Sheepshead good to eat?

[OKSTATEjiggy]

Are sheepshead good to eat? We're in Destin, Florida for Christmas vacation and caught sheepshead, black drum and red drum. Heck of a fun time for a guy that's barely been out of Oklahoma! Just wondering how they are on the table. Caught the fish at a bridge, 19 fish in all, using shrimp and Berkley Gulp artificials. My Dad caught the largest fish, a bull red. Don't know how big exactly but it was a hoss!

[SteveJ]

Good to eat but hard to fillet.

[shadow]

Yes they are. You have to fillet them though b/c they have a very tough skin. Make sure you cut all the red meat off and throw away and the rest is hard to beat. If you have ever seen "bay snapper" on a menu at a restaurant then that is what you are eating.......sheepshead. The black drum are ok to eat up to about 5 to 8 pounds after that they get full of worms. Sounds like yall had a great time. Try them and tell us how you like them.

[SpeckWick]

I've caught the heck out of 'em down around Sarasota, Florida and Longboat Key, but never tried eating them. Perfect name for them though ain't it. Sheepshead. Have you ever seen teeth like that on a fish before? I know there is a limit to the numbers and size you can keep, so obviously somebody is eating the ugly buggers. Those big reds are a blast! We go down to visit the inlaws usually in late February and the fishing is great on the jettys and piers, but I like the backwaters the best. That's the closest to what I am used to around here, fishing with jigs for snook and reds and whatever else is interested. If you do try the sheepshead, let us know how it eats. I've always been curious.

[shuorc]

After cutting all the red out, try in the microwave with butter and lemon(about 3 minutes per filet, don't over cook)=poor man's lobster.--shu

[stumpjumper]

GOOD GOOD GOOD, Grill them with a little old bay... and cook till meat is white thru melt some butter dip and enjoy..

[horseshoer]

Excellent meat. Have good sharp knife.

[OKSTATEjiggy]

Okay, thanks for telling me about the red meat. We were wondering if they were like stripers and you should get rid of the red. Yes they certainly have some radical teeth. Maybe THEY should be called shellcrackers! We probably won't eat any until we get back to Oklahoma. I'll let y'all know...

[sac-a-lait]

Those sheephead are called bay snappers. If you ever see "Black Fish" in a restaurant for sale...IT'S SHEEPHEAD!!! Bake filets until cooked thru. I hope you guys didn't keep any bull reds in the state of florida as that is a BIG TIME NO NO as they have a slot limit down there. Reds are best cooked on the halfshell (filet and leave skin and scales on and place skin side on grill and scoop out meat once cooked).

[WhitePerchJerker]

They are good eating, YES. Keep your fingers out of there mouth!