Sheepshead Archives - Page 9 of 10

June 1, 2026

The sheepshead bite around neashore reefs off the Grand Strand has been excellent.

Top tips for catching winter sheepshead

During the winter months, sheepshead move out of the inshore waters, but not too far away. Anglers can catch enough to load their coolers without leaving sight of land. […]

Capt. Tucker Blythe of Grey Ghost Charters displays a nice sheepshead caught during the early winter pattern around Charleston.

Docks, pilings along creeks have been productive for Charleston

Phillip Gentry

On an early winter’s day across the Lowcountry coast, the daily rise and fall of the tide may be lost on most people, but for Capt. Tucker Blythe of Grey Ghost Charters out of Charleston, it’s the last shot at inshore sheepshead staging to make their annual migration to offshore reefs and wrecks to spawn. […]

Sheepshead have responded to cooler weather by tying on the feed bag in Charleston area waters.

Sheepshead bite has been fantastic in Charleston waters

Brian Cope

Scott Hammond of Haddrell’s Point Tackle suspects there has been a was a jailbreak recently, because the sheepshead bite around Charleston is on fire. […]

Fishermen can catch some tasty sheepshead on a regular basis at the State Port wall.

Herding Morehead City’s sheep

Jerry Dilsaver

While easing across the no-wake zone at the State Ports in Morehead City, Matt Lamb was paying a lot of attention to just how the tide was moving and how strong it was flowing. […]

Fiddler crabs and trimmed sea urchins are top sheepshead baits.

Best sheepshead baits

Jerry Dilsaver

Most fishermen think of fiddler crabs as the top sheepshead bait, and they catch fish with them. Fiddler crabs are most often seen just above the water’s edge in salt and brackish estuaries. […]

Benji Standifer shows off a nice sheepshead he took off a partially sunken oak tree in Hunting Island Lagoon.

Sheepshead making up some nice catches in Beaufort-area waters

Brian Cope

Sheepshead might been an awfully funny name for a fish, but inshore anglers don’t mind the moniker, and they are currently having good luck catching these fish in the creeks and inlets of Beaufort County. […]

Sheepshead are often referred to as saltwater panfish, though like this one caught by Johnny Spitzmiller, they may be many times the size of their freshwater counterparts.

To Catch a Thief

Phillip Gentry

Johnny Spitzmiller stood on the bow of his boat, gripping the controls of his trolling motor like a man bent on trying not to crash into the nearby rocks — which he was barely succeeding in doing. […]

Bigger sheepshead can be boated by simply cradling and lifting them, so there’s no need for a net or mechanical device such as a Boga Grip.

Herding sheep

Phillip Gentry

Many anglers think nothing about reaching into the mouth of a fish and grabbing by the lower jaw — “lipping” the fish. […]

Sheepshead are much more aggressive feeders around reefs and wrecks in the ocean than they are the rest of the year around docks and rocks in creeks and rivers.

Bull Sheep

Jeff Burleson

Diehard anglers willing to tough out February’s chilly breezes can face a commanding challenge from one of the most powerful fish of winter. […]

The Charleston jetties are a top sheepshead-spot during the winter months, but docks and rip-rapped walls in inside creeks can be just as productive because of the amount of structure.

Sheepshead are moving to a new ‘pasture’

Phillip Gentry

The upcoming removal of sheepshead from the snapper/grouper complex has fisheries managers scrambling to account for the state’s flourishing population. […]