I figured out how to catch sheepshead while out hunting for a trophy snook on vacation in Pine Island, Florida. I saw a pair of sheep darting from the shallows to a deep hole. I rigged up a ¼-ounce jighead with a live shrimp and two casts later boated a nice four pounder. I was totally distracted by sheepshead that trip and my trophy snook never came.
That spring at home in Jersey, I attended a seminar given by Captain Dan Schafer of Insomniac Guide Service. Dan boats giant sheepshead almost year around and has pioneered sheepshead fishing with jigheads and crabs.
I applied what I learned in Florida and what Dan taught me at his seminar to target sheep around local bridges. Now I know this was totally lucky but on my very first trip targeting sheepshead in my local waters I boated an 8 pounder. Third cast, a little luck, a little determination and a willingness to learn new things and think outside the box goes a long way while learning how to catch new species.
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