Sheephead Smackdown

[Twins 57 Fan]

Fished Waconia all summer long for walleyes. Caught a few walleyes here and there but the sheepies are running thick. If sheephead were friends I would be quite a popular fella. They always seem to want to hang out with me.

Any ideas on how to clean them out of the lake? Or do they do something good that I dont know about?

[tsewdim]

They eat zebra mussels!

[Zelmsdawg]

They'll give you action when nothing else does

Zelmsdawg

[OnAFly]

"They'll give you action when nothing else does"

-insert joke here-

[JBMasterAngler]

They are also an important forage for walleyes, pike, etc. They're also native to the lake, so it doesn't look like they've done any harm for the past few thousand years.

[erickol]

Clean them out of the lake? no. they belong there. throw 'em back, or find a way you like to cook 'em. Never take it upon yourself to rid a lake of it's fish. Always a bad bad idea.

What is the largest one you've caught out there anyway? Big drum are always a welcome site in my eyes, even if the little ones can be annoying (like little sunnies).

[Twins 57 Fan]

never weighed them, but some are pretty dang big.

[erickol]

I checked the MN DNR lakefinder and the last survey the average weight of the drum were just over 2lbs. Looks like about the same average weight for walleye at the same period with not a whole lot of evidence of natural reproduction of the eyes. Looks like walleye and muskies rely on regular stocking to sustain fishable populations.

[ogrejce]

I remember fishing the lake as a kid (when I was 10 and one of my only childhood memories of a thing called a boat) catching five of the HUGEST fish ever. I too agree, sheephead belong in the lake. Haven't caught one there since though, and my boat has been in the lake 10 times this year and last fishing.

[ogrejce]

Do they Bite ice fishing? I ice fish there a lot and never heard of anyone getting one.

[Tip Up Rookie]

Waconia is one of my top three sheepshead lakes in MN! Never caught one through the ice. Anyone wants my sheepshead GPS points, email me

[jigginjim]

Sheephead are really not bad eating. A friend fried them up for guys at the fish fry, they thought it was really good walleye. They were told it was sheephead, two could not beleive the sheephead were that good eating. Remove the red meat from the fillet,its all really white meat. Most guys how keep every sheepie they catch.

[ogrejce]

I seen some big ones pulled outta the river this year, think it might have Wakonia beat. Also believe i got one on Sheilds lake last year.

[JimBuck]

Sheephead play an important role in the balance of the eco system in waconia. Not only do they eat zebra mussels but also serve as a forage fish for larger predators. Just because you've caught quite a few sheephead while targeting walleye is no excuse to just kill a species off. I catch sheephead while targeting channels but that doesn't give me the right to kill them because they decided to bite my hook. Most species play a vital role in the bigger picture and choosing to take matter's into your own hands will not only affect the fishery, but everyone else who enjoys fishing that body of water. Just a thought.

[Where's Walter?]

After learning the saltwater version of a sheepshead is a Florida delicacy, we put a few in the box next to a walleye this spring. They are a little bony to fillet (just like their sea cousins) but tasted great! Flesh was a little firmer than walleye but tasted the same. So, if you don't like to catch them, start eating them! I don't think the DNR will restock them.

Not sure I'd eat them from the Mississippi, but from Waconia they're great!

Get the gps coordinates from the guy who was offering his "sheepie coordinates", they're likely also walleye spots!

Good luck and remember - don't knock it until you try it!

[Gary Crichton]

IMO and I have fished Waconia for 38 years now haven't been there yet this year but to me the Sheephead has increased a lot in the last 10 plus years. We have caught them ice fishing in recent years on the north side of the island in about 30 feet, fishing for crappies. I have caught them long lining in the summer. To me and just my opinion they are getting out of control, but to each his own. I have never had to say at least they are biting. I thought it was bad a few years ago, so I would hate to see what it is like now.

[ogrejce]

I hear the cats really like to eat them, my guess is I would too, I just hate cleaning fish.

[Tip Up Rookie]

Please send me your ice fishing sheepspots.

[ogrejce]

I love the smoking squirrel tip up rookie! I would like to catch one on a tip up too. Got one a a cat pole and it was a blast. Its just a shame their so ugly, but then again i like the way catslook.

[Carp-fisher]

Actually sheephead are pretty good to eat. Try mixing some in sometime with a walleye fry and see if anyone can tell the difference. I've never done that, but it would be funny to try....

[ogrejce]

I think my crowd would never step back in my boat if I did that to 'em. That might not always be bad either, I think I could find a few new people If I looked hard enough.

[blackdog1101]

I've never understood why people dislike sheepshead. Personally I think sheepshead fight better than walleye. My BIL and I were smallie fishing on Lake Erie this summer, and caught several sheepies in the 8 - 10 lbs class. Now there's a fight. We caught a half dozen like this.

[goblueM]

everything fights better than walleyes...

sheephead are a lot of fun to catch, especially when they start getting above 25 inches. I once found a 32 inch dead specimen in Lake Pepin, man did that thing have massive pharengyeal teeth

[roughfish29]

i haven't got a sheephead this year..... i miss those things!

[Tip Up Rookie]

I fished Red Lake this June and did real well on walleyes and sheepshead. We threw all the sheepies back but I must have heard my uncle say a dozen times " man they look like they could be a good eating fish" Maybe if we make another trip next year we will toss a few in the livewell and give them a try.

Those lake Erie sheepies are massive! Those had to be blast! Nice fish

[TurnUpTheFishing]

Ive read somewhere sheapshead are very slow growing fish but live a long life so a 5lb fish would generally be something like 20 years old. Wish I remembered the exact stats, anyone else know them?

[waterbound]

Sheepshead aren't exactly fast growing fish and they've been known to reach more than 70 years of age. I think its a little bit of an exaggeration to say that a 5 pound fish would be close to 20 years old, though.

[fishmon]

I seen some big ones pulled outta the river this year, think it might have Wakonia beat. Also believe i got one on Sheilds lake last year.

Here is one I pulled out of pool 4 this year, biggest one I have personally ever seen fought better than any walleye ever could....

[roughfish29]

very nice sheepie

[ogrejce]

Never seen one that big, not so ugly. I would hold it up high too.