Catching convicts

Here’s where to find sheepshead in June

Sheepshead offer one of the most challenging and rewarding fishing experiences in the Carolinas during June. These fish are notorious bait thieves with a knack for stealing shrimp and fiddler crabs off hooks without detection. But with the right approach, anglers can enjoy steady action and some delicious fillets.

By June, water temperatures have warmed significantly along both the North and South Carolina coasts, and sheepshead are on the move. They’re often found around structures like pilings, jetties, docks, oyster beds, and bridges. You can basically find them anywhere barnacles and crustaceans cling. These fish feed primarily on crustaceans, and their strong teeth, which resemble human molars, are built for crushing shells. That makes bait presentation and rigging especially important.

Bait it up

The most popular baits for sheepshead this time of year are live fiddler crabs, sand fleas, and shrimp. Fiddler crabs are often considered the best option, especially when fished around barnacle-covered pilings or bridge columns. Use a small, sharp hook, typically size 1 or 1/0, and thread the crab on so it stays in place while still looking natural.

A Carolina rig or knocker rig works well for presenting baits vertically along structure. Many seasoned anglers prefer a short leader, sometimes as short as 6 inches, to prevent too much slack and to feel the subtle bite more quickly. Sheepshead rarely slam a bait like a redfish or speckled trout. Their bite is subtle, and more of a “tap” or gentle tug. So timing the hookset is everything. Set too early and you’ll pull the bait away. Wait too long and they’ll clean your hook.

North Carolina’s inshore waters, from Wilmington down to the Cape Fear River, offer prime sheepshead habitat in June. Public piers, jetty walls, and bridge structures like those around Wrightsville Beach can produce solid catches. Bridge pilings in the Outer Banks area are always good options. In South Carolina, hotspots include the Charleston Harbor, Beaufort’s creeks and bridges, and the rock jetties off Murrells Inlet. Anglers in the know often carry a flathead screwdriver or paint scraper to knock barnacles off pilings and chum the water. This brings the sheepshead out from their hiding spots.

Tides are also a key factor to success. Most anglers target sheepshead during a moving tide, especially around the peak of the incoming or outgoing flow. A slack tide can make the bite tougher, as water movement helps stimulate feeding and keeps bait in the strike zone naturally.