I'm no expert at catching sheepshead, but I included some really good fishing tips that will help you when fishing for them with shrimp. I figured out a way of rigging for sheepshead that works great! I also share a few other things that might help you catch these stripped fish known as convicts.
I've always wondered how to catch these stripped fish. My trial and error for getting the right set up for hooking up with these fish produced great results. I started out freelining shrimp because the tide was almost slack. That method produced a couple of nice keepers. I then crimped on a couple of small split shots as the current started moving and had good results with that rig as well. The best set up I discovered was fishing with what is know as the knocker rig.
Here are a few tips that will help you catch sheepshead:
1. Use a number one size short shank hook, not a one ought, but the smaller #1 hook. The Owner brand is by far the sharpest hook I've ever used, choose that one if you can.
2. Match the sinker size to how swift the current is. I was using 1/4 to 1/2 once weights in this video. It's best if the bait moves along the bottom a little bit when fishing in rocks like I was.
3. The small to medium sized live shrimp seem to work best. If you have a really large one, break it in half or thirds depending upon how large the shrimp is. They will devour the pieces if the shrimp is freshly broken while alive.
4. If you are fishing in the rocks like I was in this video unhook your fish over some sort of container. These stripped fish are powerful when the flop in you hands. You don't want to drop one in the rocks and lose your catch.
5. Consider fishing with straight mono because you are going to have to rig often. These fish hang out around structure, plan on getting hung up a lot and breaking off. If you use braided line with a fluorocarbon or mono leader, you're going to spend a lot of time rigging leaders. I find it's a lot faster to just use mono on the reel. I was using fifteen pound test line on the reel in this video.
Those are the best tips I can give you for catching sheepshead. I went fishing in a boat the following day and caught a pile of these stripped fish again, in a different location, using the same knocker rig. Try it! If the fish are hungry, you'll catch a bucket full of them!