Capt. Rick Percy of Reel Chance Charters said a good anchor is important for sheepshead fishing.
“Sheepshead will congregate tightly, so if you drop your bait a foot to one side or the other, you might not get bit at all,” he said. “But drop it in just the right spot, and you will get bit every cast. Being off just that much can make a huge difference.”
The solution, is anchoring to keep your directly above the fish. Percy finds fish with his depth finder, then probes the structure with his bait until he finds them. Then, he anchors down tight so each cast, or drop, goes to the same place as the last.
Danforth anchors are used by sheepshead anglers a lot because of their ability to dig into the bottom and hold against wind and current. Once the anchor is set, anglers drop their baits down. If they are not on the fish, the anchor rope can be pulled in or let out to adjust the position of the boat, and anglers can even use different tie-down points on the port or starboard sides to change the boat’s position even more.
After anchoring, if anglers aren’t getting bites, don’t waste time sitting over an unproductive spot, Percy said. Pulling up anchor and resetting may seem like a chore, but it is often the difference in not catching anything and having a stellar day.
“The sheepshead are here, so if you aren’t getting bit, you need to adjust your position,” he said.
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