sheepshead are a very popular and tasty bottom fish. some fish just prefer the “real thing”, and sheepshead are one of those species. anglers targeting very large sheepshead around heavy structure may need to bump up the tackle and use light conventional gear. they are required to turn a nice fish in cover as well as being easier to remove from the sheepshead’s mouth. in either case, anglers should try to hide the hook in the bait as much is …

black drum are found from new england along the coast to texas and into mexico. shallow bars will hold fish, but navigating in the dark can be tricky and is best left to experienced anglers. in this picture, the black drum is on the left and the sheepshead is on the right. most anglers find black drum between 14” and 24” to be the best to keep. anglers fishing for large black drum around structure such as bridges, docks, jetties, …

find these refuges, armed with the best bait for redfish, and the action is often immediate and sustained, not only for reds but also for trout and sheepshead. a jig with the tail of a fishbites fight’n shrimp or a fresh-cut shrimp tail dragged along the bottom is likely to pick up sheepshead, flounder, trout and redfish and sometimes all four from one hole. if there’s a three or four foot deep hole on a bend up there in the …

you have to think about the tide, time of the year, terrain, technique, and of course, or whether it’s live or artificial bait you’re using. this means you will want to present the bait so that the fish can find it. there are a hundred and one ways to get a red to bite, but the key is to adapt to the conditions. when fishing muddy waters, it’s difficult to spot the fish, but it’s also difficult for the fish …

the carolina rig is one of the most versatile and widely used bait rigs around. while the rig can be used to catch both species, there are some differences in the way they are fished. i won’t go into detail about how to tie this rig and the modifications that can be made to it. so when i am using a carolina rig to target flounder, i keep it on the move. first i cast out the rig and allow …