# Sheephead on fly??



## Bonecracker (Mar 29, 2007)

Went looking for Redfish the other Thanksgiving Holidays and we saw a lot of Sheephead moving over sandy bottom! Has anyone caught them on fly?? Any Suggestions?


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## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

I've had success using some of my micro bonefish flies. The best being a dark olive micro Kwan style fly tied on a SL45 size 10. One of my favorites for super finicky tailing bonefish. Believe it or not, but this fly has takin bonefish well over 10lbs. Sorry, no picture. Lol. 

The hardest part is getting the hook set. I've found it's best to watch your line vs the fish. There take is so subtle. Try to keep the fly moving slowly. Really slow. They may nimble a bunch before they actually commit. Go for a light strip strike. That way, you don't pull the fly to far away if you've missed. And, the fish will likely dart right back up to the fly again. 

Think small and dark colored. May take a dozen attempts to dial it in. And, even then, the suckers are tough to fool.


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## mingo gringo (Dec 1, 2015)

Good luck! I have caught more permit on fly. Only been able to fool a few,every time i did it was on a size 8 tan crazy charlie,but defenitly dont regularly target them. Sheepshead are so spooky in shallow clear water.


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## rhettstark (Aug 13, 2014)

I know here in Louisiana the sheephead eat on the barnacles on trees and other structure, super hard to catch only one I've got in the boat was bc I foul hooked but have had a couple chase a very small white fly I will post pic of it but I have never had any success getting them to eat


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## scissorhands (Apr 8, 2012)

Here is the pattern I use. I've caught 4 this tear on the fly and casted at many more. They don't always eat, but they do from time to time

http://marshflyusa.com/journal/2015/4/13/the-texas-permit


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Capt. Eli Whidden said:


> I've had success using some of my micro bonefish flies. The best being a dark olive micro Kwan style fly tied on a SL45 size 10. One of my favorites for super finicky tailing bonefish. Believe it or not, but this fly has takin bonefish well over 10lbs. Sorry, no picture. Lol.
> 
> The hardest part is getting the hook set. I've found it's best to watch your line vs the fish. There take is so subtle. Try to keep the fly moving slowly. Really slow. They may nimble a bunch before they actually commit. Go for a light strip strike. That way, you don't pull the fly to far away if you've missed. And, the fish will likely dart right back up to the fly again.
> 
> Think small and dark colored. May take a dozen attempts to dial it in. And, even then, the suckers are tough to fool.


X2 Small dark flies that look like sea grass or moss green. I have only tried to target them once only because I stumbled on some kind of spawn in early spring. I think we caught six that day. There is a good fly example in Texas Saltwater Classics by Greg Berlocher 2001. The only sheepshead fly in the book is called a green weenie. It works. The tyer, Les Lehman, and his fishing partner landed thirty sheepshead in a weekend using his fly. He opens the hook a little for better hook sets.


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## NoeSmyrnaBch (Aug 19, 2013)

My buddy snagged one on our last trip. We knew they were in the area, but this was a surprise take. His first, and first fish on his new reel. It ate a small black/purple kwan looking fly. Pretty cool


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

2 of the main crabs they eat down here in Fla. that are black, are rock crabs and mangrove crabs. So I can see why he ate it! The kwans resemble crabs swimming sideways and can look like a shrimp, depending on which direction you look at it. I tie a dark crab that they eat as well.

I'm working on a reply for this sheephead thread. Yes they do eat flies!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Will they eat? Yes they will under the right circumstances, the right fly and the right presentation. I've gotten plenty to eat on flats, where there are wash holes with shells, oysters and or rocks in and around them. Also around oysterbars up in the flats. You'll see them when you’re looking for redfish around those spots. The key to those flats sheepies is “what are you throwing to them.” Very short tan or tan and white bonefish clousers, small natural colored weighted shrimp patterns, small natural colored bonefish sliders and the best one would be small crab patterns (I'll get into that subject later). These flies should be no bigger than 1” to no more than 1.5” total length tied on very sharp #4 and even a #6 hooks. I’ll tie my crabs with shells size no bigger than a dime, tied on a #2 Owner Mosquito hooks (or something else sharp) with the hook riding up (and hook riding up on all the above flies). Don’t worry, if a redfish is around they will inhale it!  I also like to tie on a piece of fluoro weed guard (20-30lb) to keep from getting hung up. I normally would use any flash but have had some success with a few strands of dark flash or in the crabs, I’ve even used just a couple of strands of purple cut short.

If the water is shallow I will use a floating fly line with a fluoro leader system (long) and try to only use a 20lb bite tippet Throwing these flies, you can et away with a 6-8wt rod. I'll use a 2-3ft 10-12lb tippet or I've been known to go straight 15lb fluoro from my butt leader. If it's 3ft deep+ I'll got to a clear intermediate sink tip floating line or a full clear intermediate sink line. For very deep water (which I'll explain later), If I know they'll be there, I'll bring a full sink line or throw a lead core head on an intermediate line. You can buy the straight lead core line from a shop that carries Cortland products. It usually comes in 50ft lengths. I will usually cut it in half (about 25ft) and service a loop on both ends. Then you simply thread it on to the end of your fly line and add your leader to the other end.

So getting back to the shallower flats where there are small holes, oyster bars and structure. They can be as spooky as bonefish, so your approach has to be stealthy when it's shallow. All these flies above will catch reds if they are there, but you have a chance to catch a sheephead on them as well (and believe me, they are a hoot on the fly rod). So the fly should be weighted since these fish are always looking down. Try to work the areas that are just beyond the snags first (like the sand bottom around the oysterbars) that way you might be able to catch more than one and avoid getting hung up on your 1st cast. I would throw just a few feet beyond them and work it into their zone. Once in the zone, let it sit, then very short bumps with pauses is what you need. They need time to check it out, analyze it and suck it up. You will not feel the “bite” but when you bump it again, you will feel the fly stick and not move, like you’re snagged on something. That’s when you strip strike them. Remember, your rod tip has got to be right at the water (even touching it), with absolutely no slack in the line to feel them on the bump. So they are not bumping you, you are bumping them! Got it? 

Another really good place where you will find sheepheads is around docks with barnacle laden dock pilings and moving currents (tides). The deeper those docks are, more than likely, the more and bigger the sheephead are Same goes for rock piles (rip rap) and jetties. Normally the higher side of the tides are better for them and they are eating better. In both of those situations If I’m only targeting sheepheads, I will only use those small crabs I was telling you about. If you throw on a small shrimp pattern, your get mangrove snapper and other misc fish, which is a bonus if you can’t get a sheephead to eat. But I will go to the crab first. Those deeper waters require you to get the fly down where they are foraging (at or near the bottom). So that’s where sinking lines and heads come into play.

15-20lb fluorocarbon tippet will keep it stealthy but protect a little from the barnacles or oysters. But when you get a fish on, hold the rod high and not down to the side to help avoid getting cut off on the barnacles and rocks.

The flies below are somewhat natural shrimp and crab patterns that I would reach for if I we on sheephead. I will always go for the crab patterns 1st since that’s like candy to them. Some kwans, a slider and some small crabs are the 1st thing they’ll eat. I’ve even had luck painting a fiddler crab pattern on a fingernail spoon pattern I came up with many years ago. I added some sili legs for effect and the thing seems to work. That dark gray crab is a mangrove crab pattern that they’ll crush if you throw it under a dock and let it sit and nymph style it out. Also the little fiddler crab pattern works good for that too.

Sheephead will spawn in the winter. Find the spawning balls of fish where the old guys in boats are not piled on top of them and you have a chance to get good hookup ratios with small crab patterns on the fly. Super early in the morning when the higher tides are moving are better feeding times for them.

Good luck and have fun!


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Backwater said:


> Will they eat? Yes they will under the right circumstances, the right fly and the right presentation. I've gotten plenty to eat on flats, where there are wash holes with shells, oysters and or rocks in and around them. Also around oysterbars up in the flats. You'll see them when you’re looking for redfish around those spots. The key to those flats sheepies is “what are you throwing to them.” Very short tan or tan and white bonefish clousers, small natural colored weighted shrimp patterns, small natural colored bonefish sliders and the best one would be small crab patterns (I'll get into that subject later). These flies should be no bigger than 1” to no more than 1.5” total length tied on very sharp #4 and even a #6 hooks. I’ll tie my crabs with shells size no bigger than a dime, tied on a #2 Owner Mosquito hooks (or something else sharp) with the hook riding up (and hook riding up on all the above flies). Don’t worry, if a redfish is around they will inhale it!  I also like to tie on a piece of fluoro weed guard (20-30lb) to keep from getting hung up. I normally would use any flash but have had some success with a few strands of dark flash or in the crabs, I’ve even used just a couple of strands of purple cut short.
> 
> If the water is shallow I will use a floating fly line with a fluoro leader system (long) and try to only use a 20lb bite tippet Throwing these flies, you can et away with a 6-8wt rod. I'll use a 2-3ft 10-12lb tippet or I've been known to go straight 15lb fluoro from my butt leader. If it's 3ft deep+ I'll got to a clear intermediate sink tip floating line or a full clear intermediate sink line. For very deep water (which I'll explain later), If I know they'll be there, I'll bring a full sink line or throw a lead core head on an intermediate line. You can buy the straight lead core line from a shop that carries Cortland products. It usually comes in 50ft lengths. I will usually cut it in half (about 25ft) and service a loop on both ends. Then you simply thread it on to the end of your fly line and add your leader to the other end.
> 
> ...


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

http://s1073.photobucket.com/user/sjrobin2014/library/


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Most importantly, they are fish. Sometimes no matter what you do right they don't eat.

Small flies are key like others have said. But I have caught small ones, and a huge one, on standard size redfish flies. It's all about them not seeing you first and fishing the fly super slow. I've had them eat a size 1 fly before. Must have looked a crab they couldn't resist.

I fish carp a lot during the summer and the game is very similar to sheepshead, spooky bones and reds, and especially permit. Delicate presentation, stay tight, but strip veeerrrrryyyyy slow, just enough to keep the fly tight. Watch the mouth and gills of the fish for flare if you can - sometimes they will eat and you won't feel it. Permit and carp do this - suck the fly in and you won't feel thing. 

Personally, I consider them a nuisance on the flats. They have more times than not screwed up some really good reds that otherwise would have been happy fish without a sheepshead darting by it at full speed. They are however great target practice on a slow day.


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## Bonecracker (Mar 29, 2007)

Great answer Backwater, you are da man!!

coconutgroves: the last two days I was sight fishing for redfish over the Thxgiving holidays / one day we saw lots of reds and hardly no sheephead. On the other hand the next day I saw hardly no reds and a lot of sheephead. Now got my 7wt locked and loaded as most of these fish were close!!


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## Bryan_G (Sep 22, 2014)

What about the hook set? Are they like carp, wait for the take and then tip up the rod and set the hook, or like reds where you have to wait a second ?

Sunday I was out and they were thick. I could get them give the fly a look, but no eats.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Bryan_G said:


> What about the hook set? Are they like carp, wait for the take and then tip up the rod and set the hook, or like reds where you have to wait a second ?
> 
> Sunday I was out and they were thick. I could get them give the fly a look, but no eats.


They wouldn't budge a cm on the take. Like I said, you continue to slowly bump them (inch it along, not big strips). You'll feel the fly stick and then you straight strip set them with your rod still pointing at them and the tip of your rod still touching the water. Don't rod set them or move the rod when strip setting them or you will pull the fly right outta his mouth.


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## Ken T (Dec 10, 2015)

Backwater said:


> Will they eat? Yes they will under the right circumstances, the right fly and the right presentation. I've gotten plenty to eat on flats, where there are wash holes with shells, oysters and or rocks in and around them. Also around oysterbars up in the flats. You'll see them when you’re looking for redfish around those spots. The key to those flats sheepies is “what are you throwing to them.” Very short tan or tan and white bonefish clousers, small natural colored weighted shrimp patterns, small natural colored bonefish sliders and the best one would be small crab patterns (I'll get into that subject later). These flies should be no bigger than 1” to no more than 1.5” total length tied on very sharp #4 and even a #6 hooks. I’ll tie my crabs with shells size no bigger than a dime, tied on a #2 Owner Mosquito hooks (or something else sharp) with the hook riding up (and hook riding up on all the above flies). Don’t worry, if a redfish is around they will inhale it!  I also like to tie on a piece of fluoro weed guard (20-30lb) to keep from getting hung up. I normally would use any flash but have had some success with a few strands of dark flash or in the crabs, I’ve even used just a couple of strands of purple cut short.
> 
> If the water is shallow I will use a floating fly line with a fluoro leader system (long) and try to only use a 20lb bite tippet Throwing these flies, you can et away with a 6-8wt rod. I'll use a 2-3ft 10-12lb tippet or I've been known to go straight 15lb fluoro from my butt leader. If it's 3ft deep+ I'll got to a clear intermediate sink tip floating line or a full clear intermediate sink line. For very deep water (which I'll explain later), If I know they'll be there, I'll bring a full sink line or throw a lead core head on an intermediate line. You can buy the straight lead core line from a shop that carries Cortland products. It usually comes in 50ft lengths. I will usually cut it in half (about 25ft) and service a loop on both ends. Then you simply thread it on to the end of your fly line and add your leader to the other end.
> 
> ...


Lots of great info here. Will have to tie some much smaller flies and see if I can break the code


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## Dustin Pack (Sep 3, 2015)

Merkin Crabs work sometimes.


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## Cliff (Oct 13, 2016)

Today I was catching loads of 2-3 lb snook and landed a sheepshead on a size 4 white Clouser. Weird.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I have seen a six pounder eat a pink skitterwalk, they should eat a fly! Not a black drum, a true sheepshead.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I see them frequently on the flats here...but they spook out worse than redfish. I'd love to catch one.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Wow, this is an old thread.


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## THX1138 (Dec 20, 2016)

I have always wanted to catch one of these on a fly! Looks like I have some more tying to do ;-)

Lou


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## Limp Shrimp (Aug 23, 2015)

If you can sneak up close enough and get a sheepshead to eat a fly you have accomplished something!!! they are finicky, skittish little @#$!ers..


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## rakeel (Apr 9, 2014)

So sheepshead have become an absolute obsession for me over the past 6 months or so. I see them frequently in the marshes I fish and can usually hear them snapping and popping what I've come to believe are snails clinging to chord grass. This time of year on the TX coast seems to be when I see the most sheepshead and I'm determined to get one. 

The closest I've ever gotten to getting one to eat was once a kong sheepie charged a crack fly hard like it was going to crush it then just stopped and closely followed it to the boat. My other encounter happened a few weeks ago when I threw a small #8 bonefish type fly I've been working on and had do a headstand on it. The wind starting pushing me away though and I think the fly was moving faster away from the fish than he liked so he lost interest. 

From reading this thread and reading other sources it sounds like my issues in the past have been moving the fly to quickly. I'm thinking I might need to stake out on an area that I know they're at and wait and watch from a distance.

Someone mentioned the green weenie. It's supposed to be a pretty successful fly here in TX. Here's video SBS on how to tie it.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Like I said up in this thread, my most consistant flies I've used for sheephead on the fly is very small crab patterns and very small natural colored shrimp patterns (pics above in this thread). Weighted crabs will seem to trigger a bite for them much faster tho. Very small crabs that mimic small mangrove crabs, fiddler crabs, rock crabs and just natural tan colored crab patterns. Fish them very slowly, just single bumps (just an inch or 2 lengths of the snapping bumps) with painlessly long pauses in between the bumps.

My best places have been around rocks, oysters and docks. Best time of year is *now until early spring*. The colder it is, the better the bite. The best time is early morning from 1st light till about 10:00am and low light days. If you find a spawning school of them, then that is *choice* conditions with a little weighted crab fly. The shell back should be no bigger than a penny or even a dime size which can trigger good bites too, if they can see it.

Ted Haas


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

This is a timely thread, I was just tying up some small crab flies for to try for sheepshead since the redfish did a vanishing act recently


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Texas sheepshead SS Flies "Lunch Lady" last spring. Some of you guys have seen this. On just a few occasions I will switch to sheepshead flies. Usually just for numerous larger sheepshead. "Green weenie" and the "lunch lady" are the best patterns. The rod is a NRX 8 wt with SA Titan taper for the windy day. Typically you can get a little closer in the wind. About eight feet of leader with a twelve pound fluoro tippet. No one has asked me to target sheepshead.
https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0iGcuRfIGrdJsn


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## Ken T (Dec 10, 2015)

Ted,
I remember that fish. I got my first one on a fly that same day.


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## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

frequently catch them in the galveston watershed. Delicate presentation - small light flies. I've had success with small dark flies and chartreuse clousers - need to be light with minimal splash.
View attachment 4921


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Good pic Jamie.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

sjrobin said:


> Texas sheepshead SS Flies "Lunch Lady" last spring. Some of you guys have seen this. On just a few occasions I will switch to sheepshead flies. Usually just for numerous larger sheepshead. "Green weenie" and the "lunch lady" are the best patterns. The rod is a NRX 8 wt with SA Titan taper for the windy day. Typically you can get a little closer in the wind. About eight feet of leader with a twelve pound fluoro tippet. No one has asked me to target sheepshead.
> https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B0iGcuRfIGrdJsn


Awesome fish on the flyrod!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Ken T said:


> Ted,
> I remember that fish. I got my first one on a fly that same day.


Yeah good day!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

jamie said:


> frequently catch them in the galveston watershed. Delicate presentation - small light flies. I've had success with small dark flies and chartreuse clousers - need to be light with minimal splash.
> View attachment 4921


Serious fish Jamie!


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## Pbertell (Apr 22, 2015)

Guides in LA. have a tournament targeted at sheephead on fly - I think in Feb - Mar. The guy that won a few years ago caught three.... I needed to catch one for a slam (Red, Blackdrum and Sheephead) - had one pick up the fly - pulled it right out of its mouth :>(( The advice to go slow is spot on!!


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## bananabob (Jun 3, 2015)

View attachment 4979
 I've only managed to fool one 5 yrs. aog. This one was way under a dock with another and I did the bow n arrow flip in there. Let it sink ( couldn't see it and lost sight of the fish ) then slowly came tight. Thought I got hung on a piling and gave a hard tug to discover it got ate. The shrimpy seaducer fly shown.
Since then I've tossed at many with zero results.

View attachment 4978


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## Nway93 (May 9, 2016)

They're tricky to feed and even harder to hook. We see lots of them on the floodtides tailing with the reds and have fed 2 or 3 where I've watched them eat the fly but didn't feel a thing and never got tight to them. Small dark crabs work best. One of the custom tyers for blackfly came up with a fly he calls the sheepherder. It's just a small clump of orange ep out the back for the claw and a ball of black estaz coated in zap a gap so it's chrunchy, seems to make them hold on to it just long enough to strip set.


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