sheepshead

[champlainman]

thanks for the info on the bowfin. next question, what about the sheepshead (american drum)? caught one by accident off my dock a couple years back on a little flourescent minnow lure and he was huge. See a lot of em cruising around the boat when the water is clear. they don't seem interested in much. Do people target them, what kind of lures/bait?

[northherokid]

Can help you with those. Use to catch them down by Ti years ago, but haven't even seen any for many years. We used worms when I was a kid.

Aren't they the fish that supposedly has two small bones in their head that have initials on them?

About 8 years ago, caught one over 10 lbs. trolling up in lake ontario in about 70 fow.

Any catch is a good catch.

[champlainman]

yes,I'm told they have little pearl like things on their head that people make jewelry out of . there seems to be a lot up here going through the channel under the Isle Lamotte causeway. i was also told by a freind in the great lakes area that they were fished for commercial reasons and used in cat food, not good eating for us. Perhaps Capt. Tony has some knowlege of all this?? never hear of people up here fishing for them.

[Scott Johnson]

I've heard they like crayfish. I see them a lot in areas with rocky bottoms (where the crayfish live) so live crayfish would probably be a good bait to try. I've also caught a few while fishing from shore with nightcrawlers.

[seneca76]

I see 6-12 sheepshead every night when I'm out bass fishing. I usally see them in shallow, rocky areas. I have only caught one, on a jig/grub and it was a fight. When I cast to them, they usually shy away or act disinterested. A slow presentation or live bait might be the trick. If you have any success let me know, it would be fun to catch more.

[An Bradon Charters]

Sheephead are a fresh water drum. They usally prefer places where there is current. In rivers around bridges are really good areas. They do love crayfish as they cruise amongst the rocks searching for food. This is where the stones come in. People call them luck stones. From what i understand they are calcum buildups in the head that are used for ballest in the fish, as they are usally on a downward angle when feeding. I am not a scientist, therefore am not a 100% sure about this. This has come from years of fishing talking and reading. I hope this helps anser some of your questions. Also in the area you decribe wonder if what you are seeing are carp? They do look simalar but much larger.
Capt. Tony

[drr]

I used to catch them when I was a kid all the time at the Alburgh/North Hero Railroad tressle and also at the drawbridge in the gut. While we were fishing for smallmouth, we would occasionally catch a few large Sheapshead. But I dont seem to catch them now. They put up a great fight, but it seems that there isnt as much as there used to be

[GullIslandRefugee]

My only experience with Sheepshead was catching them by accident in Lake Erie. The commercial perch fishermen there, out of Dunkirk, NY, used gill nets. They had one barrel for the perch, and a junk barrel where they threw the sheepshead. They told me they sold it to the Purina plant. This is thirty years ago, but I doubt they tast any better now than they did then.

[will]

Was at the St Albans Bay Dock a couple of weeks ago.....watched a guy catch four sheepshead.........2 8 pounders.....1 12 pounder.....and 1 just shy of 20 pounds....he was using crawfish and fishing about 20 feet from the dock.......huge fish!
He thanked them and released them.