I've been using tiny saltwater hooks that I've only seen at the Academy in Corpus. I think they go down to size 4 and they're as thick as a 0/8 circle hook. Caught a few sheepshead and mangrove snappers with them. They're small enough that they'll get sucked into panfish mouths along with the live shrimp. Sorry, forgot the brand name.

Of course I'll use size 12 or 14 fly tying hooks when I'm trying to clean out some of those @$%%!!$ pinfish.

Holy [censored]. You guys are making my gears turn. OK, let me think this through.

Huckleberry, my deal is that I'm fishing from the shore. Specifically, these days, my local jetty. #shoreboundangler Imagine standing on a jetty and casting out. Your bait settles to the bottom on or near the rocks. When you retrieve, your rig wants to go into the rocks.

Fishing vertically around bridge pilings stacked with sheepies sounds amazing. It's just not what I am doing. I can see myself, in early retirement, showing up at the local fish marked with a hundred fifty pounds of fresh sheepshead and pocketing $60 bucks though!

Jim Ford, I think the biggest difference is rocks vs. submerged brush. Also, I think like sir Huckleberry, you are fishing vertically. Your blacksmithing ambition with all the hammering and drilling sounds awesome hobby wise. But as soon as I start dragging that rig thru the granite at the jetty, well, I'll need a bunch of those braizing rods. Sounds like you may be describing a Lindy Rig? Not sure, since I don't soak a lot of suckers for Walleye, but I'd like to!

Awesome input by the way. I'm listening. Also, I'm planning a Sheepshead trip this Saturday and hope to post a positive report.

Maybe I can figure out how to post pics.?!

bugs the shoreboundangler

Here's the lazy mans method to catch crabs. I like to fish the small piers at night under the lights. Many nights you will have a constant presence of small crabs floating by on the surface. I just take a long handle bait net and an extra bucket with me and gather them up until I have enough to suit me. They are candy to sheepshead.

Spot on with your techniques and tactics!

One technique I would like to add is using a cane pole. Picked it up from some of the old timers I don�t see around the jetties anymore. You need a real cane pole, a thick single piece 12 to 20 footer. Not those 2 or 3 piece $1.99 bargain bin things for kids and bluegills. Best of luck finding the right ones new in a store though.

Anyway, a good stout cane pole and strong line a few feet shorter than the length of the pole with a sinker and a small J hook. A Float is optional, depending on the current and winds, using any of the baits you talked about you just swing the line out and bring it back to the edge of the rocks and wait for the bite. That cane pole provides the power and leverage to pull the sheepie right out of the rocks.

Lots of great info guys, thanks!

Bitchin' I like it. Fast forward to guy trying to find a big stout cane pole. I wonder if they make a modern version out of graphite or fiberglass. I've seen some suited to crappie fishing, but they seem too light for sheepiees ...