Species
Sheepshead
Archosargus probatocephalus · family Sparidae
Live · updated
Structure-oriented crustacean eater with famously human-like teeth. VA piers, jetties, and the rocks and pilings of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel are the classic targets. Fiddler crabs, sand fleas, or small pieces of shrimp on a knocker rig right against the structure. Expect to lose tackle.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 60–82°F (ideal 72°F)
- Tide
- slack
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 5–40 ft
- Active months
- May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
Best sheepshead conditions today
Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty
South Padre Island Beach
Indian River Inlet
Padre Island National Seashore
Boca Chica Beach
Bay St. Louis Beach
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Cape Henlopen State Park
Sanibel Island Beach
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Naples Beach
Marco Island Beach
Haulover Beach Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Clearwater Beach
St. Pete Beach
Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access
New Smyrna Beach
Lake Worth Beach
St. Simons Island Beach
Cocoa Beach
Cape Canaveral Beach
Mustang Island State Park
Matagorda Beach
Biloxi Beach
Gulfport Beach
Pass Christian Beach
Cocodrie / Dularge (Terrebonne)
St. Augustine Beach
Deerfield Beach
Pompano Beach
Mexico Beach
Mobile Bay
Grand Isle State Park
Pawleys Island
Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach
Garden City Beach
Surfside Beach (SC)
Pensacola Beach
Navarre Beach
Panama City Beach
East Beach (Galveston)
Galveston Seawall
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Surfside Beach (TX)
Port Aransas Beach
Pirates Beach
Sea Rim State Park
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Orange Beach
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Venice (Plaquemines)
Lake Pontchartrain (Fontainebleau)
Kiptopeke State Park
Cape Charles Town Pier
Folly Beach
Tybee Island Beach
Charleston Harbor
St. George Island
Jacksonville Beach
Daytona Beach
Hilton Head Island
Destin Beach
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Virginia (tidal — VMRC)
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
tidal bay
- Creel
- 4
Virginia tidal waters: no minimum size (removed in a prior VMRC cycle). 4 fish per day. Open year-round; in practice the fishery is May through October. VMRC regulation 4VAC20-1110.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Stale: last verified 81 days ago.
atlantic
- Creel
- 4
Virginia Atlantic coast and ocean piers: no minimum size, 4 per day. Seasonal fishery in practice — warm-water months only.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
SC
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 10
14" minimum, 10/person/day (max 30 per boat).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
FL
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 8
12" minimum, 8/person/day (50-per-vessel limit in March–April).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 8
12" minimum, 8/person/day (50-per-vessel limit in March–April).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
TX
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 15
15" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AL
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 8
12" minimum, 8/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MS
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 15
14" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
GA
Stale: last verified 44 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 10"
- Creel
- 15
10" fork-length minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29