Any chance for Sheepshead deep drop rockfishing?

[gettingbentwithbo]

Heading out on a trip this weekend targeting rockfish. Was wondering if it would be worth bringing some clam to try to add a goat to the bag? I have been seeing that most boats are taking advantage of the new depths allowed for rockfish. My question is do sheepshead hang out down deep with rockfish? I have only personally caught them suspended around kelps, but god to they taste good.

 

[swami 805]

There might be a straggler down deep who knows. Lots of boats go into the shallows later in the day to top off the sacks with whitefish when that get close to limits of rockfish. That would be your best opportunity. If you don’t use the clams make chowder

 

[SeaHawk IV]

I've caught Sheephead in 200 feet as a bycatch while targeting rockfish. But they typically are found in 180 feet to near surface around kelp forest.

 

[ExBacklasher]

I would also try shrimp, sometimes automatic. with sheephead.

 

[azbaseball]

I found that the best Sheepshead and large white fish bait is a small fresh dead whole squid We usually catch sheepshead in shallow water 100 foot or less targeting whitefish to top off the sacks

 

[mykiss]

Chunk bait (mackerel) outside the kelp at LJ, about 50 to 80' just off the bottom. Here are a couple caught last Sept:

 

[gettingbentwithbo]

Chunk bait (mackerel) outside the kelp at LJ, about 50 to 80' just off the bottom. Here are a couple caught last Sept:

View attachment 1259742

I would be cooking that bottom one whole! Man I love them that size.

 

[mykiss]

They're good eating; too bad they're not good looking as well.

 

[Noms]

Depends on where the half day boat goes. I was on the premier pm trip yesterday. We fished the ib pipeline, unlike the rest of the fleet.
80-90feet of water. I pulled a mix bag of sandbass, calico, sculpin. Caught two undersized sheep on sardine chunks, sliding sinker. Saw someone pull out a undersized sheep on dropper loop with squid. That guy was mostly catching Whitefish and perch.

 

[stairman]

As someone else said...in 50 years fishing this coast you better be less the 200 if you want a goat...not saying they arent caught deeper but 250 would be a waste of time targeting them

 

[Binks Deatherage]

Been catching some in 280ft of water while rock fishing using sardines. All good size from that depth but mostly just one or two a trip

 

[changomc3]

Sheepshead don’t live deeper then 300 feet

 

[gettingbentwithbo]

Depends on where the half day boat goes. I was on the premier pm trip yesterday. We fished the ib pipeline, unlike the rest of the fleet.
80-90feet of water. I pulled a mix bag of sandbass, calico, sculpin. Caught two undersized sheep on sardine chunks, sliding sinker. Saw someone pull out a undersized sheep on dropper loop with squid. That guy was mostly catching Whitefish and perch.

I am not going on a half day. I am going on a full day catalina trip.

 

[Northeastfshman]

I cannot put into words what having a few crabs (honestly any kind) does to your chances of catches Sheepsheads. Generally shallower than 200' but my biggest one was 215'.

 

[makairaa]

I have caught sheephead at catalina down to about 250 feet. Almost all of the ones I have caught over 200 feet have been over 10 lbs. I would not target them that deep though. On an all day to catalina there is a good chance they will fish shallower at some point. So I would take some bait with you if you really want a sheephead.

 

[Blackfish]

I cannot put into words what having a few crabs (honestly any kind) does to your chances of catches Sheepsheads.

Wonder how these might work?

Soft Fishing Crab Lures

Soft Fishing Crab Lures

gozak.store

 

[Northeastfshman]

Wonder how these might work?

Soft Fishing Crab Lures

Soft Fishing Crab Lures

gozak.store

I tried similar plastics back East for Tautog (close wrasse relative to Sheepshead that only eat crabs, mollusks and other crustaceans) and they just never produced nearly as well. I think the reason is if you watch them eat they don't swallow baits. They put the crab in their mouth and crack the shell and then swallow so the texture/flavor is tasted before they commmit.

 

[azbaseball]

If you really want to score on the goats. Jump on an over night to San Nicholas Island Several years ago I was on a Turners charter on the New Hustler to San Nicholas. We scored limits of sheepshead for the boat The pool fish which include lingcod were two identical sheepshead that tip the scale at 19.5 pounds each. funny thing they were both caught by young ladies on either side of me Me dinks

 

[Arima-bob]

I tried similar plastics back East for Tautog (close wrasse relative to Sheepshead that only eat crabs, mollusks and other crustaceans) and they just never produced nearly as well. I think the reason is if you watch them eat they don't swallow baits. They put the crab in their mouth and crack the shell and then swallow so the texture/flavor is tasted before they commmit.

Brett, how do you rig a crab? I’m a noob when it comes to sheephead

 

[Northeastfshman]

Brett, how do you rig a crab? I’m a noob when it comes to sheephead

Put the hook in through one leg joint and then pop it out the next or 2 joints later depending on the hook size

 

[jer dog]

If you really want to score on the goats. Jump on an over night to San Nicholas Island Several years ago I was on a Turners charter on the New Hustler to San Nicholas. We scored limits of sheepshead for the boat The pool fish which include lingcod were two identical sheepshead that tip the scale at 19.5 pounds each. funny thing they were both caught by young ladies on either side of me Me dinks

yep Nic ,is Goat Heaven .

 

[Arima-bob]

Put the hook in through one leg joint and then pop it out the next or 2 joints later depending on the hook size

Thanks Brett! Do you catch your crabs or buy them?

 

[Northeastfshman]

Thanks Brett! Do you catch your crabs or buy them?

I haven't done it a ton but when I have I've caught them. Just go flip over rocks during a lower tide on any rocky beach or I usually have some in my bait reciever at my dock that I take along. I've also seen people use Spider Crabs broken into smaller pieces.

 

[Arima-bob]

I haven't done it a ton but when I have I've caught them. Just go flip over rocks during a lower tide on any rocky beach or I usually have some in my bait reciever at my dock that I take along. I've also seen people use Spider Crabs broken into smaller pieces.

Thank you again! I’m gonna have to try that.

 

[Ali]

Whole shrimp or Squid heads fished at less that 250' and you'd be surprised where they live.