Sheepshead for Flathead Bait

I stumbled across this website while surfing for catfishing information: Catfish Science .

Interesting article about using sheepshead for flathead bait. I tried it a couple of times last summer without any success but I am thinking of giving it more of a test this summer. It seems to make sense that sheepshead would be a good part of the flathead forage base considering their abundance in the St Croix, Mississippi and Minnesota rivers. When you are strapped for flathead bait you know you can always count on sheepshead to be available.

Chappy’s 11 lbs walleye that was caught on a bullhead had an 8 inch sheeper in it.

They swim…I don’t know why they wouldn’t work…although I’ve just tried sheep as cut bait..never live.

Steve, I just thought…but don’t have time to look it up…can we even use sheepers as bait in MN (live)?

The way I read the Mn Fishing Regulations, Sheepshead would be legal to use as bait. Page 56 of the 2007 Minnesota Fishing Regulations lists drum (sheepshead) as a rough fish. There is no possession limit. The Wisconsin – Minnesota Border Waters season lists Rough Fish with a continuous open season and a No Limit possession limit.

From what I can determine it would be legal to use them provided:

#1: You could use them alive as long as you caught them in the body of water you are fishing.

#2: You could use them as cut bait anytime. They are a rough fish so it would not be legal to transport them alive.

Thanks…

Just wondering if anyone has used live cut bait before. Well, I thought it was funny!

After I read that I did the same thing – Huh?? And I wrote it. I guess you know what I meant to say even though I did not. I edited it to make sense now. Time to go to bed, I guess. Good Night, Brian. Spring is right around the corner.

Anybody ever tried to keep a sheephead alive?
I doubt it, but I am wondering if it is as hard as shad to keep alive?
How about sunfish sized sheeps? I would love to stop by Moore’s next spring to pick up 1 dozen 6-8″ drum for flathead hunting?
BK- I also wonder if your clients would get as many monster walleyes if you switched to drum, doubt it.

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How about sunfish sized sheeps? I would love to stop by Moore’s next spring to pick up 1 dozen 6-8″ drum for flathead hunting?

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Read Point #1 on Steve’s post. It’ll never happen in regards to invasive species and introducing fish into waters they are not native to.

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How about sunfish sized sheeps? I would love to stop by Moore’s next spring to pick up 1 dozen 6-8″ drum for flathead hunting?

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Read Point #1 on Steve’s post. It’ll never happen in regards to invasive species and introducing fish into waters they are not native to.

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So, in theory, could a bait store sell bait for specific waters that came from their respective waters?!?!!?!?

You missed the part about transporting them alive, unless maybe your bait shot was on the shore.

I have heard people try sheephead without any luck. Here’s my 2 cents. A hooked sheephead might be more apt to sit still on the bottom opposed to a bullhead whose body motion makes a lot of “noise” under the water. Bullheads seem to struggle more and I think that is like ringing a door bell to a flathead. I also heard down south they use carp as well as bait. I think if one were to try sheephead or carp, I would nip off some fins to get them to struggle a little more.

Ok, was that more like 2 pesos?

ok, so I missed point one and two, but……..
could I get them, now, at ….. Jimmy’s in stillwater, walk down to the rocky shore and swim them out to my anchored boat?

note to self: no more early morning theories after late nights

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ok, so I missed point one and two, but……..
could I get them, now, at ….. Jimmy’s in stillwater, walk down to the rocky shore and swim them out to my anchored boat?

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Hello – Jarrett – Is there anybody in there!! It is illegal to transport live rough fish. Sheepshead are rough fish. So Jimmy’s or any other bait shop cannot sell rough fish as bait. Although I would like to see you swimming a bait bucket out to your anchored boat – I’ll catch some for you, put them in a 5 gallon bucket and hand them to you on the shore and you can swim them out to your boat. The video might win me $10K on America’s Funniest Home Videos.

In response to your other question. Sheepshead are pretty hardy and I’ve kept them alive in my livewell with little effort. Last summer when I experimented with them I caught a half dozen nice 6″ to 7″ sheepies in about 30 minutes of bait fishing. A plain hook and a piece of nightcrawler and within 30 seconds fish on. I hooked them up just like a bullhead and they were thumping and tugging just like a lively bullhead. I didn’t have any flathead takers the night I tried it but I wasn’t having much luck with anything at the time.

If its lively a flathead will eat it. I had a huge fish snap my line while using a 12″ drum for bait. I would not hesitate to use drum again if I didnt have anything else.

Put a lively bait in the right spot and you will have as good of a chance as anyone catching flatheads.

Stcroixer, if you are serious about flathead fishing you should learn to catch your own bait. Not only is it way cheaper (nearly free) but wild bait is always a better bait. Good luck!

For us lazy guys…Moores bullheads are about as wild as bullheads come…last I heard he didn’t have a hatchery started yet.

Moore’s bait pretty much is my bait tank. I just feel bad wasting them when I use them when someone else could be catching fish with them.

Uh oh, another sign my cabin fever is getting worse is my (s)elf deprecation.

Anyone know this Mike Hopkins guy? Say’s he’s from Minneapolis, but I have never heard of him.

Elf deprication?

Nice catch! I hope that wasn’t a Freudian slip!

By the way, also check out the Unique Bait Placement idea the guy has.

Lazy? I’m lazier. I dont want to drive to Mpls every time I need bait…or pay for it. If you live close to Moore’s, good for you. But I am not in the business of selling Moore’s. I couldn’t afford to go fishing much if every time I needed two dozen baits I went out and bought them. If you like to spend money, dont have any time, or are not hardcore into flatheads, the baitshop can be a good option. If a guy is seriously trying to get into flatheads, I will tell him the best and cheapest way I know how to do it. Without a sales pitch.

I’ve used them on many occasions. They’re a “last resort” bait for me. I’ve also used perch, with about the same (very limited) success. If you want a good rough fish to use as bait and you’re going to use it right where you catch it, use mooneye. If you find mooneye in numbers, say on a wingdam, you may be able to catch a smallish one – and if you do, put it on RIGHT AWAY and toss it out there. They struggle like champs and pretty much every mooneye I’ve put in that situation has been hit.

I once had two sheephead out – I get into jams sometimes going out without bait – and ended up catching a 32 pound flat on a nightcrawler – never had the sheepheads hit.

Also – they are not good at all as cutbait – again, use mooneye.

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For us lazy guys…Moores bullheads are about as wild as bullheads come…last I heard he didn’t have a hatchery started yet.

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Thats the only place I catch my own bait

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If a guy is seriously trying to get into flatheads, I will tell him the best and cheapest way I know how to do it. Without a sales pitch.

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That was a sales pitch?

Moores is the ONLY bait shop in MN (that I’m aware of) that stocks bullheads regularly…and consistently.

I only mention Moores because Bob is a good guy…and handles the live, “WILD” bait that you mentioned was better than baitshop bait.

If that’s a sales pitch…Cool! (Bob, I’ll pm you my address )

Matt, I’ve been using cut Mooneye and Golden Eye in the spring with very good success. (caution: do not over microwave to thaw out. )

Which reminds me. I have to make a call down to the fishing guys at Everts to start saving the Mooneyes they catch down there. Jim B came through for me big time last year.

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…or are not hardcore into flatheads,…

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Aw..why you gotta go and make me feel bad.

Here’s a hanky pug.

I was outta line with that jab. I’m sorry about that Brian. I guess I’m a little touchy now that money is getting scarce.
It a good thing you guys keep it civil on here. There is too much garbage on other websites as it is, you all handle it very well here despite my faults.

Now how about them GIANTS!!!!!!!!!!!! What a game that was!!!!!

Man Belichick looked like he was going to keel over in that postgame interview.

No worries here big guy. Lots more important things to be concerned with than fishing…I just can’t recall what right now…

No foul. Glad we could rib you back in line.

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No worries here big guy.

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Big guy?? Hey now youre getting personal!!!!

Thanks guys.

We caught a really small (4-5″) one while seining for minnows and I threw it out there. Had a huge run on it after dark, but no hookup.

I have had limited success with them as cut bait in a pinch. I think half the bites were turtles.

@FlatheadWI said:

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Also – they are not good at all as cutbait – again, use mooneye.

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Actually I used sheephead for cut within the last 24 hours. 2 fish hooked up (only one made it all the way in) and there were 3 more solid runs that didn’t hook up. It’s bloody, smelly, native, and has hide on it that’s just about impenetrable, even with a needle-sharp hook point (so it stays on your hook, even with a hard cast).

If mooneye were even better I can’t imagine what sort of night I’d have been having!

If you are going to use them live hook them in the side and about middle of the body,use a short leader so they struggle as they do NOT want to lay on their side on the bottom.
Flats will eat anything that fit in that mouth.I saw a picture from the 50’s of one with porcupine quills in its face like a dumb bird dog.