# Sheepshead - The never ending battle



## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

One of my favorite fishes to catch never tried flying for them but wonder if it would help to make the crab a male ,with major claw ,wonder what they would think about it ? Male fiddler have a large claw the major and a smaller claw the minor, Whereas the females have two small claws....i know they usually hit the claw first cause ive pulled up many and the major claw was gone with one bump! Just a idea 💡

Id make the major claw out of a lighter color, lots are white at tips...


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

You are on to something there. The Permit guys use a popular fly called the Strong arm crab. It capitalizes on that exact aspect. I may try tying up a small version and see what happens. Lord knows I get plenty of shots. It's all of the refusals that will humble a person.


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Where are you located? In Florida bay they are about impossible sight fishing them. We have caught 1 on the fly but have all but given up. The fly hits the water. Poof.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

I'm from Mississippi. People saying it's a numbers game aren't kidding. It feels like 50 refusals for every bite. Plus every bite doesn't equal a hook up.

But "Poof" is pretty accurate for 90% of my encounters. I had one day that stood out from all of the rest one year. The dang things were everywhere and feeding aggressively. I caught 7 in one day, never again.


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

Cajun permit!! I will always throw at them if I see them, usually with no success..... have you tried Kung fu crab fly? I enjoy targeting them and if I get decent sized one I'll keep it and eat it that night.


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## Loogie (Jul 24, 2019)

Those prison suit bastards are going to be my demise, I have targeted them for years, in Ding Darling. 0 for a bazillion tries. Total respect at someone that deliberately targets them and catches one. A by catch or surprise catch doesn’t count in my book…


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

Fishshoot said:


> Cajun permit!! I will always throw at them if I see them, usually with no success..... have you tried Kung fu crab fly? I enjoy targeting them and if I get decent sized one I'll keep it and eat it that night.


I haven't yet. The two flies above have been my main presentation. I've read where some people swear by hard bodied flies to get them to throw it back to the crushers. I've been following one guy in particular that went down to a #8 fly and believes the smaller the better wins out. I honestly don't thing I could tie a Alphlexo on a #8. But I'm thinking about trying a Strong arm in a #8.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

Loogie said:


> Those prison suit bastards are going to be my demise, I have targeted them for years, in Ding Darling. 0 for a bazillion tries. Total respect at someone that deliberately targets them and catches one. A by catch or surprise catch doesn’t count in my book…


I am lucky to be able to spend a lot of time on the water. At least it seems like a lot to me, guides excluded. I agree with the by catch comment. I have caught a few that way and it's almost insulting to the times I'm actually trying.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

That Kung fu crab fly l👀ks really good 👍


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## WC53 (Dec 2, 2015)

My only sheepy on the fly came casting to something else. They just toy with me at this point, 20’ away just a waving….. my new strategy is just to hit them and get their attention 

If only a fiddler would stay on, lol


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## Dbems92 (Jan 12, 2020)

I have had luck with Lexos pop up crab. Throw it three feet away, quick tiny strips tell the fish sees it. Then a slow slide just to stay tight to the fly.


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## Flyfish40 (Sep 23, 2019)

My go to sheepy fly In east coast FL.









I like slow slow long strips … if the fish is looking at at and doesn’teat it I’ll do 2 tiny bumps and then don’t move the fly … looks like a crab trying to dig in the sand to hide.


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## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

They aren’t that hard


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## Flyfish40 (Sep 23, 2019)

Capt.Ron said:


> They aren’t that hard


Not in Louisiana! Love your fishery


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Ha right! Louisiana doesn’t count! I caught one there and it was the first one I had ever seen!


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## MikeCockman (8 mo ago)

My winter nemesis. They tend to come in pretty thick here in the winter, and for the last two years have been my target fish. Both bow fishing and sight fishing. I’ve had zero luck with both..lol. Last year I did finally target some spots with live fiddlers and was pretty successful, but that’s not rewarding to me personally. I’ve got a new bow rig for em this year though, just waiting for the temps to drop enough for em to push up in river. 
Never even considered targeting them with a fly. Sounds like a fun challenge though.


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## neueklasse (Dec 25, 2019)

I’m more impressed by the flexo crab tied on a #6


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

Capt.Ron said:


> They aren’t that hard


You have no idea how I wish that were true!


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

neueklasse said:


> I’m more impressed by the flexo crab tied on a #6


It's not fun but I absolutely love the end results. That 1/8" tubing and my fat fingers don't make it easy.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

MikeCockman said:


> My winter nemesis. They tend to come in pretty thick here in the winter, and for the last two years have been my target fish. Both bow fishing and sight fishing. I’ve had zero luck with both..lol. Last year I did finally target some spots with live fiddlers and was pretty successful, but that’s not rewarding to me personally. I’ve got a new bow rig for em this year though, just waiting for the temps to drop enough for em to push up in river.
> Never even considered targeting them with a fly. Sounds like a fun challenge though.


For me it seems the hardest to get their attention when they are tailing and rooting around in the mud. My best luck seems to come with at least 2 or more are schooled up. Single fish rarely show interest. Much less bite.


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## Tyler White (Jun 11, 2018)

Sheepshead On The Fly In Southwest Florida


Sheepshead have developed a reputation that rivals permit, they are hard to catch on a fly but are super exciting because you are sight fishing to tailing fish on shallow oyster beds and can see the take.




www.askaboutflyfishing.com





Here’s a great podcast with my buddy, Codty Pierce, all about sheepies. He’s been considered by some as the”Del Brown” of sheepshead, great info in it!


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

Tyler White said:


> Sheepshead On The Fly In Southwest Florida
> 
> 
> Sheepshead have developed a reputation that rivals permit, they are hard to catch on a fly but are super exciting because you are sight fishing to tailing fish on shallow oyster beds and can see the take.
> ...


Very nice! I'll check it out asap. Thanks for the info.


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## Bmgfish32 (Apr 25, 2020)

I take a very different approach to sheeps than most. I upscale my strong arm (size 1 or 1/0), and I'm also more aggressive with my presentation. I will take a big strip to rip the crab past them and get their attention. Then I strip it as quickly as I can with little ticks (only using your wrist). I try to get the fish fired up and jump on it instead of giving him time to inspect it.


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## TR. (Sep 28, 2019)

My buddy was banging the mangroves for snook on my version of an Everglades Special and caught one, surprised the hell out of me:


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

These fish we all fish for are way different in difference locations. Maybe it is what they are mainly feeding on? Maybe not. But I know this: an east coast FL sheepshead is HARD to catch on a fly. Likewise, black drum are considerably easier or harder depending on where they are. In SoFl they are stupid hard....places up north they are stupid, period. Anyway, carry on. It's a good read.


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## Jared D (Mar 17, 2018)

I hate Sheepies. I am convinced that no-one has ever landed a sheepshead on fly and that all pictures posted showing otherwise are falsified.
I have cast at way too many and had way too many flip me off with their pectoral to believe they eat anything attached to a fly rod.

I also believe that bigfoot flatulence is responsible for climate change.


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## bob_esper (Jun 3, 2021)

I've only seen them during one 3 day trip and we caught right around 50% of them. . they'd cruise right up to within 7-8' of the boat and eat a fly. Really fun fighting fish. Never seen one in Florida though.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

mwolaver said:


> These fish we all fish for are way different in difference locations. Maybe it is what they are mainly feeding on? Maybe not. But I know this: an east coast FL sheepshead is HARD to catch on a fly. Likewise, black drum are considerably easier or harder depending on where they are. In SoFl they are stupid hard....places up north they are stupid, period. Anyway, carry on. It's a good read.


I agree, the ones in La seem to cooperate a little more. They also seem to take small baitfish patterns better than crustations.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

Jared D said:


> I hate Sheepies. I am convinced that no-one has ever landed a sheepshead on fly and that all pictures posted showing otherwise are falsified.
> I have cast at way too many and had way too many flip me off with their pectoral to believe they eat anything attached to a fly rod.
> 
> I also believe that bigfoot flatulence is responsible for climate change.


Almost as frustrating as trying to find a 10mm socket...


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

bob_esper said:


> I've only seen them during one 3 day trip and we caught right around 50% of them. . they'd cruise right up to within 7-8' of the boat and eat a fly. Really fun fighting fish. Never seen one in Florida though.


Something like that is what started this whole thing for me. I caught 7 in one day and got it all on film. Been chasing the dragon since then.


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

Cej2525 said:


> I mostly throw Alphlexo crabs and another fly I tie up that's a lot like a bonefish bunny. Both of these in a #6. I have found close contact with the fly on a slow drag works well. It's also imperative that they are happy and undisturbed or you get them bolting away like a top fuel dragster.


Judging by your post, you already know everything you will get from an internet forum. Whatever details that you can learn beyond your current knowledge to better yourself have to be learned from experience by reading fish and trial and error. 

Sheephead aren't terribly "difficult" but you can't just make one eat like some other fish. You have to catch one in the right scenario.

Flies: Like you said, small crabs that mimic the color of the bottom - for me its dark olive, black or brown. However, I've seen them eat flies you would throw at a bull redfish and have heard stories about them eating poppers and one that even lunged out of the water to eat a fly hanging from a strand of marsh grass. 

Fishing Stripping Technique: Again, as you mentioned, SLLLOOOOOOWWWW drag. Sometimes that means just holding tight or even feeding line out depending on the boat movement.

The MOST important thing is finding the right scenario - a happy feeding fish. A friend and I once went 50% on sheepies because all of the fish we saw were nose down/tail up feeding. 

A couple other things that I have seen/been told/believe based on my fishing experience - Sheepshead have excellent vision which is why they act so spooky. If a cast is anywhere in the vicinity, the fish knows it's there - don't move it much or at all. Your hand has been dealt and what will happen will happen. The fish will either come and eat the fly or it won't eat it - and you won't likely convince it to (except in one of those crazy hungry fish). A fish that follows the fly more than a couple of feet is just watching and will NOT eat. I'm not sure about other places, but sheepies in Louisiana have a diet higher in vegetation than most people think - which is why small olive flies that are near motionless work for some people. Like permit, sheepies on a reef, structure etc. are a completely different animal than those you find on the flat. They are in a much more eating mood and are more likely to take a fly.


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

Jared D said:


> I hate Sheepies. I am convinced that no-one has ever landed a sheepshead on fly and that all pictures posted showing otherwise are falsified.
> I have cast at way too many and had way too many flip me off with their pectoral to believe they eat anything attached to a fly rod.
> 
> I also believe that bigfoot flatulence is responsible for climate change.


Jared, concerning your post from the 10/11wt thread....... "I don't think they are catchable- ever." Answer a few questions for me and let's see if we can get you to catch one.

What kind of fly are you throwing at them?

How are you stripping the fly?

What are the fish doing when you cast at them?


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

kjnengr said:


> Judging by your post, you already know everything you will get from an internet forum. Whatever details that you can learn beyond your current knowledge to better yourself have to be learned from experience by reading fish and trial and error.
> 
> Sheephead aren't terribly "difficult" but you can't just make one eat like some other fish. You have to catch one in the right scenario.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the information. I will say a few things have been brought to my attention I want to try. 

I think I need darker colors. Though most of my flies are natural colors, they tend to be on the lighter side. 

I fish slow, but maybe not slow enough.

I also want to try some smaller flies. #8 here I come.


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

Cej2525 said:


> Thanks for the information. I will say a few things have been brought to my attention I want to try.
> 
> I think I need darker colors. Though most of my flies are natural colors, they tend to be on the lighter side.
> 
> ...


I googled some images of juvenile blue crabs when I started tying flies to specifically target sheepies as I believe that’s the majority of small crabs in my estuary ( I could be wrong). Pretty much every image I saw had crabs that darker than even their adult counterparts.

I will say that I add a touch of bright orange to my flies. It helps me see the fly and be able to read my strips and allow me to stay connected visually to the fly.

Considering the strip speed, I like the fly moving painfully slow. Like I said earlier, the boat movement dictates retrieve rate. Sometimes by the time I spot the fish, it’s hard to stop the boat completely and if the boat is drifting away from the fish, no strip is even needed. 

Now let me say this…. I’ve only ever caught 4 in my life so don’t think I’m an expert but I rarely stack the odds in my favor as I’m almost always targeting other fish. Also I mostly come across cruisers which I haven’t found to be reliable eaters. I feel like if you want to catch sheeps, you have to focus on them.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

There is some good info in this thread. I target sheepies and have been for a few years. Over that time, we've picked up a few things that seem to up our chances. The only constant with them is they are totally unpredictable.
First, I like to try to approach them poling upwind. This allows me to use the wind to stop the boat without using the pole or making any other disturbances to the water. They are already skittish and they don't need any extra help getting spooked. Generally I like to present the fly pretty close to the fish. A few strips to get the fly in front of the fish or enough to get its attention and then stop. I like to just keep my line tight and give the fly the slightest bump to keep them interested. Watch the fish and not the fly for the eat. They will almost always roll and turn down on to the fly to eat. It will happen fast but when you see the fish flash and/or flare its gills, then it is time to set. I tend to use small crab or crab like patterns more than shrimp patterns. Flies with natural material like marabou and rabbit seem to get more eats than synthetics. I don't use any glue or epoxy on my sheepy flies. Green and green tones, with little or no flash. Bigger sheeps are generally more likely to eat the fly than the little ones. If you see a sheepy burn off don't bother trying to cast to it. We figure it takes around 20-30 casts per fish to hand.
These are of course our observed generalizations. We've had days where they were tailing every 10 feet and we got eats almost every one we cast at. We've also caught them on just about every fly and fly color that we were throwing at redfish. I've caught them in South Texas crystal clear water, lots of them on my home waters on the upper Texas coast, Sabine lake on the border of Texas and Lousiana and of course in the marshes around DuLarge and Hopedale, Louisiana. Looking forward to trying them in Florida in the IRL when we head back over that way.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

As soon as this weatber cooperates I'm putting some of these tactics to the test.

For now I'm about to go sit at my vise and try tying my first strong arm. Or at least some variation of it.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

I've never gone out to specifically target them, but I throw at every one I run across. This has resulted in marginal success over the years and I've never come up with a rhyme or reason for the ones that _did_ eat. One day I can recall, I was on the pointy end and came across a sheepy, made a cast and it ate. So as is customary, my buddy got on the pointy end after I released it. I pole into the next little cove where we saw another sheepy. He made a cast and it ate as well. Two sheepies in hand in less than 10 minutes. Those days are rare. 

Another day I can recall we were poling along on a grassy flat surrounded by dozens of sheepies all milling about. You could pole right by them within an arms length , but none of them would eat. Curious creatures for sure.


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## salt_fly (Apr 23, 2012)

Here you go...the truth:








"Moody Sheepshead" — Sporting Art of Paul Puckett


9 x 12 on archival textured paper. Limited ed. of 50




paulpuckettart.com


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Probably 8-9 years ago my buddy and I were winter wading before daylight with topwaters and he has a fish explode on his pink Skitterwalk. We both thought it was a nice trout and ended up being a 6 pound sheepshead. That was the only time I’ve ever seen or heard of one eating a topwater plug. I’ve never caught one on the long rod but it will happen one day.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

Something else that I wanted to add. When I decided to start targeting them more than redfish is when I went to the 6wt. I noticed less fish spooking from my line laying out. In the beginning I wouldn't throw at reds over about 20-22" from fear of being under gunned. Couple that with a #6 hook, 12lb tippet and it just seemed to make sense. Boy was I wrong. Over the period of about a year I learned exactly what that rig could and could not do. And I can easily say you can land a big fish on a that 6wt set up. I fish with it exclusively in the marsh and only up size when the fly or wind dictates it. I also think the smaller flies have upped my catch rate on reds and trout. Maybe they aren't as threatening. I think this is applicable to the topic. In she sense of you can target Sheepshead but that doesn't mean you have to pass up a good shot at a red or trout due to the equipment. If it's 10lbs or under, I'm casting at it.

I have been helping a few folks learn to fly fish at my home. The fly fishing bucket exercise is one I highly recommend. Most will be surprised how much force they are really sending to the hook.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

Cej2525 said:


> Something else that I wanted to add. When I decided to start targeting them more than redfish is when I went to the 6wt. I noticed less fish spooking from my line laying out. In the beginning I wouldn't throw at reds over about 20-22" from fear of being under gunned. Couple that with a #6 hook, 12lb tippet and it just seemed to make sense. Boy was I wrong. Over the period of about a year I learned exactly what that rig could and could not do. And I can easily say you can land a big fish on a that 6wt set up. I fish with it exclusively in the marsh and only up size when the fly or wind dictates it. I also think the smaller flies have upped my catch rate on reds and trout. Maybe they aren't as threatening. I think this is applicable to the topic. In she sense of you can target Sheepshead but that doesn't mean you have to pass up a good shot at a red or trout due to the equipment. If it's 10lbs or under, I'm casting at it.
> 
> I have been helping a few folks learn to fly fish at my home. The fly fishing bucket exercise is one I highly recommend. Most will be surprised how much force they are really sending to the hook.


My primary stick for sheeps and reds is also a 6wt. I fish 12lb tippet and #4 or #2 sized hooks depending on the hook maker and model as there is no standard. I do prefer a wider gap thin wire hook for sheeps like the Gamakatsu SC15. I'll cast at just about anything with my 6wt. Landed a 45+lb black drum last January while out sheep herding. Just gotta pull on them longer.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

jay.bush1434 said:


> My primary stick for sheeps and reds is also a 6wt. I fish 12lb tippet and #4 or #2 sized hooks depending on the hook maker and model as there is no standard. I do prefer a wider gap thin wire hook for sheeps like the Gamakatsu SC15. I'll cast at just about anything with my 6wt. Landed a 45+lb black drum last January while out sheep herding. Just gotta pull on them longer.


I have a lot of faith in my 6wt. Landed some decent juvenile tarpon in Florida this year with it. It was only my second trip going after them. But I was told the area we were targeting them in that a 6wt or even 5wt was a must. Those two trips taught me a lot.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

I'm happy with them. It's my first time tying the "Toad" style cross sections of the body. Takes a little getting use to. I used rabbit for the collar and EP for the body. The picture is a #8. I tied #8 and #6.


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

That fly looks great for sheepies!


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

@Cej2525, that strongarm and your flexo crabs are all you need in my opinion.


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

kjnengr said:


> @Cej2525, that strongarm and your flexo crabs are all you need in my opinion.


Thanks, I will say that the Tan and Fuchsia rabbit fly has accounted for more than half of my catch. I almost fish with it exclusively. I think it's because my first Sheep came on one. It's a high confidence fly for me. I usually throw a #6. I've caught a lot of species on it. Matter of fact I won a species tournament in my fly club with it. Tarpon love it if Purple.

But the Flexo's just look so dang good. I get more attention with it when they aren't very active or nosed down. I've caught the occasional cruiser on the rabbit fly.


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## Capt.Ron (Mar 5, 2014)

the wife got one this afternoon


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## Cej2525 (Jan 22, 2019)

Capt.Ron said:


> the wife got one this afternoon
> View attachment 226598


That is a stud! Tell her I said congrats please sir. Pictures like these fuel the fire. Thanks for sharing.


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Tell ya what
58 degree water today and every sheepshead I casted to went after my fly. Water temps definitely make a difference.


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