Thread: Sheepshead pointers for greenhorn

This will make my 4th year fishing the pier on spring break. I have had a fabulous time catching Spanish, kings, pomp and whiting. The convicts have absolutely schooled me.
I'm using my fresh water gear and traveling from Michigan. This year I would love to put one on the deck.
Any pointers for line size, weight, bait and hook size would be appreciated. I always go to J&M's for my gear.
I'm arriving 4/4.
Thanks

Courtesy of Haywire

If it is calm and very little wind,
six# test, no leader, just a little split shot a little ways above the hook #10 treble.

If it is a little windy,
8# rig, Carolina rig using a half ounce egg weight 10-20# fluro leader(depending on how picky they are being) with a #10 treble.

It it is really windy,
16# test, a 1 oz egg weight 20# fluro leader and #10 treble.

As far as bait, live shrimp, ghost shrimp, or fiddled crabs work.
They are very picky so bait must be live. Main thing is be patient.
They nibble most of the time, so let them nibble a couple of times.
When you finally feel a bit of tension, jerk that sucker as hard as you can.
You are going to want to run a slightly heavy drag and jack them up.to the surface basically because they generally want to run under the pier and around pilings, so the sooner you fan get them towards the surface, the better you will be able to control them. They stay at varying depths on different days so some days this will be harder,

They are master bait thieves, and they learn from the best, they apprentice with the Pinfish.
Bring plenty of trebles, and by the 2x-4x strong, they can and will destroy them, easy as you twist paperclip.

Bait-live shrimp, Leader line no larger than 12lb, Hook- 1/0 or 2/0 size hook live shrimp through the tail. Use daichi hooks. If it is really rough use a 3 ounce lead egg if it is calm just use a half ounce egg. Use some beads also. They will help you a lot at J and M

If I can ask in Rodbender's post, bronze silver or gold hooks? Which is working best?

tia and I'm guessing bronze.