Over the years more and more anglers have become interested in catching sheepshead. I can remember growing up there were certain people who were known for being good at catching sheepshead, but most people did not go out and target them. Part of the lack of people fishing for them may have to do with mystique in trying to get one on the hook. Most of us fed many before we actually got the hang of catching them, unless we had someone there with experience to show us how. The techniques are a little different than the type of fishing most of us grew up using. You are not casting, retrieving, feeling the bite and setting the hook, but instead you are fishing vertically and paying very close attention to your bait. As the number of people fishing for them has grown so has the general knowledge of the public. Many have come to find that some of the best sheepshead fishing this time of year is out over the reefs and that many of the larger fish are caught in these areas. Through this mass migration by anglers out to the reefs in winter and early spring, what many have forgotten is that you can still catch sheepshead inshore this time of year and avoid the crowds in the process. Weve caught many fish around docks and the jetties right on through the winter months and my personal best fish, over 10lbs., was caught right at the jetties in February. I hear people all the time saying they wish they had a boat to go out to the reefs and catch sheepshead this time of year and they dont even think or realize that they do not need to go all the way out there to catch some nice fish. The baits this time of year are the same as they are all year, using fiddler crabs, oysters, clams, or shrimp and you will be surprised how many hungry redfish and trout you will catch while fishing for sheepshead inshore. If you get a chance to take advantage of some of the mild winter weather we have experienced so far, throw a little sheepshead fishing into your inshore trip. You may be surprised at how many you can catch.
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