Sheepshead
Archosargus probatocephalus
Also called Convict fish.
How to tell it
Bold black vertical bars and startlingly human-like teeth.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called sheepshead, and what gives each one away.
- Black drum: Juvenile drum bars fade; drum has chin barbels. Tell them apart
- Atlantic spadefish: Rounder, disc-shaped, small mouth. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 12 in fork length minimum | 8 per person | Open year-roundAL MRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Atlantic) | 12 in TL min | 8 per person | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | 12 in TL min | 8 per person | Open year-roundFWC 2026 · checked | Open |
| Georgia | 10 in fork length | 15 per person per day | Open year-roundGA DNR CRD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Maryland | 12 in min | 4 | Open year-roundMD DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Mississippi | 14 in total length minimum | 15 per person per day | Open year-roundMS DMR 2026 · checked | Open |
| North Carolina | 14" TL min | 5/day | Open year-roundNC DMF 2026 · checked | Open |
| South Carolina | 14 in total length | 10/day, max 30/boat | Open year-roundSC DNR 2026 · checked | Open |
| Texas | 15 in total length | 5 | Open year-roundTPWD 2026 · checked | Open |
| Virginia | No size limit | 4 per person | Open year-roundVMRC 2026 · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Connecticut, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16 lb 6.6 oz | 2022 | Outdoor Alabama Saltwater State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Delaware | 17 lb 2 oz | 2014 | DNREC Delaware Fishing Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Florida | 15.13 lb | 1981 · Homosassa | FWC Saltwater Fishing Records (All-Tackle) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Georgia | 14 lb 14.37 oz | 2023 | GA DNR CRD Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Louisiana | 21.25 lb | 1982 | LOWA Louisiana State Fish Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Maryland | 18 lb | 2017 · South Jetty, Ocean City Inlet | MD DNR Sport Fish State Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Mississippi | 19 lb 10 oz | 1966 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| New Jersey | 19 lb 3 oz | 2014 · Longport | NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife State Record Saltwater Fish · checked 2026-09-04 |
| New York | 15 lb 13 oz | 2025 | NYSDEC Marine Recreational Angler Records · checked 2026-09-04 |
| North Carolina | 19 lb 4 oz | 1999 · Off Oregon Inlet | NCDMF State Saltwater Records · checked 2026-08-22 |
| South Carolina | 16 lb 6 oz | 2008 · Mt. Pleasant | SCDNR Saltwater Game Fish Records · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 15.25 lb | 2002 · Lower Laguna Madre | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Virginia | 20 lb 12 oz | 2005 · CBBT, Seagull Fishing Pier | VMRC Saltwater Fishing Tournament, 2025 brochure · checked 2026-09-04 |
How anglers catch it
A fiddler crab on a small strong hook, held tight against pilings and rocks; set on the lightest tap.
On the table
Excellent — sweet, crab-fed; famously hard to clean.
In the app
Point the camera at a sheepshead and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about sheepshead
What is the size limit for sheepshead?
It depends on the state. Alabama: 12 in fork length minimum; Florida (Atlantic): 12 in TL min; Florida (Gulf): 12 in TL min; Georgia: 10 in fork length; Maryland: 12 in min; Mississippi: 14 in total length minimum; North Carolina: 14" TL min; South Carolina: 14 in total length; and more in the table above.
How many sheepshead can you keep?
Alabama: 8 per person; Florida (Atlantic): 8 per person; Florida (Gulf): 8 per person; Georgia: 15 per person per day; Maryland: 4; Mississippi: 15 per person per day; North Carolina: 5/day; South Carolina: 10/day, max 30/boat; and more in the table above.
How do you tell sheepshead from black drum?
Sheepshead: Bold black vertical bars and startlingly human-like teeth. Black drum: juvenile drum bars fade; drum has chin barbels.
How do you catch sheepshead?
A fiddler crab on a small strong hook, held tight against pilings and rocks; set on the lightest tap. Methods: bottom, sight. Baits: crab, shrimp, clam, sand flea.
What is the record sheepshead?
21.25 lb in Louisiana (1982). Other states’ records are in the table.