Sheepshead are running strong in Florida Shore waters right now. They are one of the more tricky fish to catch because of their extremely tough mouths and large teeth. Many Sheepshead fishermen use live bait hooks but miss many fish by setting the hook at the first sign of a hit. There is another way!
Circle Hooks
Circle hooks are becoming more and more popular inshore in Florida. They nearly eliminate “gut hooking” a fish and almost always hooks the fish in the corner of the mouth (one of the Sheepsheads few week spots). With these attributes, circle hooks are becoming the favorite hook for some Sheepshead anglers.
How to Fish for Sheepshead using Circle Hooks
- Using a 12-16” 20lb leader place a 1/0 circle hook at the bottom.
- Above the leader place a egg sinker just large enough to hold bottom against the current
- For bait use fiddler crabs of small live shrimp
- When the first hit is detected allow the Sheepshead some slack to allow it to eat the bait
- After about 5-7 seconds put pressure on the fish and it will hook its slef.
Using a Circle Hook while fishing for Sheepshead can increase the amount of hook ups if done correctly. It is important to be patient and most of all, to have fun!
