Captain’s Corner: Brent Gaskill

The Tampa Bay Times

Capt. Brent Gaskill
 
 
 

        Sheepshead fishing will improve from now into the early spring in the lower bay and out through the passes to the near shore waters of the gulf.  Their bait-stealing ways will be replaced by more aggressive strikes as they actively feed in their annual spawning migration.  Large concentrations of sheepshead are gathering on high relief structure along the edges of the shipping channel, artificial reefs, and wrecks.  Land based anglers will be in on the action at piers, bridges, and jetties. Shrimp is by far the easiest bait to acquire with a quick stop to a local tackle shop.  Fiddler crabs, oysters, or barnacles will often out produce the shrimp but may require additional time and effort to gather yourself.   When targeting sheepshead I prefer using a stout no. 1 short shank live bait hook.  The light wire hooks that are popular for other species tend to bend or break in the strong jaws and rugged teeth of sheepshead.