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landlocked beachbum · Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:23 pm Post subject: Sheepshead 101

Here's a great in depth write up from a dude down in Florida on the Pensacola fishing forum:
http://pensacolafishingforum.com/fishingforum/Topic473954-14-1.aspx
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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

Bluffer · Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:44 pm Post subject:

Its time for them tasty offerings. But worth it to pay to have em cleaned!
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landlocked beachbum · Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject:

It's not too bad with a good sharp knife and good filleting technique, but you're right: I'd MUCH rather clean a speckled trout.................... what a piece of cake! Cool

I believe that's the easiest cleaning fish of any that I've ever dealt with. Very Happy

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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

ltorna1 · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 3240

never had a sheepy, why are they tough? just bony?? Just looking at them I think I would just pull the guts out, scale them and bake them whole?

LB-ditto on that, smacks are real easy too, never a sliver of meat left on the skeleton when I finish.
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chuck · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:39 am Post subject:

[quote="ltorna1"]never had a sheepy, why are they tough? just bony??

they are armor plated dinosaurs,

a hack saw works great for getting it started then use the filet knife

but the meat is great, nice and thick, neat flavor too due to they eat barnicles and shrimp

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:46 am Post subject:

Yeah, the scales and skin might make a good bullet proof vest if layered!!! Shocked

Way back when I was in 6th grade my uncle drove us to one of the bridges that crosses the Nueces river specifically to fish for sheepshead. I think that we went to sunset lake and caught some fiddlers first. I caught my first sheepy, a big one, and that was the end of the action. We went home and he tried to scale the thing and got so pissed off, hot and sweaty that he threw the whole thing in the freeking trashcan!!!!!!!!!!!! Rolling Eyes

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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

Skipjack · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:49 am Post subject:

Sheepshead are actually quite easy to clean. You just have to know the technique.

You have to work from the top. You can't start cutting from the pectoral fin like we do for trout. The other thing I never do is cut through the rib cage. I cut the fillet off the rib cage from the inside going out and then just tear it away.

I found this article online. Its close except for the rib cage part.

http://floridasurffishing.com/fishcleaning/cleanarticle1.html
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Central Scrutinizer · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:10 am Post subject:

That link didn't do a bad job.

I usually start at the tail and go up the dorsal side towards the head, flip it around and do the same on the ventral side. I also use a large bladed, very heavy boning knife and not a fillet knife. Rip through the rib bones and you get essentially the same results. Just be careful of going to fast, as your hand is moving in the direction of those LARGE dorsal spines. Shocked

Ditto on the vertical bones at the base of the ribs. Clean those out and sheepshead is a great fish.

larry meinert · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:55 pm Post subject:

Like Itornal said; gut them, scale them, head them if you want, then throw them on the grill with lemmon, butter, and your spice. I don't undrestand why folks seem to think you have to filet a fish to eat it. L

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:57 pm Post subject:

Big John · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 2647

How to eat sheepshead:

Take one large sheephead, a lemon cut into slices, a spring of fresh dillweed, a couple pats of butter, abd salt a pepper to taste. Put the fish down on a large clean towel, placing all the other ingredients on top, then wrapping with the towl. Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Unwrap the fish, throw it away and eat the towel! Laughing

stxoutdoors · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 7:47 pm Post subject:

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:14 pm Post subject:

Kyle46n · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:22 am Post subject:

They are a little more difficult to clean than other fish, but it's not like many make it out to be. You would think its next to impossible reading some people's encounters with cleaning a sheepshead. And it's definitely worth it. The meat is excellent. On top of that, it's a different kind of fishing with a different type of challenge. Lots of fun.

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:37 am Post subject:

I've only caught that one back in the 60s on rod and reel but next time down I'm going to be biving them a good working over! Wink

When I'm down in Destin I see HUGE sheepies working the bridge pilings, laying on their sides with their backs sticking out of the water. I've never been able to get one of those to even look at a bait, even using the little brown crabs that the sheepies are grabbing from the waterline of the piling. BUT, bowfishing for them is legal down there, so next time down, look out sheepies!!!! Cool

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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein