Anyone who fishes the Florida Keys patch reefs invariably hook into a prized jewel – the mutton snapper, that are fantastic in the frying pan as well as hefty battlers that put up an arm wrenching fight.

As a New Jersey based angler, any time I would travel south to Florida or North Carolina, I would always be intrigued by the allure of sheepshead. It wasn’t hot and heavy action, but word would get out that the “exotic” sheepshead were being hooked, and they were not small - averaging 8 to 12 pounds. Fast forward to present day, and Jersey is putting up some of the most notable IGFA line class records when it comes to sheepshead.

I never thought I would state these word but let’s call it like it is – Spanish Mackerel are now a staple species providing a reliable fishery in New Jersey. That statement is pretty incredible as I cannot remember a time in the past when Spanish were thick enough to make daily trips targeting them.