Great video. Thanks for sharing. Everyone has their own way of doing things, but I see so many people breaking off the claws and throwing them away. Might want to try to either keep them for when you run out of crabs or break them off and add them to the hook in some way. They work just as good as the crabs themselves. Just a thought. Works great for me when I'm out of crabs or putting the big claws on with smaller crabs.
Since I catch my own crabs, I don't really have a problem with running out of bait. My experience has always been that I get significantly less bites if I leave the big claw attached. Makes a nice spot to insert the hook when you pop the claw off also.
Good fishing Nolan. Jigs may not be best for fishing sheepshead on piers, but they do a great job when casting to structure or deeper nearshore fishing during the cooler months
That is a 7'6" Medium Penn Battalion. That rod is discontinued but they make the same rod in Battalion II now. It fishes more like a MH than a M. Love it for inshore fishing
Have you tried Sand Fleas at Jeanette’s? I am wondering if they are too smart there for them since it’s so heavily fished and the bait is so easy to catch.
I haven't spent much time using sand fleas for sheepshead. I remember trying them back when I first got into sheepshead fishing and they never did well at all compared to fiddlers. I know sheepshead get caught on sand fleas, but if they were just as effective, no one would bother walking around in a muddy marsh or paying $5-7 for fiddlers!
It's challenging to catch fiddlers in the outer banks because the tide does not raise and fall much in the sound. Catching them involves getting pretty muddy usually. Finding an area with fiddler crabs is the hardest part, most places that is not the case. I keep mine in a large container with some sort of marsh grass or seaweed in it and wet it down repeatedly to keep them happy when I'm not fishing with them. They are challenging to keep alive.
@@nolanminor6761 thanks man. I'm heading down to hatteras in September, maybe I'll dedicate the first day, trying to find some. Ive never been to a bait shop down there that sells them
I think I was fishing 15 fluoro. Pier sheeps get finicky. You'll lose some but I would rather go light and get more bites. Landed one over 10 pounds with 15 on Jennette's once!
I’ve been running into the issue where they see my line or sinker and swim away. I think I’m been using 20ib Fluro but it keeps snapping when I get hooked up. I’m going to try a smaller sinker and maybe get more bites. I’ve been sight casting to them in clear water. (Slowing working the bait to the piling without slashing or them seeing) You think I can get away woth 30ub mono?
Fluoro is very important for sheepshead fishing. I think the abrasion resistance is more important than the line being less visible, but lower visibility certainly doesn't hurt. Mono gets chafed much easier. I like fishing 15lb fluoro leader on pier sheeps, but if you do that you have to react very quickly after hooking the fish to get it away from the pilings. The heavier you go on leader, the more likely you are to land them, but you get fewer bites as you size it up. I like using 30lb or heavier fluoro when I'm not fishing the pier.
I hooked one trout fishing near Manteo this summer. I've spent enough time on the water to have some pretty crazy things happen to me, but that one is up there. Chafed through my leader almost instantly. No 180lber but certainly not a baby!
@@nolanminor6761 I live at Atlantic Beach,full moon in June they were all over the shoals at Lookout.Pretty good bite of 5lb+ Spanish on the reef on live bait
Depends on where the fish are but usually from the surface to 5 or 6 feet down. When the fish are feeding, they are near the surface because that is where most of the growth on the pilings is.
@@nolanminor6761 ok cool, that makes sense thanks for the fast response. Im used to fishing off my yak at cbbt and they are usually 15-25 ft on the pilings.
@@nolanminor6761 Yes, but haven’t caught a sheep off a pier. Btw I love your vids, especially the cobia vids. I got on my first cobia off my yak and on artificial and am hooked!
@@p1n0ys7ud still sitting on one video's worth of footage from a really good day this spring in NC so there will be no less than one more cobia video this summer!
Nice catches and the vibe around you was even perfect how people around you help even if it's just a little makes it an awesome fishing day👍😎👍
It’s the “quick please” for me 😂
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Everyone has their own way of doing things, but I see so many people breaking off the claws and throwing them away. Might want to try to either keep them for when you run out of crabs or break them off and add them to the hook in some way. They work just as good as the crabs themselves. Just a thought. Works great for me when I'm out of crabs or putting the big claws on with smaller crabs.
Since I catch my own crabs, I don't really have a problem with running out of bait. My experience has always been that I get significantly less bites if I leave the big claw attached. Makes a nice spot to insert the hook when you pop the claw off also.
@@nolanminor6761 How do you go about catching your crabs?
I use the bottom sweeper jigs for sheepshead fishing as I feel that a carolina rig has to much scope.
A lot of people seem to really like jigheads but I absolutely hate them even for bridge fishing. Seem to feed them more crabs and lose more fish.
Where do you get the crabs from?
I fish here often
natural fishing, i like it. so good video
Good fishing Nolan. Jigs may not be best for fishing sheepshead on piers, but they do a great job when casting to structure or deeper nearshore fishing during the cooler months
Gotta love a good (random) net man.
Nice sheep's...Did you offer the net man a some fish? That would have been nice if you did.
Great informative video!!
What action /length rod are you using?
looks like it helps with guiding the carolina rig around those pilings
That is a 7'6" Medium Penn Battalion. That rod is discontinued but they make the same rod in Battalion II now. It fishes more like a MH than a M. Love it for inshore fishing
Pretty work!
Have you tried Sand Fleas at Jeanette’s? I am wondering if they are too smart there for them since it’s so heavily fished and the bait is so easy to catch.
I haven't spent much time using sand fleas for sheepshead. I remember trying them back when I first got into sheepshead fishing and they never did well at all compared to fiddlers. I know sheepshead get caught on sand fleas, but if they were just as effective, no one would bother walking around in a muddy marsh or paying $5-7 for fiddlers!
I heard sandfleas are fire for fishing sheepshead in NC. fiddler crabs are too hard to catch haha they take forever to get a bunch
It's not too bad if you find the right spot. I'll post a short clip on how I catch them in a sheepshead video soon
Dope ass video!!! Great info!!
thanks for the tips im going to be down there in mid april fishing that pier
Mid April is probably too early for sheepshead on the pier but you may be able to get some at the Oregon Inlet pier (used to be the catwalk)
@@nolanminor6761 thanks for the heads up, was hoping the warmer spring might draw some in.
Where did you get fiddler crabs from?
Tw Bait sells them
For your leader line, what conditions would you use a longer leader vs. a shorter one to keep that bait at the piling????
Nice video I enjoy it
Do you know if early October is a good month there for sheepshead?
Where do you get live crabs like that 🦀?
Lot of searching in the mud over the years has given me a roster of places to gather bait. You can also buy them at oceans east in Nags Head
Appreciate the video 😎💪
Dope 🎣💪🏾😎
What kind of cooler do you use?
Whatever cooler will hold ice and fit where I need it to! Not uncommon for us to have a yeti and an igloo in the same boat
What would be the best way to go about getting those fiddler crabs? Catching and storing.. Thanks in advance
It's challenging to catch fiddlers in the outer banks because the tide does not raise and fall much in the sound. Catching them involves getting pretty muddy usually. Finding an area with fiddler crabs is the hardest part, most places that is not the case. I keep mine in a large container with some sort of marsh grass or seaweed in it and wet it down repeatedly to keep them happy when I'm not fishing with them. They are challenging to keep alive.
@@nolanminor6761 thanks man. I'm heading down to hatteras in September, maybe I'll dedicate the first day, trying to find some. Ive never been to a bait shop down there that sells them
@@703Fail Ocean's East carries them
just found this: a true Gem. Do you live in OBX?
Beaufort NC
OK thanks. I look forward to looking at more of your videos. You’re a great down to earth Fisherman . Much respect. Happy New Year.
Tip for those just getting into sheepshead fishing, by frozen fiddlers and use them to find some fish and then switch to your live ones.
14 and I’ve fished this pier for three years and I’ve never caught one, very smart fish
They're definitely not easy.
Where do you get your fiddler crabs down there.
I collect them myself, which is hard in OBX because the tide swing is very small. Ocean's East carries them.
@@nolanminor6761 thank you. I’ll be there this coming weekend and in years past I couldn’t find any.
What would say about leader line size ..is 30 lb too heavy
I think I was fishing 15 fluoro. Pier sheeps get finicky. You'll lose some but I would rather go light and get more bites. Landed one over 10 pounds with 15 on Jennette's once!
Tried this for six hours today and didnt even get a bite. Slow day on the whole pier it seemed.
I’ve been running into the issue where they see my line or sinker and swim away. I think I’m been using 20ib Fluro but it keeps snapping when I get hooked up. I’m going to try a smaller sinker and maybe get more bites. I’ve been sight casting to them in clear water. (Slowing working the bait to the piling without slashing or them seeing)
You think I can get away woth 30ub mono?
Fluoro is very important for sheepshead fishing. I think the abrasion resistance is more important than the line being less visible, but lower visibility certainly doesn't hurt. Mono gets chafed much easier. I like fishing 15lb fluoro leader on pier sheeps, but if you do that you have to react very quickly after hooking the fish to get it away from the pilings. The heavier you go on leader, the more likely you are to land them, but you get fewer bites as you size it up. I like using 30lb or heavier fluoro when I'm not fishing the pier.
Fought a Tarpon off that pier for 2 hours and 50 min in the 90's probably 180!I gaffed the old state record in 77,164 lbs Indian Beach
I hooked one trout fishing near Manteo this summer. I've spent enough time on the water to have some pretty crazy things happen to me, but that one is up there. Chafed through my leader almost instantly. No 180lber but certainly not a baby!
@@nolanminor6761 I live at Atlantic Beach,full moon in June they were all over the shoals at Lookout.Pretty good bite of 5lb+ Spanish on the reef on live bait
this is so good :))
How deep do you drop the fiddler?
Depends on where the fish are but usually from the surface to 5 or 6 feet down. When the fish are feeding, they are near the surface because that is where most of the growth on the pilings is.
@@nolanminor6761 ok cool, that makes sense thanks for the fast response. Im used to fishing off my yak at cbbt and they are usually 15-25 ft on the pilings.
@@p1n0ys7ud then you've probably caught a LOT of them the size of the biggest in this video
@@nolanminor6761 Yes, but haven’t caught a sheep off a pier. Btw I love your vids, especially the cobia vids. I got on my first cobia off my yak and on artificial and am hooked!
@@p1n0ys7ud still sitting on one video's worth of footage from a really good day this spring in NC so there will be no less than one more cobia video this summer!
Legal or not you should have let go the small ones ones😮
Hey it’s
Accident
Why can't you net your own fish?
I can