Panhandle sheepies on the move

[CaptJRivers]

[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]With spring just around the corner and the water warming up, the annual migration of Sheepshead will start. These clever bait stealers move out of the rivers and upper bays and head out to the gulf to spawn. This happens every year right around St. Patrick’s Day like clockwork, but this year the water is a bit warmer and it looks like the migration might start a week or two sooner than usual. Sheepsheads are notorious for stealing your bait before you realize it’s gone. With their Sheep- like teeth they can pick at your bait and leave you fishing on credit, as I like to say, which is when you bring up an empty hook![/font][/size]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Sheepsheads eat primarily crustaceans and barnacles, and live mostly near oyster beds and along bridge pilings and old docks. The baits of choice are live shrimp, fiddler crabs, and a little secret that not a lot of people know about: Oysters. Stop over at a seafood market and pick up a pint of oysters and put one on a hook, and you will see that this works great when the others are not producing well.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]I had a few trips this past week, and the bite was very good as long as we had some current. Make sure that when fishing for Sheepshead, you have some type of moving water. We hooked some good fish on my last trip, with a couple topping the scales over 4 lbs. [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Here are a couple of big sheepies.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]During the Sheepshead run you will also catch Pompano, and many people agree that Pompano is one of the best-eating inshore fish along the gulf coast. Pompano also show up in mid-March when the water temperature starts to rise above 60 degrees. Many anglers catch them surf fishing off the beach or in our bays by using a variety of baits such as sand-flees, shrimp, or small jigs known as Pompano Jigs. Also, don’t forget to cruise the beach and sight-fish for Redfish and more Pompano. These fish can also be caught using jigs and live bait.[/size][/font]
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March and April are my favorite times to fish, because the weather is great! Not too hot, and the fishing is very good. With a variety of fish to be caught like Specks, Sheepshead, Pompano, and slot Reds, it’s no wonder why many winter- bound anglers get the fishing fever the first week of March in the Panhandle. [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Till next time, Bent Rods and Screaming Drags.[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Capt. John[/size][/font]
[url "http://www.megabiteinshore.com/"][font "Times New Roman"][#800080][size 3]www.megabiteinshore.com[/size][/#800080][/font][/url]
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[Tarpon4me]

Sounds like the Sheepheadz on are high alert down your way. They are biting quite well off the SC coast too. This time of year is prime for sheepshead, however, they are on the reefs from now thru April.

Do you use a mono leader or a Fluorocarbon leader? I've always use just mono for leader since they are usually down deep anyhow. I also have been using a short shank live bait hook, it seems to bury in the fiddlers a little better. What kind of rig are you using?
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[Tarpon4me]

Into the month of April you'll start seeing them more inshore along the jetties and piers. It's kinda funny once they make thier way along the coast line. I remember the first time I saw someone fishing for sheephead on a pier. This old man and woman had a pillow on the rail and they were leaned over, holding thier rod. Just as still as can be, patient as ever. LOL, I was thinking to myself, what the hell are they fishing for? []

Personally, i've not had much luck inshore for sheephead, atleast not along the grand strand. The bays up close to Hilton Head Island have a great inshore fishery for sheephead, as well as Georgetown and Charleston.

Some of the old dogs in murrells inlet say the sheepheads will come inshore long enough to clean out the barnacles from the jettie walls, and thats when they move offshore to the wrecks. When the barnacles grow back, they come back inshore. I thought it sounded fishy, but it could be true. I mean, fish follow the food. And it would be safer for a slow fish like a sheephead inshore.

I find the fish off the coast on the wrecks to be more aggresive. Just my opinion.[cool]
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[CaptJRivers]

Never heard of that, but hey, why not.. It might work []

Sounds kind of fishy to me [cool][cool][cool].. on a serious note, there are all kinds of strange little tricks that people use for all different types of fishing.

I'm waiting for this front to move through so I can get out and do some fishing, it's been a few days of high winds now we have rain. This next week looks to be much better.. I need to get out and fish so I can enter some photos in the contest.

Till Next Time Bent Rods and Screaming Drags.
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[Tarpon4me]

This would be a good time to get some photo's in. It looks like the current leader is going to be dry docked this weekend. [] This would be a good time to get back in it.
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[tubeN2]

Hey Skipper. Those are some nice looking Sheepheads. Good job on the catch.

Don't forget about the Captains contest. Everything is worth some points.[cool]
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[theangler]

Hello Capt. Rivers,
I will be in Florida the first week of April and can probably sneak out for a day of fishing.

How far are you from FT. Lauderdale?
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[CaptJRivers]

I'm in the Panhandle = Pensacola to be exact.. it's a full days drive for sure.
Good luck in FT. Lauderdale hope you catch a big one!
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