The Kid
12-12-2011, 07:22 PM
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/picture.php?albumid=63&pictureid=828
Every now and then even a yellowtail advocate, needs to keep the primary jigs high and dry to keep the stock hooks from rusting. Well, if I had the opportunity those hooks will be driven straight into the jaws of a hungry tail, but with the bitter cold, surface action is minimal at the moment. But the cold brought with it many opportunities for some incredible action to include some really massive goats.
Now when someone thinks about sheephead they never compare them to a species such as yellowtail or white seabass because majority of the time they are not targeted. I am will tell you right now that large sheephead are right next to yellowtail when it comes to fighting capabilities. Pound for pound sheephead are the hardest drag pulling SOBs swimming in the water. Not only will they burn drag off a reel, but they have the kelp forest and rocks to help them out with getting free from gaff hooks. Hurdles that even the best tackle cannot help an angler avoid.
So after about a week of scouting I finally hit the mother lode of “donkey” class sheephead. At first glance on the finder this spot was identical to the area surrounding it, but after a couple of drops it became apparent this place is special. Normally most areas yield sheep around 3 lbs or less with a good one weighing 6 lbs. With this spot I found, 6 lbs was average! No kidding, I released around 8 goats that were around 6 lbs.
Reminder- This is an average pull.
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/picture.php?albumid=63&pictureid=827
I fished this spot with the goal of bringing up a 20 lbs goat. Call it a near impossible goal, but I hooked into some that I simply couldn’t stop. Sure there were Black Sea Bass around, but I know when a goat is hooked and the wrong kind is hooked. Even with 25 lbs of drag and 40 lb test I was getting “rocked”. After about an hour I left the new found spot with a limit of trophy class goats up to 13 lbs, the smallest was 6 lbs.
So I leave this spot alone until the next time I decide to knock on their door raising them as if I was an Egypt kid farming goats. Next time I will come armed with 50 lb test and rods to match. Until next time donks!
BTW: I was using squid.
Here's a little comparison to give you an idea. With a pull from the big goat spot.
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/picture.php?albumid=63&pictureid=829
Every now and then even a yellowtail advocate, needs to keep the primary jigs high and dry to keep the stock hooks from rusting. Well, if I had the opportunity those hooks will be driven straight into the jaws of a hungry tail, but with the bitter cold, surface action is minimal at the moment. But the cold brought with it many opportunities for some incredible action to include some really massive goats.
Now when someone thinks about sheephead they never compare them to a species such as yellowtail or white seabass because majority of the time they are not targeted. I am will tell you right now that large sheephead are right next to yellowtail when it comes to fighting capabilities. Pound for pound sheephead are the hardest drag pulling SOBs swimming in the water. Not only will they burn drag off a reel, but they have the kelp forest and rocks to help them out with getting free from gaff hooks. Hurdles that even the best tackle cannot help an angler avoid.
So after about a week of scouting I finally hit the mother lode of “donkey” class sheephead. At first glance on the finder this spot was identical to the area surrounding it, but after a couple of drops it became apparent this place is special. Normally most areas yield sheep around 3 lbs or less with a good one weighing 6 lbs. With this spot I found, 6 lbs was average! No kidding, I released around 8 goats that were around 6 lbs.
Reminder- This is an average pull.
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/picture.php?albumid=63&pictureid=827
I fished this spot with the goal of bringing up a 20 lbs goat. Call it a near impossible goal, but I hooked into some that I simply couldn’t stop. Sure there were Black Sea Bass around, but I know when a goat is hooked and the wrong kind is hooked. Even with 25 lbs of drag and 40 lb test I was getting “rocked”. After about an hour I left the new found spot with a limit of trophy class goats up to 13 lbs, the smallest was 6 lbs.
So I leave this spot alone until the next time I decide to knock on their door raising them as if I was an Egypt kid farming goats. Next time I will come armed with 50 lb test and rods to match. Until next time donks!
BTW: I was using squid.
Here's a little comparison to give you an idea. With a pull from the big goat spot.
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/picture.php?albumid=63&pictureid=829