Tampa Bay target
Sheepshead
Drop tight to pilings and set on the first 'tick' — they steal bait fast.
Where
Bridge pilings, rocks, docks, piers
When
Winter through spring, possible year-round around structure · Most of the day; not heavily time-dependent
Bait
Fiddler crabs, shrimp, barnacles
Water
Slow to moderate current
Make the first move practical
Scrape pilings to chum barnacles into the water and the bite turns on.
Before You Fish
Minimum 12 inches total length
Bag limit: 8
Gulf and Atlantic state waters; state rules extend into federal waters
Checked against FWC: 2026-08-19
Regulations can change. FWC is the authority.