FTR Visitor Pic – Our annual sheephead pic…LOL

OK, personally I have nothing against the sheephead. They fight pretty good, they hit when the rest of the fish know better and some claim they’re not bad eating. Something tells me that the only real thing holding them back from being the target of Professional Sheephead Anglers (or would they be wranglers?) is the fact that they’re just not real easy on the eyes.

Case in point…

This particular fish was caught by Bob Knutson and in his own words…”This is what ringworms do for me! I didn’t know sheephead got this big. Just for the heck of it we measured the length at 28 inches.”

That’s one big and nasty-ugly sheeper you got there Bob. My guess is it scared all the walleyes away on ya’….

Thanks for the photo.

If anyone else has a photo or two they’d like to share with us here at FTR, simply send the photo out as a .jpg attachment in an e-mail to [email protected] and we’ll gladly get that posted here just as quickly as we can.

Good fishin’,

EFN Webstaff

Nice fish. I wouldn’t mind catching one that big (all of mine have been under 3 pounds). Sheepshead get up to 50 pounds and possibly larger, the Mn record is 35. They put up a huge fight too, they have been known to pull boats around.

A fish is a fish and I see little difference between a sheep (aka freshwater drum) and the all- mighty walleye everyone worships. They feed on the same things and bite the same lures, both have eyes, fins, scales, mouths, tails, etc. only sheeps tug a little harder when hooked. Some people say cats are ugly too but I don’t mind, I just like big fish, whatever species it is. I will admit though when I am fishing for cats or sturgeon it can be annoying when there are lots of small sheep that keep biting. By the way, anyone want to give up info on a spot to catch big sheep, buffalo or anything else you consider undesireable? I will be more than happy to catch some big sheepshead if nobody else wants em’

Very nice sheepy ( Drum). I wonder what it weighed. I love to catch big sheepy on crankbaits. They are very sporting and attracted to vibrating lures. Do you know about the pearls in their head called, “oddelus”, or something like that.

Lake Pepin. WI shoreline at the north end of the lake. Pulling plugs in 6′ – 8′ of water. Starting in mid-May we catch WAY too many 10+ lb sheepers for about 3 weeks. Some pushing high-teens/20 Lbs. Then the big girls disappear for the most part.

Thanks for bringing some recognition to “Trophy Sheepers”! Bob, did you let her go or are you having it mounted? Replica? At least you’re one up on the ringworm success!

Any fish that thick and 28″ is a good tussle!

Those “perals” are called otholiths (sp?) and are the ear bones of the fish. All fish have them but Sheepshead have really big ones.

why is it that the freshwater drum is reviled and the saltwater drum is so highly sought after?

one of those things that make you go Huh?

She’s still swimin stillakid. Not too many years ago I killed every sheephead I caught, now I just toss ’em back. I did consider a replica for a while ’cause things uglier than me are pretty rare.

how much did it weigh? and thanks for the tip h2o, I will have to check that area out, especially if you can catch those larger fish with some consistency. I am a big fan of big fish. Keep postin’ the pix everyone, inspiring to see those trophies. I went to the upper St. Croix today and didn’t get a single bite, then it started storming. Early season can be cruel.

I call that big ole girl supper……….pups got the recipe….hehe

LOL! Yes, Pup’s got the recipe……………..but where’d I get it??? Maybe we should open up a fast food chain and go into competition with Long John Silvers and KFC…………..with the introduction of the Southern Fried Sheep Shack…………House of Fine Delicacies!

What else you going to put on the menu?

Thanks for the correction on the pearls. Your spelling looks about right. These large pearls I am told helps them detect vibration. Enjoy seeing the pictures of these large sheepys. Keep it up guys. Too bad there are so many small ones in the river. Large fish are fun to catch!!