Sheepshead

Category: Inshore

Trip Type: Inshore / Nearshore

Sheepshead are structure-loving inshore fish known for human-like teeth, tricky bites, and outstanding table fare.

Appearance

Sheepshead are easy to recognize thanks to their distinctive black vertical bars set against a silver or gray body. Their most famous feature is a mouth full of human-like teeth, including incisors and powerful grinding teeth used to crush crabs, barnacles, oysters, and other hard-shelled prey. They also possess sharp dorsal and anal fin spines that should be handled carefully.

Habitat

Sheepshead are commonly found around docks, piers, pilings, jetties, seawalls, oyster reefs, bridges, and other hard structure throughout Louisiana’s coastal waters. They prefer areas where barnacles, oysters, and crustaceans are abundant and can often be found in both saltwater and brackish environments.

Average Size

Most sheepshead caught in Louisiana waters weigh between 2 and 8 pounds, although fish exceeding 10 pounds are considered trophies. Exceptional specimens can reach 15 pounds or more.

Best Time to Catch

Winter and early spring are often considered the best times to target sheepshead, as large numbers gather around structure and become more concentrated during spawning periods.

Fishing Tips

Live shrimp, fiddler crabs, and small pieces of crab are among the most effective baits for sheepshead. Focus on docks, pilings, jetties, bridges, and oyster reefs where fish feed on crustaceans. Watch your line carefully, as sheepshead bites are often subtle and easy to miss.

Louisiana State Record

21.25 pounds — caught by Wayne Desselle in 1982. A sheepshead exceeding 20 pounds is an extraordinary catch and remains one of Louisiana’s most impressive inshore fishing records.

Fun Fact

The name sheepshead comes from the fish’s unusual teeth, which closely resemble those of a sheep or even a human.