They can be found throughout the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from Canada all the way down through the Gulf of Mexico. The distribution of sheepshead is quite large.

Younger sheepshead tend to live over seagrass flats and mud bottoms. They can also be found near or around oyster bars, tidal creeks, and seawalls. Sheepshead prefer to live closer to shore around jetties, rock piles, piers, mangrove trees, and other structures. Saltwater Sheepshead Habitat and Distribution They can be caught in lakes, rivers, and streams that connect with saltwater where they can easily travel back and forth. While sheepshead are classified as a saltwater fish, they can live for long periods of time in freshwater ( just like mullet). They love to live in brackish waters and sometimes can even be found in freshwater, but are by and large a saltwater fish species. Sheepshead ( Archosargus probatocephalus) are saltwater fish. Is a Sheepshead a Freshwater or Saltwater Fish? The freshwater drums live entirely in freshwater and should not be confused with saltwater Sheepshead. For example, many sheepshead will head upstream in freshwater or brackish rivers during the cold winter months.Īnother fish, known as the freshwater drum, also has the nickname “ sheepshead” but is an entirely different species of fish. While they prefer brackish waters, they can sometimes be found living in freshwater for certain periods of time. Sheepshead can live in some bodies of freshwater.

Related Posts Can Sheepshead Live in Freshwater?.Saltwater Sheepshead Habitat and Distribution.Is a Sheepshead a Freshwater or Saltwater Fish?.Let’s dive a bit deeper into this topic! Table of Contents When most people think of sheepshead, they picture these rough and tough fish along bridges, rocks, and other hard saltwater structures.īut can sheepshead live in freshwater? Have they really been caught in lakes, rivers, ponds, and freshwater springs?

Sheepshead fish freshwater