Hook Size for Sheepshead?

What kind of hook should I use for sheepshead?

I was told "the small the better" by the tackle shop;
I read "small circle hook" on line;
I read "Mutu light 1/0" on one of Florida fishing magazine two days ago.

Got real confused...... Trying to catch some for dinner......

Also, I saw a few good ones eating algae or seagrass around piling, not even interested in my live fiddler crabs........ I searched a bit on line, it says their diet ~70% seedgrass and algae and stuff, only >10% of crabs and shells......

What's the best bait you've used?

Thanks~~~

Try a small piece of shrimp - no bigger than the end joint of your forefinger - on a size 2 stainless hook.
Pete

I agree with Pete, the best bait I have used for them is shrimp. I have caught them on 1/4 jig heads but it seems like smaller hooks would probably work better.

I use khale red hooks 1/0 or 2/0 baited with shrimp and can fill a ice chest most of the time i like to use a wire leader there teeth can play havoc with your line

Thanks, guys.

When you mentioned "shrimp", will frozen ones work? Or I have to get those live ones and cut them fresh......?

frozen work fine thats what i use most of the time

Where r u catching sheepshead this time of the year?

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Originally Posted by tcain24

Where r u catching sheepshead this time of the year?

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I could still see them at spots between Panama and Pensacola. I read an article saying that Apalachicola has lots of them in January.

Well I fish in South Louisiana and we catch them on oyster reefs and around docks at this time of the Year

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Originally Posted by tcain24

Where r u catching sheepshead this time of the year?

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Here on the Choctawhatchee the Highway 331 Bay Bridge around the Pileins can be real good.
JSC
:)

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Originally Posted by JSC

Here on the Choctawhatchee the Highway 331 Bay Bridge around the Pileins can be real good.
JSC
:)

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Is it near Santa Rosa Beach?

Yep ... Go east on 98 from SRB and turn Left .. North .. on 331 and there you are...
If you are bank fishing try the little bridge .. from a boat work all the pilings on both bridges ... Danny at Copelands Gun Shop (North above bridge about 2 miles on Left) can fix you up with bait and tackle. Try using a 3/4 oz ready rig with a #2 EC 84 or 85 hook and baited with a small piece of shrimp.

Good Luck

JSC
:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JSC

Yep ... Go east on 98 from SRB and turn Left .. North .. on 331 and there you are...
If you are bank fishing try the little bridge .. from a boat work all the pilings on both bridges ... Danny at Copelands Gun Shop (North above bridge about 2 miles on Left) can fix you up with bait and tackle. Try using a 3/4 oz ready rig with a #2 EC 84 or 85 hook and baited with a small piece of shrimp.

Good Luck

JSC
:)

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Really appreciate all the info. Will let you know the result when I go there in a week or two...... Thanks~

man i love catching sheepsheads. i'll usually find em around docks and use a 1/8 oz jig head tipped with frozen shrimp. so simple a cave oh never mind.

I use Gamakatsu octopus hooks, #1/0 or #1. Best baits I've found are fiddlers, sand fleas, and shrimp when there's no baitstealers around. Heard of some people using 4x strong treble hooks when using clams for bait.

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Originally Posted by go dart

man i love catching sheepsheads. i'll usually find em around docks and use a 1/8 oz jig head tipped with frozen shrimp. so simple a cave oh never mind.

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I went...... I might a cave xxx after all, haha. I tried the jig method first. Some people call it "shrimp appetizer". But the shrimp kept sliding down to the turn of the hook. It doesn't stay in place when I thought the barb on the jig head could hold it.

Then I bought some fiddlers...... there were two kids pulling one after one out of water while the rest of the adults on the pier, ~20, didn't catch any. I didn't catch any this time, but I definitely enjoyed the challenge and will be back some time soon. What's the latest time of the year that we could catch Sheepsheads?

thanks for all the inputs on this thread...........

scrape the barncles off the piling, to chum them in, and try and get a muscle or barnacle or shrimp for bait.. I catch them on shrimp and jig when we shoot docks for reds.