[MrSheepie]

My fishing buddie, Blaze1022, and I recently fished in Swansboro, NC targeting sheepshead and black drum. Boy, did we have a fun time! We noticed that the bite started on the incoming high tide.

The water temp was in the mid 70’s and a bit murky, but that didn’t stop the fish from biting. We used a fish finder rig suspended off the bottom using live fiddler crabs.

Sheepshead fishing can be challenging, but with a little experience your catch ratio should increase. Just remember if you see a tap tap or if you feel the slightest resistance, get pressure on him immediately! If you wait, you are likely to be scratching your head wondering what happened……..lol!

[video=youtube;02XlaTFu3xE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02XlaTFu3xE[/video]

 

[AMG08]

Nice job. I've been wanting to try it. What the best way to anchor up your kayak in the current like that?

 

[derekhollister]

Nice!! I was just fishing there over the weekend but didn't have any catching anything. Had one bight pretty big fish but brought it to shore and it smacked a rock and jumped off

 

[MrSheepie]

Several methods to do it. I would not recommend using an anchor because you would work like crazy trying to remain in position. I know cause that's how I started.

If you have a trolley system, you could type a loop in one end of a rope, then throw rope down current around bridge piling, take the other end of rope and run it through the loop that's around the piling. This will secure rope around piling. Afterwards, take the end of the rope that was just run through the loop and thread it through the trolley ring. You will then need to run your trolley rope and the piling rope into an anchor cleat, for example, to secure the rope. This will keep your yak in place. By using the trolley system, you can adjust the angle of your yak by moving the trolley ring accordingly.

Method 2: Just take a rope and throw it around the piling and tie both rope ends using an anchor cleat on each side of your yak.

Hope this helps

 

[led0321]

Looks like a fun time!

 

[Island Man]

Can you post some pictures of your rigging and bait hooking?

 

[MrSheepie]

@Island Man, sure be glad to do so. Just don't know how soon I can get to it.

 

[catmaster]

Well done...

 

[MrSheepie]

This is my rig.............

 

[Island Man]

looks like my redfish rig...............size hook and weight, 12" leader?

This is my rig.............

View attachment 71833

 

[2840-FISH]

nice catches... man i love sheep fishing, and have gotten pretty good at it i believe.. BUT doing it from my kayak can be VERY frustrating to say the least.. I cant ever get positioned properly, then when i have one on, of course he never runs the right way.. i end up just getting mad doing it from my yak everytime you did well tho

 

[MrSheepie]

looks like my redfish rig...............size hook and weight, 12" leader?

Island man hook size 2, 3/4 oz weight, 12-16" leader

 

[Island Man]

Thanks I may give it a try. Live just down the water from that bridge but never tried the sheepie thing.

Island man hook size 2, 3/4 oz weight, 12-16" leader

 

[RouseD]

Great job on the catch and video!!!!! Were you using fiddlers for bait. or something else?

 

[roostertail24]

He says fiddlers in the initial post. My question is do you buy them or get them yourself?

 

[speckhunter80]

FF-28-2015

PROCLAMATION

RE: SHEEPSHEAD – RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL

Dr. Louis B. Daniel III, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries, hereby announces that effective 12:01 A.M., Monday, June 1, 2015, the following will apply to sheepshead.

I. MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT
It is unlawful to possess sheepshead less than 10 inches fork length.

II. HARVEST LIMITS

A. It is unlawful to possess more than 10 sheepshead per person per day or trip (if trip occurs over more than one calendar day) for recreational purposes.

B. It is unlawful for a commercial fishing operation to land or possess more than 300 pounds of sheepshead per trip except:

1. Commercial gig and spear operations: it is unlawful to land or possess more than 10 sheepshead per person per day or per trip (if the trip occurs over more than one calendar day).
2. Pound net operations are exempt from the commercial trip limit restrictions. ​

III. GENERAL INFORMATION:

A. This proclamation is issued under the authority of N.C.G.S. 113-170.4; 113-170.5; 113-182; 113-221.1; 143B 289.52 and N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Rules 15A NCAC 03H .0103 and 03M .0521.

B. It is unlawful to violate the provisions of any proclamation issued by the Fisheries Director under his delegated authority pursuant to N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission Rule 15A NCAC 03H .0103.

C. All sheepshead that do not meet the 10 inch size limit shall be immediately returned to the waters where taken.

D. In accordance with N.C. General Statute 113-221.1(c) all persons who may be affected by proclamations issued by the Fisheries Director are under a duty to keep themselves informed of current proclamations.

E. Contact the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557, phone 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632 for more information, or visit the division website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/.

F. This proclamation is being issued to implement size and harvest restrictions for the recreational and commercial sheepshead fishery.​

May 28, 2015
3:40 P.M.
FF-28-2015

N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries • 3441 Arendell Street • Morehead City, NC 28557 • 252-726-7021 or 800-682-2632

 

[Island Man]

If you can get to any island at low tide u catch all you want

He says fiddlers in the initial post. My question is do you buy them or get them yourself?

 

[roostertail24]

You got to time that right to start your fishing right at low tide which only comes around every 12 hours or so. You guys that live at the beach and fish every day can make it work but I live almost an hour and a half from the coast so I can't really plan my salt fishing around the tide..

 

[Scott Hobbs]

NIce work guys and great catches.

 

[dbeam]

Nice job! Thanks for the tips.

Darrell