The better places to find sheepshead will be those that get less fishing pressure. Capt. John Ward recommended trying these locations until you find some of your own:
• Charleston jetties: The rocks that line the entrance to Charleston Harbor possibly hold more and bigger sheepshead than any other structure, inshore or off. With two rows of rocks three to four miles long and two sides to each row, there is plenty of fish-holding structure to go round.
• Folly River pilings: Located in the Folly River by Sunset Marina, these are leftovers from the old Folly Marina. Best fished are the areas you can’t see, often located some distance away from the exposed pilings and missed by most anglers.
• Cooper River: The old coal train trestle provides abundant vertical structure on the Charleston side of the Cooper River directly across from its intersection with the Wando. This location can be an entire day’s trip, as some anglers will use diligent efforts to fish between each and every piling on the old burnt bridge.
• Metal Trades: Located on the ICW, this industrial loading area just past Stone Ferry has piles and piles of rip-rap and old industrial scrap on the bottom. Though a potential hang-up hazard, the number of fish in the area is more than offset by the occasional broken rig.
• Bridges: Roadways connect all of the barrier islands that make up the Charleston area from Folly Beach to Isle of Palms and all points in-between. Anywhere one of these roadways crosses the water is a potential winter hot spot for sheepshead, especially the older structures where time and tide have scoured out holes and barnacles have had plenty of time to attach to hard surfaces.
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