October 30, 2018
Surf City Pier Tuesday 10/30/2018
Fish were biting pretty steady on Surf City Pier today. Spots, some really big yellow bellies, and speckled trout. Most trout were short, but there were a few nice ones. There was also a few keeper flounder and bluefish.
State urges fishermen to learn the difference between black drum and sheepshead
Roy Cooper - Governor
Michael S. Regan - Secretary
Smith, Tricia tricia.smith@ncdenr.gov
MOREHEAD CITY – The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is asking fishermen to make sure they know how to distinguish between black drum and sheepshead before keeping one of the fish.
Confusing these two fish is problematic because of there is a 4-inch difference in the minimum size limit.
The legal-size limit for black drum is a minimum of 14 inches and a maximum of 25 inches total length (except one fish per day may be over 25 inches). Total length is measured along the midline from the tip of the compressed tail to the tip of the snout.
The minimum size limit for sheepshead is 10 inches fork length. Fork length is measured from the fork in the tail to the tip of the snout.
The bag limit is 10 fish for both species.
Fishermen who get these species mixed up may face up to $255 in fines and court costs. To avoid this, fishermen need to learn to tell the difference between the two fish.
While both fish have vertical black stripes, there are easily identifiable differences.
On a sheepshead, the first and second dorsal fin (upper-most fins) is fully connected,
On a black drum, the first dorsal fin is distinct from the second dorsal fin.
Sheepshead have prominent, human-like, front teeth.
The black drum teeth are not as prominent and are located in the back of the throat. Also, black drum have chin barbels (whisker-like filament), and sheepshead do not.
Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny
October 25, 2018
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