Fishing For California Sheephead
Fish come in many shapes and sizes but there is no fish more unique looking than the California Sheephead. These are also commonly called ‘Goats’ by locals fishing for Sheephead. This is not to be confused with the Sheepshead that lives along the eastern and southern seaboard. That fish strangely enough also has its own uniquely weird appearance.
The California Sheephead is a unique fish species belonging to the wrasse family, native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. You can find this critter swimming around Monterey Bay, California, all the way down to Mexico near the Gulf of California. Sheephead live a long time, up to 50 years in best case scenarios. The official record weight of a California Sheephead is 28 pounds and 6 ounces, but a 34.9 pound monster was caught in Ventura Ca. A typical catch fishing along the coast will be 2-8 pounds.
Unique Traits That Make The CA Sheephead Stand Out
1. Sex
All Sheepshead are born female and can change to male based on certain circumstances. One potential cause would be if the ratio of males to females become imbalanced. Young Sheephead (female) are a bright reddish orange. When they change sex the male becomes bigger. It develops a black tail and head with a reddish-orange middle section.
2. Forehead Bump
When the fish develops into a male it also develops red eyes and a fleshy forehead bump. This bump somewhat resembles the forehead of a sheep, and thus the reason for its name.
3. Teeth
Sheephead show off a white chin and large, protruding teeth. These teeth help the fish pry hard-shelled animals out of crevasse. Once in its grasp, powerful jaws and those big teeth crush and grind it into dinner.
Where Are The Best Locations To Fish For Sheephead?
Sheephead can be found from Baja California north though Monterey Bay. The fish can normally be found in depths of 30 feet to 200 feet.
Like many Pacific fish, these like to hang out around kelp forests. The reason is that one of their favorite quarry, Sea Urchins, can also be found there. Sea Urchins like to eat the roots of the kelp, so they are often found near the base of these sea plants.
Another location to find Sheephead is around areas with rocky bottoms. As opposed to sandy or muddy bottoms, you will want to focus on areas that have abundant hard bottom and rocky features.
Some of the biggest fish are caught around the islands just off the Southern California coast. Islands such as Catalina have many miles of coast line with abundant kelp and rocky underwater outcroppings. These areas have perfect habitat for this fish. Due to the relative isolation of the islands, fish populations are good and they can grow to be larger than what is normally caught along the CA coast.
Fishing For Sheephead – Tips and Tricks
Fishing for Sheephead is not very difficult especially in a kayak. Easy spots to take them is right inside (on top of) the kelp bed. Paddle right into the kelp, find an open hole in the kelp and drop down to the bottom. In spots like these you have a great shot at snagging a few fish. If you don’t get bit in 10 min. Probably best to move on. Getting tangled in the kelp can be a problem, so if the wind is blowing I like to keep some kelp draped over in my kayak. This keeps me stationary and I don’t snag the kelp so much.
Another option is to drift over rock areas, preferably near kelp areas. Have your preferred bait drifting near the bottom. Keep your drift slow and watch for the bite.
Often times the bit of these fish will be light, so having braid line can help with feeling those hits. Since you may be fishing around kelp the ability to use heavier line can help reduce break offs. Sheephead might have a light bite sometimes, but the fight after the hookup is always a strong one. Be ready for some drag pulling fun!
A typical set up I use for kayak fishing in the kelp would be as follows. (Going out to the Islands for 10-20 pounders will require a step up in the gear).
- Medium action rod .
- 15-40 lb braid line. (I like to go lighter on the line).
- 2500-3500 class spinning reel.
- ¾ oz slider lead weight with 1/0 light wire circle hook.
What’s The Best Bait For Sheephead?
These fish are not generally picky about what they eat. With their large prominent teeth Sheephead will feast on hard shelled critters like crabs and lobsters. Another favorite dinner item is squid and sea urchins.
For the fisherman a variety of cut bait like anchovies, squid strips, or clams will work when fishing for Sheephead. By far the best fishing bait I have found is Shrimp. I purchase fresh, raw, shell on shrimp from the grocery store. A good presentation is to insert a 1/0 hook into the shrimp, burying as much as possible. Weighted down with a ½ ounce to 1 ounce sliding sinker, drop the bait down to the bottom and let the shrimp naturally slide away from the weight. Weight of the sinker is determined by the amount of current present. If there are any ‘Goats’ nearby, you should get a knock at the door in a minute or two.
Fishing for California Sheephead can be a lot of fun! Besides being a great fighter these fish taste great with their mild delict flavor. Many people like to steam the fish as its soft meat can tend to fall apart during cooking. So go find your self a patch of kelp and have some fun fishing for this unusual and unique fish of the Pacific coastline.
