Thread: Tips for sheepshead or secrets needed

May come down tonight and fish in morning and I need some tips for sheepshead. How to you guys rig up for them? I know people use live shrimp but what else works. I have read fiddler crabs work but where can you buy them at. I have never looked for them so I don't know who has them. Any tips from rigging , catching or even cleaning will help.

you might have to call bait shops and see if they have them. There are several topics relating to sheeps. Cleaning them isn't really hard, you'll have to cut around the ribs, trying to cut through them will dull your knife fast.

If you're coming down tonight, I would call the shops now so that you can be there first thing in the morning to pick up bait when they open. I've bought live fiddlers within the last week from Fresh Market Seafood on 59 in Foley, J&M Tackle on Canal Rd and Mo Fishin' on Perdido Beach Blvd.

Fillet them about like any other fish. I usually use one of my serrated knives to make the initial cut through the tough skin behind the gill plate and finish dressing out the fish with a regular small fillet knife. Listen to Snake about the ribs being tough so don't try to cut into them like a spanish because it will dull a blade fast and there is really no need to cut through them.

I will refer you to the two threads on sheepshead rigs/hooks posted in the last week for information on those specifics.

Patience, if you run out just go buy a lil more!