The standard wisdom with sheepshead is to set the hook before you feel the strike. A sheepshead is named for the appearance of its teeth. The teeth look like the teeth of a sheep and are perfect for nibbling shells. They snip cleanly through a crab and small sheepshead can nibble the bait from the hook without the angler ever knowing he had a bite. But larger sheepshead can streak off with the bait like any other game fish.

Since the bite can be subtle, many anglers use superbraid lines for increased sensitivity. But some prefer monofilament lines because they hold up better when pulled taut against shells. A big sheepshead is strong enough to snap lines or cut them against pilings. Therefore, most anglers set the drag tight, attempting to "horse" the fish away from structure with just enough drag slippage to keep the line from breaking.

A stout steel No. 1 or 2 hook is used because a sheepshead can bite through light wire hooks. For fishing beside pilings, the hook is tied directly to the line on a dropper loop with the sinker tied a foot below the hook. When fishing the bottom, a Carolina rig with the line threaded through the eye of an egg sinker and a swivel, with leader and hook below the sinker, allows the angler to feel the strike.

A sheepshead angler uses a sensitive rod or holds the line between thumb and forefinger. A baitcasting outfit is an excellent choice because a thumb on the reel spool provides especially good sensitivity.

Sheepshead anglers stand on their bows and gunwales, with boats tied to the structure they are fishing. They sometimes use one hand to keep the gunwales from scrubbing while fishing with the other hand, their line dropped vertical a few inches from the piling and a look of intense concentration as they watch the line for a telltale twitch. Flotation cushions or boat bumpers tied to the gunwales help keep the boat from contacting the structure.

At the slightest tug, the hook is set, sometimes so often it appears the anglers are jigging rather than fishing live baits. But when the rod pulls back, a fish is on the line and pandemonium reigns.

The short heave-ho battle it takes to pull a sheepshead away from structure before the line parts is an incredible rush. Either you haul the fish away from the piling or it's gone. While its bite may be slight, there's nothing sheepish about the fight of a sheepshead. Tenacity is what endears the convict fish to anglers who never tire of waiting for a nibble.