Trying Worms For Sheepshead Bait

The recent craze of catching Sheepshead on worms down at the Gulf Coast has me perplexed to say the least. What a strange phenomenon. You guys have been asking me to test this out here in North Carolina so I decided to give it a go. Plenty of fish were biting... Has anybody else tried this out and what were the results? Get out there and be somebody!
16' Sundance Skiff, 30HP Mercury
Shimano Torium 20HG - Penn Carnage II Jigging 6'2"
Shimano Torium 16PG - Shimano Trevala Jigging Rod 6'6" Heavy, Medium Fast
Penn Fathom 25NLD2 - Shimano Trevala Jigging Rod 5'8" Heavy, Medium Fast
100 Pound Power Pro, 50 Pound Fluorocarbon Leader
Catch Mud Crabs under "stuff", below the high tide line (WEAR GLOVES, oyster cuts are nasty). WARNING: The purple crabs with spots and striped legs are stone crabs and are illegal to possess.
Fresh bait matters. Good luck out there!
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[@yankeeredneck6017]

You are so blessed to be able to fish as much as you do. Especially taking the boys. By the way…fishing for sheepshead..awesome…having a king mackerel jump 10’ into the air next to the boat…priceless.

[@trentc6069]

That young man thanked the Lord the first min that fish got in the boat. That's amazing!

[@leeg1584]

Looks like the boys stole the show on this trip. Great job Evan catching the first and breaking the ice..Worms are a bust it looks like. You need 1 more pair of scissors on the boat......Great video as always

[@offkilterfishing]

You can never have too many scissors!

[@RadReelingFishing]

Great video! The underwater footage really added to the video. Thanks for bringing us along.

[@datronheath735]

Awesome job Evan and the smiles are priceless

[@williamhammonds3166]

little man said let me show yall how to get it done

[@offkilterfishing]

Evan is known for first fish magic. Such a patient young man.

[@williamhammonds3166]

have fun y they r young won't b long they b chasing women and forget about daddy

[@davefish84]

so glad you tried this very interesting results! I have been really wondering about the whole worm trick.

[@NoNORADon911]

I dangle my worm at the bar, same results :(

[@crappiekrazy1]

Another great video! I'm disappointed the worms didn't work, I was hoping they would be a good back up bait to use. Thanks for giving it a try!

[@trishcotto4530]

Cool video

[@FrankLadd]

I'm glad to see you and the boys have a great trip and I feel a little better that my lost to hook up ratio is only three times worse than yours. In previous videos I thought you were about 100 times better than me at setting the hook at the right time which I think is the hardest part of Sheepshead fishing.

[@offkilterfishing]

Yeah it can be tough but sometimes they feed really aggressive and it can seem almost easy. Usually a short window of time during the day at random times. Solunar helps narrow it down.

[@YourSundaySchool]

I watched a Southern Salt video where he was catching them on crickets down around Florida.

[@michaelknapp2500]

Tried this spot about 2 weeks ago with a variety. Artificial no bites, worms initial drop a bite but nothing caught, dropped frozen sand fleas and caught a few small ones and one 15 3/4 my new pb. Great videos thanks for the help I’m still learning what I can on sheepshead.

[@offkilterfishing]

Congrats on the PB! I am going to put up more sand fleas this summer/fall for sure. Such an easy go to bait for the winter and spring. Thanks for the comment.

[@NoNORADon911]

All these fishing vids these days are crazy haha. I was catching a lot of snook 30 years ago, everybody pretty much kept their spots secret if they could. I'm just getting back into fishing recently but it takes so much time now with things getting worse every year at least in the Gulf of Florida, red tide, BP oil spill, overfishing, development etc not sure its worth it.

[@moemartin6652]

Yeah Evan, I had the feeling, he was going to catch first fish

[@Captain_Kdawg]

The sheeperts are not camera shy that’s for sure!!

[@offkilterfishing]

Curious Fish

[@Captain_Kdawg]

@@offkilterfishing yea I got a OLLD go pro I was gonna try and drop it down some bridge pillings to see what I can see!

[@johnsmalldridge6356]

How long can you keep mud crabs alive? I wonder if fish bites work.

[@offkilterfishing]

I have kept them alive for a week, keep a salt water wet rag scrunched up on top of them but they need air. Don't leave them in standing water and don't let them get too cold or too hot. Highly doubt that fish bites would work for sheepshead, use them for bottom fish.

[@obxsurfandsoundfishing4085]

Great catch Evan!!!!

[@terryrichter3511]

I know that black drum were biting on shrimp today. Even caught a few puffer....

[@jamesmacfarlane3196]

Great video

[@tribalncgaming1091]

was wondering when you would give that a shot southern salt youtube video.. :) I think the way southern salt fished the worm .. was carolina rig but small 1oz .. and then set it midway down along a pylon.. so as to make it look like something hanging off the pylon... a lot more finesse type fishing. i may try that with the same presentation he did rather then sitting on the bottom, i am out of newport .. will let you know

[@ronalddills4566]

Another great video, it good to see the boys fishing with you. Glad to see you trying the worms . I wonder if putting some chum in a minnow trap or similar container would help turn the sheepshead on to biting. Just a thought. Thought lines my friend 😊

[@offkilterfishing]

I really like to use chum, like shrimp heads or old shrimp to attract black drum during the winter. Not sure how well that would work for the sheepshead.Thanks for the comment.

[@lipbustersfishing7425]

Good job Evan 💪🏽

[@ChrisDunkin]

It looks like a good spot, mud crabs are one of the best baits for sheepshead. If I may, change your rig. I like a light ugly stick 5 1/2' , Caralina rig with as small of a sinker as you can use if no current use 1/2 oz. . use a regular off set hook, 1 hook 1 leader # 2 to a 3-0 should work. I am going Thursday I will post what I get on Facebook .PS I commercially fished for sheep for 25 years jest trying to help. Keep those boys fishing.

[@brandone6252]

Yeah they have too heavy of tackle

[@levinmckoy4559]

I've seen a couple videos of people using nightcrawlers for Sheepshead. The fisherman who were successful in catching Sheepshead were fishing in brackish water. I believe those brackish water Sheepshead have a different diet. All the videos where the salt water was clearly visibly more green (more salty than fresh) did not have luck with the Sheepshead. If you have a location that has Sheepshead in brackish (more brown) water you might be successful.

[@offkilterfishing]

Thanks for this comment, yeah that does make sense. I don't really fish for sheepshead too far inland so I'm gonna pass on the worms and stick to a more traditional bait from now on.

[@levinmckoy4559]

@@offkilterfishing I bet this would work in the Pamilco sound around the bridge pilings or even the Intercoastal waterway near Carolina Beach.

[@offkilterfishing]

@@levinmckoy4559 Maybe during winter and early spring, as soon as the water warms up the trash fish will attack first. Let me know if you give it a try!

[@fernandoprince3077]

I tried the worms in new Smyrna Florida but,not a single bite.

[@michaeltaylor4984]

Grasshoppers are the bait I use most

[@JamesJones-cx5pk]

We use crickets. They look like barnicales.👍

[@tygoom]

I know they eat oysters what about clams ?

[@offkilterfishing]

I'm going to try it soon, stay tuned!

[@anthonymurphy2540]

It seems to me that a little piece of squid would do amazing job at catching sheep-head!!

[@jmnorris50]

Cool vid. Are you getting the mud crabs this time of year?

[@offkilterfishing]

Yeah, they are up an warm days just as good as in the summer, if not better. The heat from the summer sun is as rough or rougher on the crabs as the cold is in my opinion.

[@jerryc3093]

Give the kids the experimental bait, lol.

[@rayledbetter3391]

The worms you find in oyster clusters work better than those worms

[@drewstarling257]

What size hook and style are you using

[@offkilterfishing]

I was using the 1/0 Gamakatsu Octopus 4X Strong J Hooks. The circle hooks might be the deal for sheepshead but I still like setting hooks. I will never be satisfied with which hooks work the best for catching these sneaky fish, but that's what makes me keep going back.

[@OFFFishing]

Nice PB Evan💪👏

[@NoNORADon911]

Funny the video I watched before this on Fish On Channel also said he also had no luck with land worms for Sheepshead (central Florida Gulf coast) except sea worms which is new to me. He said those are awesome? He is going to do a vid on how to catch them.

[@NoNORADon911]

Oh yeah seeing you get skunked made me feel a little better lol, all I see are vids of people catching sheep's non stop.

[@marvincraig9884]

Try some live Mud Bugs, heads and tails (crawfish).

[@bigvince3560]

Nice 🔥🔥🔥🎯💯🎣🎣✌🏽🤟🏿

[@obxsurfandsoundfishing4085]

Where are you fishing in eastern North Carolina? I’m in the Outer Banks. Just curious.

[@codyhammond9839]

Man where do you catch mud crabs

[@secretjourney4815]

Boom! Like a 3 oz sinker bonking a sheep on the head. I’m first!

[@nhemekeovorabouth3420]

Good job boys 👍

[@brandone6252]

Shrimp work good an sand flees

[@mikewilliamson8794]

You don't rip circle hooks like that. You just start reeling. If you try to set your hook. You'll lose the fish 9/10 times.

[@brandone6252]

I am in the eastern nc area Elizabeth city area

[@MarkDJones-lv8dr]

Have tried artificial crayfish. Cut them in half and leave the claws

[@IWillNotArgueWithMorons]

Circle hooks are awesome…but NOT for sheepshead👀🤷🏼‍♂️. That’s why you kept losing your bait my guy 🎣🤙🏻🍻

[@offkilterfishing]

I tend to agree, however, I was using 1/0 J hooks, the boys were using circle hooks. It might be a thing to try is all I’m saying.

[@themegameat6873]

Have you tried using artificial crabs in this spot?

[@offkilterfishing]

I have never tried them, they are so expensive and live crabs are so easy to get. I don't use many artificial at all if I can find live bait instead.

[@patrickseekins1299]

Maybe works better in warmer water.

[@offkilterfishing]

When the water warms up here, the pinfish and other small bottom fish will steal them quick. I'm going to stick to crabs and urchins.

[@majorrhodes2870]

Yep you wasted some good brim bait 😂 and you got out fished by the boys good times 👍👍

[@offkilterfishing]

Those circle hooks get me again, maybe someday I will learn.

[@bencartrett4867]

Are your boy's going to let you eat supper to?

[@offkilterfishing]

I'm the chef, so yeah.

[@johnelkins4250]

Circle hooks 0 need to set hook

[@offkilterfishing]

I agree, I was using Gamakatsu Octopus J hooks without much success. I still love setting hooks so I'm sticking with the J's.

[@johnelkins4250]

@@offkilterfishing lol

[@jakewollman6340]

I think if you'd use one hook you'd have better luck

[@mikewilliamson8794]

Should try to relax on your hook set some.

[@BoringFisherman]

First 🤣

[@dd214fishing]

Man I see ya videos but your technique is a little abrasive. Why so much weight. I wish we had green crabs here like y’all do. Check me out I am catching year round. Bro I am on the GULFCOAST with those guys and tried it and I think they are video editing the shots. I am calling CAP Cap for sure

[@offkilterfishing]

I have seen your stuff, GREAT CONTENT! I fish heavy tackle because I mainly fish deep water (25-50 ft) right on the bridge. Big black drum and sheepshead have the angle advantage to get you in the bridge fast, especially with a heavy current. The jigging setup technology is to the point that it is not uncomfortable to hold all day and will get these fish up and out. I also get my tackle back when I get snagged. I will use 100 pound braid and 50 - 80 pound leader so I will at least get my sinker back and only lose 1 or 2 hooks. I have found that these fish are not leader shy, I do not get more bites by switching to light tackle/leaders. I also don't like leaving hooks in fish or trashing up the bridge with line and tackle. Simple answer, I like catching, not fishing... Keep up the good work sir!

[@dd214fishing]

@@offkilterfishing yea sir me too and I live your content I am I glad you love catching because I like eating also 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@lipbustersfishing7425]

Good job Evan 💪🏽

[@lipbustersfishing7425]

Good job Evan 💪🏽