Sexy Fish: Sheephead

The sheephead is a marine fish that grows to about 30 in, but usually only reaches 10 to 20 in. It is deep and compressed in body shape, with 5 to 6 dark bars on the side of the body over a gray background. It has sharp dorsal spines. Its diet consists of oysters, clams, and other bivalves, and barnacles, fiddler crabs, and other crustaceans. It has a hard mouth, with several rows of stubby teeth, which help crush prey.Although the Sheephead Bay section of Brooklyn, in New York City, was named after the fish, it is almost entirely a southern species: its range extends from the Mid-Atlantic to Texas. As Sheephead feed on bivalves & crustaceans, successful baits include shrimp, sand fleas, clams, fiddler crabs, and mussels. Sheephead have a knack for stealing bait, so a small hook is necessary. Locating sheephead in a boat is not difficult: fishermen look for rocky bottoms or places with obstructions, and they try around jetties and the pilings of bridges & piers. The average weight of a sheephead is 3 to 4 pounds, but some individuals reach the range of 10 to 15 pounds.

Sheephead is best when baked, but is great when grilled, broiled, fried.