Species guide · Florida
Sheepshead fishing in Florida
Archosargus probatocephalus, an inshore species also called convict fish, sheepie and bait stealer. Listed for the South Florida and the Keys, Eastern Gulf and South Atlantic regions. Off season, about 6 more weeks.
Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM at 56, one of 31 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.
Season now
Off seasonSeason by month
From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.
South Florida and the Keys
Off season, about 6 more weeks- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Peak season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Shoulder season
- May: Off season
- Jun: Off season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Off season
- Oct: Off season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Shoulder season
Peak: Feb to Mar. In season (shoulder or peak): Nov to Apr.
Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region
Winter and early spring around Keys bridges, Biscayne Bay seawalls and Everglades creek mouths. Less of a target than farther north.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Eastern Gulf
Off season, about 1 more week- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Peak season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Off season
- Jul: Off season
- Aug: Off season
- Sep: Off season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Shoulder season
Peak: Feb to Apr. In season (shoulder or peak): Oct to May.
Research notes, Eastern Gulf region
UF/IFAS lists late winter through spring as peak, when fish gather on nearshore reefs, jetties and bridges to spawn. Present around docks and oyster bars year-round.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
South Atlantic
Shoulder season, about 19 more weeks- Jan: Shoulder season
- Feb: Peak season
- Mar: Peak season
- Apr: Peak season
- May: Shoulder season
- Jun: Shoulder season
- Jul: Shoulder season
- Aug: Shoulder season
- Sep: Shoulder season
- Oct: Shoulder season
- Nov: Shoulder season
- Dec: Shoulder season
Peak: Feb to Apr. In season (shoulder or peak): all year.
Research notes, South Atlantic region
Non-migratory and present year-round in South Carolina. Florida and Georgia peak with the March and April spawn on nearshore reefs and jetties; North Carolina bridge and wreck fishing holds up into summer and fall.
Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.
Where it's scoring now · 31
Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's sheepshead score this hour.
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (56) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (64) · 4 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (55) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (59) · 92 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (52) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (62) · 21 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (47) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 8 PM (59) · 88 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (51) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 7 AM (62) · 22 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (40) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 7 AM (45) · 11 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 49 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 199 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 82 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 126 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 2 AM (35) · 39 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 20 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 81 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 1 AM (35) · 6 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 3 AM (35) · 24 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 131 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 13 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 109 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 46 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 79 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 195 named spots
Best window today 7 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 23 named spots
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 5 AM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (33) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 AM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 16 named spots
Best window today 8-11 PM (29) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 11 PM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (22) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 9 AM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (17) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 6 PM (35)
Best window today 8-11 PM (16) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 5 PM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (18) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 PM (35)
Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (12) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 5 PM (35)
How and where it feeds
- Water temperature
- Feeds from 50°F to 86°F, best between 56°F and 74°F.
- Water depth
- 2 to 50 ft of water.
- Structure
- Jetty, pier, bridge, oyster, reef, wreck and channel, in that order of preference.
- Tide and current
- Prefers moving water, with light current.Sheepshead feed on any moving tide, but vertical fishing tight to pilings and jetty rocks is easiest with light current. Strong current drags baits away from the structure and hides the light bite. The last of a tide and early turn are often best.
- Light
- Little tied to dawn and dusk.
- Pressure
- Little response to pressure changes.
- Wind and sea limits
- 18 kt of wind and 4 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.
Tackle and technique
Sheepshead graze barnacles and crabs off pilings, jetty rocks, bridge supports, oyster bars and nearshore reefs, from a few feet deep out to about 50 feet. Drop a fiddler crab, sand flea or piece of shrimp on a small, strong hook straight down next to the structure with just enough weight to hold bottom. The bite is a light tap, so keep the line tight and set the hook fast.
- Methods
- vertical bottom fishing, jig and bait, dock and piling fishing
- Lures
- small jighead tipped with bait, fiddler crab jig
- Bait
- fiddler crab, sand flea (mole crab), live or fresh shrimp, barnacles, hermit crab, oyster
Regulations
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Sep 16, 2026.
No reviewed sheepshead rule for Florida is on file yet. Check with FWC before you keep one.
Other Florida species
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic tarpon
- Common snook
- Crevalle jack
- Gray snapper
- King mackerel
- Red drum
- Southern flounder
- Spot
- Spotted seatrout
- Summer flounder
- Black drum
- Black sea bass
- Bonefish
- Cobia
- Florida pompano
- Gag grouper
- Gray triggerfish
- Greater amberjack
- Little tunny
- Mahi-mahi
- Permit
- Red grouper
- Red snapper
- Sailfish
- Spanish mackerel
- Wahoo
- Weakfish
- Yellowfin tuna
- Bluefish
- Striped bass