fish size was up a few inches this year. But that’s me. And I usually fish in only 4 or 5 different inshore spots.
Overfishing most likely, more people who are targeting them and the numbers are bound to decline I would think.
A size (14 inch) and creel limit of 10 was place on them a few years ago when they were removed from the snapper grouper management group. As with most things including trout and flounder perhaps 10 per person is to high. I hear you can really slay them when it cools down on the artificial reefs.
Thanks for the replies. It just seems back 5-7 years ago when I use to fish for them a lot I could consistently catch them in the 6-8 pound range on almost every trip. Now I am lucky to get one over 4 pounds it seems. Even though the 4 pound ones are better eating fish, there is nothing like like hooking into a 8-9 pounder on light tackle and then releasing him and watching him swim away. I would like to see a 15 inch minimum on them and a 5 fish per boat limit. If you get 5 in one trip and they are between 3-6 pounds each, that’s more than enough meat
My size is down a bit i think over the past 5 years but i havent been doing it as much lately, due to different reasons. that being said i caught a personal best at a very public area last week. didnt weigh it but it was a toad. they are still out there.