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
Kiptopeke State Park
Cape Charles Town Pier
St. Augustine Beach
North Myrtle Beach
Garden City Beach
Tybee Island Beach
Venice (Plaquemines)
Matagorda Beach
Biloxi Beach
Gulfport Beach
Pass Christian Beach
Grand Isle State Park
Cocodrie / Dularge (Terrebonne)
Myrtle Beach
Folly Beach
Bay St. Louis Beach
Padre Island National Seashore
Chincoteague NWR — Fishing Access
Haulover Beach Park
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Pensacola Beach
Navarre Beach
Destin Beach
Panama City Beach
Mexico Beach
St. George Island
East Beach (Galveston)
Sea Rim State Park
Gulf Shores Public Beach
Orange Beach
Dauphin Island Public Beach
Lake Pontchartrain (Fontainebleau)
Jacksonville Beach
Daytona Beach
New Smyrna Beach
Mustang Island State Park
South Padre Island Beach
Ocean City Inlet — North Jetty
Hilton Head Island
Pawleys Island
Charleston Harbor
Mobile Bay
St. Simons Island Beach
Cape Henlopen State Park
Indian River Inlet
Galveston Seawall
Crystal Beach (Bolivar Peninsula)
Surfside Beach (TX)
Pirates Beach
Port Aransas Beach
Boca Chica Beach
Cocoa Beach
Cape Canaveral Beach
Sanibel Island Beach
Fort Myers Beach (Lynn Hall Memorial Park)
Naples Beach
Marco Island Beach
Sebastian Inlet State Park
Lake Worth Beach
Deerfield Beach
Pompano Beach
Clearwater Beach
St. Pete Beach
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Virginia (tidal — VMRC)
Stale: last verified 51 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 51 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 14 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 14 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 14 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 14 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 15
15" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AL
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 8
12" minimum, 8/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MS
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
gulf
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 15
14" minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
GA
Stale: last verified 14 days ago.
atlantic
- Min size
- 10"
- Creel
- 15
10" fork-length minimum, 15/person/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29