| Whether you call them convict fish, bait stealers, sea bream or bay snapper, sheepshead ( Archosargus probatocephalus ) are one of the most intriguing estuarine dependent fish found in Louisiana’s coastal waters. Sheepshead are identified by their very broad body, boldly marked with five to seven wide, grayish-black vertical bars set on a light gray or white background. Although similar to black drum, any confusion can be set aside by inspecting the teeth, which look a great deal like human (or sheep) incisors. The dorsal and anal fins have large, very sharp spines.
Often discarded by many recreational anglers, due to their stiff dorsal spines and difficulty in cleaning, sheepshead make excellent table fare. Traditionally, most sheepshead have been taken as incidental catch in various nets during commercial fishing activities, but commercial hook-and-line and trotline fishermen have landed a significant proportion in recent years. Nearly all commercially caught sheepshead are sold to restaurants or markets in-state.
Sheepshead are found Gulf-wide, primarily in saline to near-fresh estuarine waters. They are very common near rock jetties, piers, pilings and weirs. They are also found in nearshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico during the spawning period.
Sheepshead spawn in February, March and April, with most spawning taking place during the last two months. Spawning takes place offshore, but near the coast. Some males and females begin spawning at two years old, but not all of the fish are mature enough to spawn until males are three years old and females are four. Sheepshead will spawn several times during each season. Females will lay 14,000 to 250,000 eggs per spawn, with the average being 87,000 eggs. Sheepshead have been recorded as old as 20 years. Females grow more rapidly than males. At 20 years old, males average a little over 4 pounds and females about 5 and one-half pounds. Growth is rapid until six to eight years of age, after which growth slows dramatically, especially for males.
The most interesting thing about sheepshead biology is their food habits. In a nutshell, they eat everything.
A study in Texas showed them eating mostly plants and algae with a few crabs. In the Florida Everglades, fish over three inches long ate mostly mollusks (mussels, clams, etc) and barnacles. In Mississippi, researchers found that fish six to 14 inches long ate mollusks and plants. Larger sheepshead ate mollusks, crustaceans (crabs, etc), bottom worms and quite a bit of fish, mostly anchovies. They did note that when sea grasses or algae were plentiful, that sheepshead will occasionally feed heavily on them. A Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana study showed that by volume, 54 percent of their diet was plants, 19 percent mussels, 10 percent sponges, 8 percent clams, 3 percent croakers and other fish, and almost 2 percent mud crabs. Barnacles and blue crabs made up less than 1 percent each of their diet.
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