Sheepshead Guide — Shell Beach, LA

You're targeting structure, so forget open water. Sheepshead live on pilings, oyster reefs, and the rock jetties east of the boat launch. The old bridge supports near Delacroix hold fish year-round, but late winter through April is prime—water's cooler and they're feeding hard before the spawn.

For rigging, keep it simple. Use a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook on 20-pound fluorocarbon leader, about 18 inches long. Tie it to your main line with a surgeon's knot. The circle hook matters because sheepshead crush baits—you want that hook set naturally without you jerking. Go with a basic three-way rig if you're bouncing bottom near structure: main line, a 12-inch dropper for a 1-ounce sinker, and your leader running separate.

Bait-wise, live fiddler crabs work best. Hook them through the shell on the back, not through the legs. If fiddlers aren't running, use Gulp shrimp or fresh-killed mullet chunks. Sheepshead have teeth and will shred soft bait, so expect some lost offerings.

Sheepshead will also hit live shrimp if you have access to some and have a way to keep them alive during your outing. Most sporting goods stores sell relatively inexpensive live bait wells, that are battery powered. One trick to using this approach is to make sure the water temperature is maintained and not allowed to get too warm. You can replace with fresh water or use frozen bottles of water periodically, to maintain a safe water temperature.

Fish the incoming tide when water's moving toward the marsh. That's when they feed most actively. Drop your rig tight to those pilings, keep slight tension on the line, and wait. Any pier, dock, or concrete structure will provide a great environment for landing a Sheepshead. The barnacles will live on any of these structures, under the water line. You'll feel taps before the real bite. Don't set too hard—let the circle hook do the work. The same pilings and structure that hold sheepshead at Shell Beach also hold redfish. The Shell Beach redfish guide covers the tidal cuts and bayou fishing in the same water.