port maitland sheepshead

[huzzsaba]

I was hoping to get out to port maitland yesterday but the weather forecast kept calling for rain from around 6pm. The rain did decide to come but a lot later (midnight I think ) so those plans didn't go through. Anyways, the plan is to go today since I heard there are sheepshead and catfish there right now and this is the only day I am off work. Any fish is better than no fish but hoping mainly for sheepshead and hopefully get into some bonus perch or walleye if they decide to join the party!

 

So a few questions I have for you guys as follows:

 

1) With the torrential downpour last night, will it affect the fishing for sheepshead?

2) I was planning to just use a pickeral rig with some gulp minnows on it. Want to avoid worms because of gobies. Is this a ok choice or should I bait up with something else?

3) cast into the river side or lake side?

4) Any other recommendations?

 

Thanks

[Shloim]

Use small jig heads 1/8 oz with 2" twister tails . berkly piwerbait works good

[dave524]

For sheephead, I know they love crawfish cause as a kid dad and I would always dredge several dozen crawfish from a pond before going bass fishing out of Port Colborne and they'd get half of them. I'd buy the cheapest shrimp ring you can find and use them as bait, work good for cats too as well as other species.

[mitch seguin]

Small deep diving crankbaits have been my best producer.

[huzzsaba]

Thanks for the replies. Its a little windy today so plans might change but I will report back when I do go.

 

Thanks again!

[Rizzo]

although I have no advice, I do wish to comment that this may be the first "I want to catch a sheephead" post in the history of fishing

[Shloim]

I gotta say until I tried to target them last year on St Clair or rather in the Thames, I would have said the same. But they fight like hell and 3 of us had a close to 300 fish weekend with a few other species mixed in

[dave524]

Never ate one but they fight better than pickerel, pound per pound trolling Erie style. I hear they sell them at the Asian Fish Markets in TO as Yellow Croaker.

[huzzsaba]

although I have no advice, I do wish to comment that this may be the first "I want to catch a sheephead" post in the history of fishing

It's an honor to make history with this type of thread lol. Although I think I might actually be the second on this forum. In my search, I found a similar thread from a while back.

 

Honestly though, If bass season opened up any earlier , and if the walleye and perch were there, I probably wouldn't be asking how to catch sheephead.

[Rizzo]

...although they do fight hard....sheephead are never my target so are always a big disappointment when that silvery flash shows up. I remember once going after pickerel in quinte...thought I had hooked a new world record...til that sheephead showed its ugly giant mug.

[pics]

I used to fish Erie quite a bit and hated when I had a fish on only to find out it was a sheephead.

If you only want to feel a fish tug on the line then just throw a worm out and leave it on the bottom... something will bite

[Old Ironmaker]

Thanks for the replies. Its a little windy today so plans might change but I will report back when I do go.

 

Thanks again!

If you haven't left yet don't. The wind is blowing like it's November out here. There is a high wind warning for the next few days with winds gusting at 45KPH from the SW. No fun even on that river. I saw a few guys shore fishing along the river Thursday. A few at Fishmaster's Marina and along the banks where access is the old Hot Dog place and marina on the south side of the bridge. The place where the mini-putt is. It's closed now but the gate must be open. Come to think of it don't go there as you need to drive to the rivers shoreline and with this rain you might get stuck unless you have 4WD.

[huzzsaba]

If you haven't left yet don't. The wind is blowing like it's November out here. There is a high wind warning for the next few days with winds gusting at 45KPH from the SW. No fun even on that river. I saw a few guys shore fishing along the river Thursday. A few at Fishmaster's Marina and along the banks where access is the old Hot Dog place and marina on the south side of the bridge. The place where the mini-putt is. It's closed now but the gate must be open. Come to think of it don't go there as you need to drive to the rivers shoreline and with this rain you might get stuck unless you have 4WD.

 

I haven't gone yet due to the weather (winds mainly). It's a little too far for me to be guessing the conditions, so the weather network is my new best friend. Also learning quite a bit about wind speeds and directions and their effects on water conditions.

[Old Ironmaker]

Wind isn't really going to effect fishing from shore which I believe is what you do. In fact it may help if you are on the shore facing the wind. It sure isn't comfortable though. If you really want Sheepshead (fresh water Drum aka farm animals here) pretend you are fishing for Walleye. There are people here that swear they make a great fish chowder. Also poor mans Lobster. A billion Asians can't all be wrong.

 

There is a Pro tour south that target Saltwater Drum otherwise known as Red Fish.

Edited May 15, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[huzzsaba]

Wind isn't really going to effect fishing from shore which I believe is what you do. In fact it may help if you are on the shore facing the wind. It sure isn't comfortable though. If you really want Sheepshead (fresh water Drum aka farm animals here) pretend you are fishing for Walleye. There are people here that swear they make a great fish chowder. Also poor mans Lobster. A billion Asians can't all be wrong.

 

There is a Pro tour south that target Saltwater Drum otherwise known as Red Fish.

Thanks!