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
Matagorda Beach
Gulfport Beach
Pass Christian Beach
Grand Isle State Park
St. Simons Island Beach
Cocodrie / Dularge (Terrebonne)
Boca Chica Beach
South Padre Island Beach
Mustang Island State Park
Padre Island National Seashore
Biloxi Beach
Cape Henlopen State Park
Folly Beach
East Beach (Galveston)
Galveston Seawall
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Surfside Beach (TX)
Port Aransas Beach
Pirates Beach
Sea Rim State Park
Kiptopeke State Park
Cape Charles Town Pier
St. Augustine Beach
New Smyrna Beach
Cocoa Beach
Cape Canaveral Beach
Bay St. Louis Beach
Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty
Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Daytona Beach
Mobile Bay
Indian River Inlet
Tybee Island Beach
Venice (Plaquemines)
Lake Pontchartrain (Fontainebleau)
Sanibel Island Beach
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Naples Beach
Marco Island Beach
Myrtle Beach
North Myrtle Beach
Pawleys Island
Garden City Beach
Surfside Beach (SC)
Lake Worth Beach
Deerfield Beach
Pompano Beach
Haulover Beach Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Pensacola Beach
Navarre Beach
Panama City Beach
Clearwater Beach
St. Pete Beach
Orange Beach
Charleston Harbor
Jacksonville Beach
St. George Island
Hilton Head Island
Destin Beach
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Mexico Beach
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Virginia (tidal — VMRC)
Stale: last verified 96 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 96 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 59 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 59 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 59 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 59 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 15
15" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AL
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 8
12" minimum, 8/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MS
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 15
14" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
GA
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 10"
- Creel
- 15
10" fork-length minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29