Sheepin'

Sheepshead are one of my favorite fish to target. It takes some skill to identify that it is in fact a sheepshead bite, then more skill to be able to set the hook and then play them around the pilings.

Tommy Dewitt invited me out, and after some convincing, I said I would meet him for a half day. I got home from work and Meghan wanted to join us, so we headed out with some fiddlers to see if one of us could land a sheep. Meghan struck first with a trigger then again with a black drum! Already a successful day, Tommy got a 23" sheep. 

Things were going well. I saw Kevin (KayakKevin.com), and he and I started talking while I was fishing a piling. He said I was fishing Lee's piling. We joked for a bit when I got the grind of the bite and set the hook. After a great fight, I had my own 23" Sheep. We kept at it as the current began to crank, and I get another bite, but this one makes it to the bottom and gets around something. I can feel him but can't pull him. Knowing that I will break my line if I pull, I put it into into freespool. This allowed the sheep to think he was unhooked so he freed himself. I reengaged my reel and the fight quickly resumed as he got me around a piling. I maneuvered to the side of the piling and pulled him away as I loosened my drag in case I nicked my line from the piling. He came up and I legged him in. 

This one was my 24.25" Virginia State Citation. I was stoked. I ended up catching another 16" Sheep and called it a day with the tide cruising. Can't wait to get back out on the bridge and make some more memories.  

24.25"Sheep

23" Sheep on Lee's Piling

 We always release these guys, studies show them to be over 10 and some over 20 years old.

 Meghan's Black Drum

 Trigger