Male (TP)
The California Sheephead is a very interesting marine fish. It has some nicknames that are quite amusing; they are sheepie, goat, and fathead. They all begin life as a female until they lose their male leader, and then the dominant female will transform into the male. This is known as protogynous hermaphrodite. The Sheephead tends to inhabit the kelp forest community off of rocky shores. Kelp forests provide the perfect shelter and food market for the Sheephead.
Fish and Game guidelines
When catching a CA Sheephead it mush be a minimum of 12’’ and the fishermen are only allowed to catch five. They are allowed to fish all year round, but they cannot take them in waters 20 fathoms (1 fathom=6ft.) greater in depth in cowcod closure areas.
Diet
They feed on mussels, urchins, crabs, and lobsters. These animals may seen hard to eat as a fish, but the Sheephead can use it’s canine teeth to crush open the hard shells and eat the soft tissues inside.
Reproduction
The
Sheephead tend to spawn between the summer months. The majority of
herds have only one dominant male that will fertilize the female’s eggs
therein.