UTERSheepshead fishing in Biscayne Bay
In Biscayne Bay, sheepshead peak December–March and are around November–April, spawning in February–March, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. February: Spawners at the inlet rocks and nearshore reefs.
Not in Biscayne Bay this month.
Sheepshead in Biscayne Bay, month by month
- JanuaryPeakSailfish season outside; snook at the inlets; bones on warm afternoons. Snook in the inlets and under the bridges on the outgoing; bonefish on the bay flats only on warm afternoons; kings on the reef edge.
- FebruarySpawningSpawners at the inlet rocks and nearshore reefs.
- MarchSpawning
- AprilAround
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyNot here
- AugustNot here
- SeptemberNot here
- OctoberNot here
- NovemberAround
- DecemberPeakSnook closes mid-month; winter reef and inlet pattern. Last snook harvest to the 14th. Kings and cobia on the wrecks, snapper on the reef, bones only on the warm afternoons.
Where to fish sheepshead near Homestead, Key Biscayne, Miami
Biscayne Bay's grass flats and the finger channels between them, the bayside mangrove shorelines of the national park, the inlets (Government Cut, Haulover, Port Everglades), and the reef line within a couple of miles of the beach.
Fish Scouter charts 734 marker / buoy, 515 artificial reef, 478 dock / pilings, 391 wreck spots in the Miami & Biscayne Bay map area — the kinds sheepshead hold on.
What to use for sheepshead
- Fiddler crabsA #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait.
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Sand fleas (mole crabs)On a small circle hook or a pompano rig, digger-end first — the pompano and whiting bait.
- Grass shrimpTwo or three on a #6 hook under a small cork — the bream, crappie, sheepshead and mangrove snapper bait nobody sells.
- Leader20–30 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–1/0
- Jig head1/8–1/4 oz
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 48–74°F water, best at 54–66°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch sheepshead in Biscayne Bay?
Peak season is December–March, with fish spawning in February–March (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Sheepshead are in Biscayne Bay November–April. February: Spawners at the inlet rocks and nearshore reefs.
Where do sheepshead hold in Biscayne Bay?
Look on dock / pilings, bridge, artificial reef, wreck — around Homestead, Key Biscayne, Miami, Haulover, Fort Lauderdale.
What is the best bait for sheepshead in Biscayne Bay?
Live bait: fiddler crabs, live shrimp, sand fleas (mole crabs), grass shrimp. Fiddler crabs: A #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait. Tackle: leader 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–1/0, jig head 1/8–1/4 oz, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for sheepshead in Biscayne Bay?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.
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All about sheepshead · Miami & Biscayne Bay, the whole year