How to skin a sheep

[wingtime]

OK I have been itching to go catch some convicts.  I haven't fished for them since I was a kid fishing off a bridge.  I've heard of them biting this time of year in Tampa bay on some shallow wrecks and such.  Of course fishing for them on bridge pilings is a given.  Does anyone have any local insight and tips not already covered in this thread?  The location of any known wrecks in the bay?  Thanks!

[Skoot]

Wing, they are all over the artificial reefs just off Sand Key beach.  I actually use the smaller (1-2 clumps) of barnacles for bait. Insert the hook through the hole and exit the flat back, kinda wiggle the hook to get it through.  I hold a bucket next to the piling/ under the barnacles and have a buddy scrap a bunch of barnacles into the bucket. Pick the smaller chunks out for bait and crush up the rest for chum.  Works like a champ and its free.

[John Jones]

Here are some supposedly lesser known spots given to me but I never got around to fishing them.  They are published numbers but not well known.  The last five came from a USCG side scan sonar survey looking for navigation obstructions.

I can send them to you in a Garmin Mapsource file or in a generic file that most gps software will import (.gpx).  If that is not the format you use let me know and I can post in any format.

Name            Description             Position   
         
SITE 1 A   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.215 W82 33.454   
SITE 1 B   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.215 W82 33.492   
SITE 1 C   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.182 W82 33.492   
SITE 1 D   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.182 W82 33.454   
SITE 2 A   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.214 W82 33.410   
SITE 2 B   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.214 W82 33.447   
SITE 2 C   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.181 W82 33.410   
SITE 2 D   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.181 W82 33.447   
SITE 3 A   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.162 W82 33.498   
SITE 3 B   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.162 W82 33.535   
SITE 3 C   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.128 W82 33.498   
SITE 3 D   MITIGATION REEF   N27 44.128 W82 33.535   
STRU101   16FT LONG STRUCTURE   N27 37.601 W82 38.284   
STRU102   12FT LONG CONCRETE   N27 37.692 W82 38.516   
STRU103   6FT DIA CONC HOLLOW   N27 36.663 W82 40.569   
STRU106   8 PILES-8 FT TALL   N27 37.194 W82 39.561   
SUBMTOWER   DAYBEACON TOWER   N27 39.454 W82 36.203

[wingtime]

Gotta love this site man.

Scott are those county reefs off Sand key?  I'm not sure if I have the numbers for those or not.

[Skoot]

Yea, their just south of CLW pass.  I fish them all the time, especially on those stiff easterly days.  They are approx 1/4mile or less from shore.

[seabob4]

Wing, you know in the winter, they can be had just about anywhere around docks, finger piers, pilings, anywhere there are barnacles.  One thing I find useful, rigging wise, is to have a big enough piece of shrimp to cover the barb and about half the circle.  The size of the shrimp keeps their interest, which allows a greater chance of a hookset...

[wingtime]

Frozen shrimp ok? I used to use sand fleas or go catch live fiddler crabs.

[seabob4]

Frozen shrimp ok? I used to use sand fleas or go catch live fiddler crabs.

I suppose it would be.  Never bought frozen...

[wingtime]

I'm heading out in the southern part of the Tampa bay tomorrow.   Not sure of where I'm gonna put in yet. Looks like it is going to be a really nice day.  Anyone else going out?  I had a buddy cancel so I have some room on the boat too.

[Capt Matt]

use the lightest sliding weight possible to get the bait to the bottom, 20 pound flourocarbon leader and a long shanked hook #1 or 1/0, I like fresh shrimp pieces for bait. We catch them here in SWFL on all the near shore reefs. Sheep to 7 pounds are common.
good luck, let us know how it goes
Capt Matt

[wingtime]

Thanks Matt.  I loaded up on the #1 hooks and small weights...  gonna pick up some shrimp on the way to the ramp in the AM.

[Blue Agave]

I'm headed out, although not sure where I'm going to put in. It's down to Gandy or Maximo. Trout being the target species.

[wingtime]

With a buddy at port manatee reef.  Not much bite here.

[MarshMarlowe196]

My Fiance's dad has been attending seminars on sheepshead fishing here in Charleston.  One tactic they swear on is using an underwater camera.  If you see Sheepshead, then its a good spot, if you don't, then you're wasting  your time.  These cameras are fairly cheap when compared to a sounder.

This is the one we played with, it was around $150


Sheepshead don't seem to spook easily, and it's real cool when swim right up to the camera  8)

[Capt Matt]

SC is probably about the northern extreme for sheepshead, bet there are some monster up there.
I have seen a few 9 pounders in my life bet they get over 12 there.
Camera is a great idea and cheep too
Capt Matt