Crazed sheepshead fought like a shark

The annual trip that Crazy Alberto Knie and I make to fish the Everglades with Paul Castelli at Chokoleskee produced a decent bite of small game to provide for a huge sushi dinner by gourmet chef Alberto, but the highlight was provided by a crazed sheepshead.

That beautiful and very good-eating species is similar to the tautog in feeding and fighting aspects even though they aren’t related. Both species feed primarily on crabs and are tricky to hook. Furthermore, both will try to “rock” you out without running any further than the rough bottom they live on. Yet, I suddenly found myself hooked up on light spinning tackle with a fish that hit a live shrimp like a sheepshead – but was running line off my reel like a much larger shark , cobia or ray. Possibly for the first time in sheepshead fishing history, Paul had to run on that fish.

Then I felt the jine break out of something on the bottom and the fish came up toward the surface as I gained line. It was still battling next to the boat before Alberto netted it. Though I was using only a single hook “knocker” rig, the stout 18 1/2-inch sheepshead had somehow gotten

snagged by the tiny #2 hook!

I’ll have more about this trip tomorrow.

The NY/NJ Bight forecast is for only 5-10-knot north winds, though rain and patchy fog is also in the forecast.