sheepshead? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

lowprofile · 12-04-2011, 07:32 PM

heard the sheepshead were being caught at La Jolla. was out today and soaking squid in the kelp, lots of bass and rockfish, but no sheepies in sight. didnt see or hear any from the boats either.

how do you guys target these things?

bus kid · 12-04-2011, 08:06 PM

drop shot fresh dead shrimp.

driftwood · 12-04-2011, 08:57 PM

Use lobster for bait.

just kidding, target them the same way you target rock fish live squid is best. sheepsheads are few and far between so if you hook one up, consider it a winnig lottery ticket.

Hunter (The 80's Man) · 12-05-2011, 01:38 PM

Sheephead eat straight off the bottom. they like to pick through the rocks. I have always had good success with a carolina rig and cutbait will work well also.

steveooo · 12-05-2011, 10:42 PM

Weird reply. Working today, driving up Bolsa Chica, about to get on the 22 East. Stopped at a light, i see some fish on the side of the road... WTF?!?

5 good size sheeps 5 - 8 lbs & one RF all dumped in a pile on the side of the road, miles from the ocean. I tried to figure out some theories, but I'm stumped.

/

Anybody like 48 hrs mystery

driftwood · 12-06-2011, 06:44 AM

Some poacher saw the DFG up ahead and thru them out the window last second ditch.

mystery solved.

I'm pretty sure the poacher was Yani. Remeber, you didn't hear it from me.

lamb · 12-06-2011, 07:47 AM

Steve, that's a puzzler...

I've heard of all this goats buzz, but we were not catching them when after rockfish. Then last Sunday, we cought a couple of nice ones in the same area we were rock-fishing, about 180 ft out... Look for marks on the bottom around lobster pots.

The canyon slope right outside the yellow buoys as you're paddling out (or coming back in) has traditionally been a good spot for the goats. Maybe 100 yards out past the yellow reserve can, where the bottom drops from 110 to 180+ steeply... It's a small section; try drifting that very edge / drop-off... When in 200 ft go back and repeat the drift 130ish feet, over the canyon edge. We haven't tried it lately, but that place has been producing rockfish over the years, and often had goats in the mix with other rockfish.

Hurry up - that spot will be off limits as MLPA kicks in on 1/1/12.

bus kid · 12-06-2011, 08:35 AM

Steve looks like they bounced out of the cooler in the back of someones truck, how did they taste?

lowprofile · 12-06-2011, 08:32 PM

thanks for all the help guys!

The Kid · 12-07-2011, 12:56 PM

This was yesterday's carnage. WFO Sheeps all you can eat. All of them were big average 4-5 lbs with some dinks every now and then. Keep at it they are there. All on squid.

blitzburgh · 12-07-2011, 01:47 PM

NICE! Coordinates pleeaaase

.

taggermike · 12-07-2011, 03:26 PM

I always thought s-heads were rare because I didn't catch them often. Once I started spearfishing I realized they are common but don't eat lures or fin bait. We went on a brood stock collection at the buccaneer beach pipeline when I worked at the Hubbs hatchery. We used market shrimp, ghost shrimp, crawdads, and squid and we caught a load of them. Any thing with a shell and fished right on a rocky bottom ought to work. Don't use light line, less than 30lb, because sheepies will hole up on you. Mike

blackcloud9 · 12-07-2011, 04:06 PM

Nice stringer Kevin. SeaSamurai.com will put you on fish tacos if u want!

I've even caught sheeps on straight plastics in the kelp, no scent, and not
Gulp. The other week I got them all on squid.

The last bigger one that I got was chock full of crushed sea urchin.

Fishing the outer kelp edges, if your meter is solid black top to bottom
with baitfish, you are in a worthwhile spot. Even though it doesn't make
sense to me that they would follow the bait, they do. 'Locate the bait'.

http://www.seaforthlanding.com/pages...p?fish_count=1
.... btw well it looks like the 'New Seaforth' ONLY caught 55 sheeps this
morning for 11 lucky anglers!!!

I take a mental note on where they are fishing every morning. Its a little
difficult to be 'stealth' when you are 85' long, and bright white. : )

Just my 2c for my kayak buddies on here.

******************

Also worth noting:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/bfregs2011.asp#south

Lingcod min length is now 22" and they are allowed to be taken until Jan 1.

lowprofile · 12-07-2011, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Kid

This was yesterday's carnage. WFO Sheeps all you can eat. All of them were big average 4-5 lbs with some dinks every now and then. Keep at it they are there. All on squid.

not anymore... lol. your all over those rockfish and sheeps. I was with my buddy and met you when you landed Sat. afternoon. seen the haul you got that day too.

12-04-2011, 07:32 PM	#1
lowprofile #1 on fishstick's hitlist Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sea level Posts: 1,478	sheepshead? heard the sheepshead were being caught at La Jolla. was out today and soaking squid in the kelp, lots of bass and rockfish, but no sheepies in sight. didnt see or hear any from the boats either. how do you guys target these things?

12-04-2011, 08:06 PM	#2
bus kid Team Keine Zugehörigkeit Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Way out there Posts: 2,854	drop shot fresh dead shrimp. __________________ Não alimente os trolls------------Don't feed the trolls---------------インタネット荒らしを無視しろ

12-04-2011, 08:57 PM	#3
driftwood Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 1,086	Use lobster for bait. just kidding, target them the same way you target rock fish live squid is best. sheepsheads are few and far between so if you hook one up, consider it a winnig lottery ticket. Last edited by driftwood; 12-05-2011 at 06:49 AM.

12-05-2011, 01:38 PM	#4
Hunter (The 80's Man) Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Riverside Posts: 243	Sheephead eat straight off the bottom. they like to pick through the rocks. I have always had good success with a carolina rig and cutbait will work well also. __________________ What's in YOUR hatch?

12-06-2011, 07:47 AM	#7
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,568	Steve, that's a puzzler... I've heard of all this goats buzz, but we were not catching them when after rockfish. Then last Sunday, we cought a couple of nice ones in the same area we were rock-fishing, about 180 ft out... Look for marks on the bottom around lobster pots. The canyon slope right outside the yellow buoys as you're paddling out (or coming back in) has traditionally been a good spot for the goats. Maybe 100 yards out past the yellow reserve can, where the bottom drops from 110 to 180+ steeply... It's a small section; try drifting that very edge / drop-off... When in 200 ft go back and repeat the drift 130ish feet, over the canyon edge. We haven't tried it lately, but that place has been producing rockfish over the years, and often had goats in the mix with other rockfish. Hurry up - that spot will be off limits as MLPA kicks in on 1/1/12. __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

12-05-2011, 10:42 PM	#5
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Weird reply. Working today, driving up Bolsa Chica, about to get on the 22 East. Stopped at a light, i see some fish on the side of the road... WTF?!? 5 good size sheeps 5 - 8 lbs & one RF all dumped in a pile on the side of the road, miles from the ocean. I tried to figure out some theories, but I'm stumped. / Anybody like 48 hrs mystery

12-06-2011, 06:44 AM	#6
driftwood Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: SAN DIEGO Posts: 1,086	Some poacher saw the DFG up ahead and thru them out the window last second ditch. mystery solved. I'm pretty sure the poacher was Yani. Remeber, you didn't hear it from me.

12-06-2011, 08:35 AM	#8
bus kid Team Keine Zugehörigkeit Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Way out there Posts: 2,854	Steve looks like they bounced out of the cooler in the back of someones truck, how did they taste? __________________ Não alimente os trolls------------Don't feed the trolls---------------インタネット荒らしを無視しろ

12-06-2011, 08:32 PM	#9
lowprofile #1 on fishstick's hitlist Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sea level Posts: 1,478	thanks for all the help guys!

12-07-2011, 12:56 PM	#10
The Kid Loves Surface Irons Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 455	This was yesterday's carnage. WFO Sheeps all you can eat. All of them were big average 4-5 lbs with some dinks every now and then. Keep at it they are there. All on squid.

12-07-2011, 01:47 PM	#11
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	NICE! Coordinates pleeaaase . __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

12-07-2011, 03:26 PM	#12
taggermike Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chula Vista Posts: 1,589	I always thought s-heads were rare because I didn't catch them often. Once I started spearfishing I realized they are common but don't eat lures or fin bait. We went on a brood stock collection at the buccaneer beach pipeline when I worked at the Hubbs hatchery. We used market shrimp, ghost shrimp, crawdads, and squid and we caught a load of them. Any thing with a shell and fished right on a rocky bottom ought to work. Don't use light line, less than 30lb, because sheepies will hole up on you. Mike

12-07-2011, 04:06 PM	#13
blackcloud9 Kayaker Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Big Rock, WindanSea, La Jolla Posts: 413	Nice stringer Kevin. SeaSamurai.com will put you on fish tacos if u want! I've even caught sheeps on straight plastics in the kelp, no scent, and not Gulp. The other week I got them all on squid. The last bigger one that I got was chock full of crushed sea urchin. Fishing the outer kelp edges, if your meter is solid black top to bottom with baitfish, you are in a worthwhile spot. Even though it doesn't make sense to me that they would follow the bait, they do. 'Locate the bait'. http://www.seaforthlanding.com/pages...p?fish_count=1 .... btw well it looks like the 'New Seaforth' ONLY caught 55 sheeps this morning for 11 lucky anglers!!! I take a mental note on where they are fishing every morning. Its a little difficult to be 'stealth' when you are 85' long, and bright white. : ) Just my 2c for my kayak buddies on here. ****************** Also worth noting: http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/bfregs2011.asp#south Lingcod min length is now 22" and they are allowed to be taken until Jan 1.