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Sheepshead

Posted on 3/22/26 at 7:28 am
Posted by jrobic4
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
12998 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 7:28 am
Guess I should have posted this earlier but taking a buddy's kid sheep's head fishing today. Going out of Hope Dale. Any tips or areas you might target. Is it too late to catch them thick on the rigs or jettys
Posted by Koolazzkat
Behind the Tupelo gum tree
Member since May 2021
3474 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 7:45 am to
They’re spawning hard right now, if you find one you’ll find a boatload.
Posted by JonO
Member since Aug 2018
41 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 7:45 am to
Bounce around the rigs out of Eloi and south of Harbor point until you find them. They're catching them up against the long rocks also but they will be stacked on the rigs.
This post was edited on 3/22/26 at 7:46 am
Posted by TwoFace
Member since Mar 2018
1312 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 8:56 am to
You probably already know, but live shrimp on a small treble hook, under a cork tossed against the rocks will load the boat with them, once you find them.
Posted by redfish99
B.R.
Member since Aug 2007
19100 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 9:29 am to
Bounce being the key word today.
Posted by LSU Neil
Springfield
Member since Feb 2007
3499 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 10:18 am to
Sheepshead is some of the best eating fish there is.
I’m going to help you out. Go find them and catch a mess. Lots of people disregard them because they don’t want to clean them.
Stick your middle finger and thumb in their eyeballs and pinch them to have a hold on them.
Start at the tail. Come back to the rib cage and work around it without cutting into it. Almost like “scooping the meat “
After you do a few and get the hang of it, you’ll make quick work of it. When I get done cleaning one, it almost looks like it wasn’t even cleaned at all.
Posted by KemoSabe65
70605
Member since Mar 2018
6837 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 11:59 am to
They aren’t hard to clean if done right but damn there isn’t much meat on those armadillos with gills.
Posted by LSU Neil
Springfield
Member since Feb 2007
3499 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 3:05 pm to
This is true!
Posted by Major Dutch Schaefer
Location: Classified
Member since Nov 2011
38719 posts
Posted on 3/22/26 at 7:42 pm to
Posted by RichJ
The Land of the CoonAss
Member since Nov 2016
5467 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 12:03 pm to
Best sheepshead I’ve ever eaten…

Posted by jrobic4
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
12998 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 1:26 pm to
Thought I owed you guys a rundown... I got to the landing where my buddy's boat is stored, put the recently charged batteries in, and launched.

Nothing. We tried a few things, but the problem is either the starter or solenoid most likely. Trolling motor battery worked, show, we put put putted to the nearest canal. Caught a few white trout, a flounder and several of decent sized crokers.

Got back to the landing and there were four college age kids.Cleaning, what must have been a hundred big sheep'shead. While we didn't go hungry, we were green with envy!


Posted by jrobic4
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2011
12998 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 1:29 pm to
Does anyone here catch them out of Mobile Bay?

We are going for Easter, anne mainly hoping for trout. Howrver, I'm thinking there mayHowever, sheepshead on the rigs farther down the bay, or right near Ft. Morgan and Dauphin Island?
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
23987 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 1:56 pm to
The sheepshead bite in Destin dies off right around turkey season starting. Not sure about Louisiana at all or if Mobile is closer to either one bite or the other. I assume they spawn with the water temps/ moon/ etc. so they are all somewhat close.
Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
70751 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 2:09 pm to
quote:

The sheepshead bite in Destin dies off right around turkey season starting



Our bite is still going strong down here out in 40 feet of water and up in the bay around piers. Ive been catching them both places. Good ones too.


First stop Wednesday.




Its not a fish that I typically taret but I was not able to get in the gulf lately and these are pilled up off the front of some of the deeper docks. Guys are wanting fish to eat and limiting out on them has been fairly easy this year



Posted by KemoSabe65
70605
Member since Mar 2018
6837 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 2:41 pm to
quote:

limiting out on them

I guess Louisiana is the only state without a limit on convicts?
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
23987 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 2:45 pm to
quote:

I guess Louisiana is the only state without a limit on convicts?


It used to be 12 in Florida I'd have to look. I use the above posted method to clean them so I'm not completely complaining, but frick cleaning more than 10 or so each.

I aint taking my kids fishing and cleaning 25+ sheepshead myself, I'll tell you that!

I dont hate them that bad and I'm certainly not that hungry!
Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
70751 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 2:49 pm to
quote:

It used to be 12 in Florida I'd have to look. I use the above posted method to clean them so I'm not completely complaining, but frick cleaning more than 10 or so each.


8 per person in my area. And yes, I hate cleaning them.


These were from offshore.





They invaded my hogfish areas. The have to spawn out there on the rocks. No nearshore vertical structure in my area.

Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
70751 posts
Posted on 3/23/26 at 8:27 pm to
Baldona, just curious. Are you running charters in the panhandle? That sounds like where you live


Posted by KemoSabe65
70605
Member since Mar 2018
6837 posts
Posted on 3/24/26 at 4:33 pm to
Rouse’s has sheepshead on sale for $2.99 each or $9.99#
Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
70751 posts
Posted on 3/24/26 at 7:23 pm to
quote:

Rouse’s has sheepshead on sale for $2.99 each or $9.99#



Nobody wants to clean those things


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