Boatless Fishing Forum, Reports, Info

Take a shovel or old paddle and scrApe the piling making some chum.. They will get biting .. Drop your bait right down with it.. Like you said fiddler crabs work best.. But if you get that chum going from the piling a shrimp will do.. Just a small weight and small, long shank hook... Good luck

oysters dropped straight down under structure as soon as you feel the smallest bite set the hook... they are really good to eat, just gotta filet around the ribcage. ive got a good spot up here in the icw in palm beach.. the bite is best early in the morning.. i use size 2 hooks on a 12 in leader fish finder rig.

I've cracked open the oysters for bait and caught a couple that way. It hard to get it to stay on the hook but they seem to go for that over everything else. I was like you for years always tossing things at them with no luck until I tried that.

They love sandfleas!

GetFish wrote:I've cracked open the oysters for bait and caught a couple that way. It hard to get it to stay on the hook but they seem to go for that over everything else. I was like you for years always tossing things at them with no luck until I tried that.

I think you can buy frozen raw oysters without shell from seafood store. I am going to try one and let you know the result.


-kblue

If you wrap the oyster on with that thin elastic thread they stay on pretty good. Without the thread they fall off pretty easily.

One thing I am sure now is those sheeps are no more around Oakland or Commercial bridges.
I used to see a lot of sheeps gathering with a little bit of scrap.
Yesterday and Today, I chummed a half 5G bucket of small oysters and barnacles and I tried low-to-high and high-to-low but didn't see any sheep.

I guess its season is over ?

-Kblue

I have used oysters and clams to fish for tautog at home (Virginia) and I would take an old pair of the wife's panty hose and wrap the oyster or clam in it tying a knot in it to form a small ball of bait with the the clam/oyster squishin out through the mesh. This will keep it on the hook but let the fish get a taste of it enough to get em. The bait will last a good while until the mesh tears or is bitten open.

tartan23455 wrote:I have used oysters and clams to fish for tautog at home (Virginia) and I would take an old pair of the wife's panty hose and wrap the oyster or clam in it tying a knot in it to form a small ball of bait with the the clam/oyster squishin out through the mesh. This will keep it on the hook but let the fish get a taste of it enough to get em. The bait will last a good while until the mesh tears or is bitten open.

Don't you miss the tautog down here? I fished them in Jersey for years in the dead of winter. Great fighting and better eating fish.

I was also big time on catching blacks up there.

I missed Pilot II in Sheepshead bay Brooklyn with those crazy crews.
(Not sure if the boat is still there)
I also did boat fish a lot out of Atlantic Highland and Belmar.
I specially missed Sandy Hook, Union Beach, and Key Port for those stripers...
Hurricane Sandy really massed up those places.

Also, Ocean City inlet in MA and Indian river Inlet in DE, and Chesapeake Bay bridge in VA were awesome places to catch black.


-Kblue

I saw first school of sheepshead in FT Lauderdale ICW. 2 to 3 LB.
They came earlier than fingers.
I still have some frozen sand fleas in my freezer.

I hope I can catch some this fall and winter.
In my observation, they stay ICW right before spring pompano runs.

Hey all, never caught one or tasted one. Looking to try and target them. Just looking for some advice, not specific spots. Research reveals pilings and docks, they seem to be difficult to keep on hook, early morning.

So my question is, is the winter time the best? Also I am in west broward and I don't have good luck fishing broward but I would like to try and learn it more. Was planning on trying docks with live shrimp around dania.

Not a real dependable sheephead fishery in Broward.

Fair enough.

I have spotted a few up near Satellite beach, and out in Chokoloskee, but couldn't get them to even look my way. Is there a certain way to present it? Got 15# leader with size 2 hook. Going to try live shrimp, or something else perhaps recommended? I can probably scoop up some small fiddler crabs by the water line in Choko. Any update on the frozen oysters for those of you who have tried?

daniel4616 wrote:Fair enough.

I have spotted a few up near Satellite beach, and out in Chokoloskee, but couldn't get them to even look my way. Is there a certain way to present it? Got 15# leader with size 2 hook. Going to try live shrimp, or something else perhaps recommended? I can probably scoop up some small fiddler crabs by the water line in Choko. Any update on the frozen oysters for those of you who have tried?

i've caught them in the north keys and mingo using live shrimp...and around north dade using the same...if you can see them they more than likely will not hit...i like fishing at night or in low light conditions.

if you are fishing near posts or pilings scrape them down to chum up the water and see if that makes them more active....but i have never caught any in broward....but live shrimp at night around structure will get something tugging your line no doubt.

Also...alot of times they will just pick at your shrimp and take it off the hook or leave you with just the head and carapace...if that happens just toss the half eaten shrimp right back in the same spot, they almost always come back for the rest