Snakeheads

[joedog]

I've seen this fish talked or mentioned frequently here. Didn't really know what everyone was talking about. Then I heard that someone found ONE in Wisconsin river and in the article it said it was released back before it was identified. Like it was really bad to release it back. So I did some homework. Found this;

What to Do if You Catch a Snakehead Fish

If you catch a snakehead, Do kill it, though, do not release it back into the water.Snakeheads are just one example of the kinds of fish that cause problems. Carp are one of the worst of the imports.Snakeheads are not considered game fish so there are no limits or seasons on them. They should hit live bait or artificials that look like little minnows since that is their major food.If you catch a strange looking fish, contact your local Game and Fish Department and have them identify it. Help keep your fishing waters clear of snakeheads and other problem fish.Thanks for watching.

So, back to killing fish if your not eating it. This article kind of puts Carp and Snakeheads in the same category.
I also came to find out that in the south they are somewhat common.

So anyone want to further explain the snakehead for me?
Do you catch them?
What do you do, release or kill?
Do you consider it a trash fish?
Are they a problem in your area?
Does it make you happy or mad when you catch one?

Do you lip them? That one's a joke, the rest I'm sincere about!

[bassboogieman]

The snakehead is well established in the Potomac River and if you catch one you must kill it. They look similair to a bow fin, but heve some nasty teeth. Very agressive fish and I hear they are pretty good eating but I have not tried it. I caught one there a few years ago and it was't more than 16" long. Today 10 pound snakeheads are not uncommon.

There are a few varieties, those infesting the Potomac are the Northern Snakehead and supposedly the infestion came from just 2 fish relaesed in a pond in Maryland nearly a decade ago. They breed 2 - 3 times per year, and can exist out of water for quite a while and have been reported to be able to cross dry land. They fight hard, and I guess you could say they are fun to catch, but loss of lure is a stong possibility whenever a snakehead hits, and there's dealing with killing the darn thing if you get it to the boat.

The pic below is from Mattawoman Cr (a well know tributary of the Potomac S/o Washington DC) near Smallwood Park in MD from last April.

[the pyromaniac]

The law in Virginia has changed. You are no longer required to kill every snakehead you catch, though you are strongly encouraged to do so. They are an invasive species that compete with native bass and blue catfish, and reduce populations of smaller native species by habitat destruction, competition for spawning sites, and "I'm bigger than yeh! Get in mah belleh!"

That being said, they are revered as food fish! I have heard many a good review of them from a culinary standpoint.

Northern snakeheads are established in the DC metro area and some other areas in the northeast. Bullseye snakeheads are established in southern Florida. Giant snakeheads show up occasionally all over the country but are (thankfully) not yet established. Chevron snakeheads are established in Hawai'i. So far that makes 4 snakehead species in the US.

These things are high-level predators. I saw a video recently of a guy dropping a 20-inch pike into a tank with an adult snakehead. It took less than a second for 2/3 of that pike to be swallowed.

[Scott the fishman]

I heard a lot about snake heads. Nothing hit NJ and most likely won't cause i believe they need warm water ours is warm ish but not year round. Anyway i believe some people eat them. There was a show it was Unhooked on animal planet. They said to report and kill every snake head you catch. They also crawl on land so yea. If i caught one i would try to cook it and eat it just so i dont kill animals for no reason. But just kill them even if you don't like them.

[Dogmatic]

Mmmmm...Snakehead Soup. Gotta find a good Vietamese restaurant though.The two fish that resulted in the Potomac infestation where bought by a Vietamese immigrant to feed to his sick sister, she got well before he made his snakehead soup, and released them into a local pond. I read an interseting article on the Potomac infestation in the Washington Post, they're becoming a popular game fish, and the LM is a non-native evasive species introduced to the Potomac also. But I would kill all Snakeheads.

[the pyromaniac]

Scott, they'll eventually get to you. They're established in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York, and gaining a foothold in Delaware. Unless my geography is way off, that's every state that borders New Jersey.

[screwballl]

We got them all over down here in the FL panhandle. Most people just toss them on the bank or leave them out to die since they are invasive. Like largemouth bass, they have southern and northern cousins.



They go after everything that a bass does, and usually more aggressively. So if you are in an area known for them, tie on a thicker test braid leader to keep the line from being cut.

[the pyromaniac]

Screwballl, what you have in the panhandle is bowfin. They're native.

[Bassboss]

That'd be a pic of a bowfin screw ball.. Those are real fun to catch! Used to catch em when I went after gar.

Originally Posted by joedog

I've seen this fish talked or mentioned frequently here. Didn't really know what everyone was talking about. Then I heard that someone found ONE in Wisconsin river and in the article it said it was released back before it was identified. Like it was really bad to release it back. So I did some homework. Found this;

What to Do if You Catch a Snakehead Fish

If you catch a snakehead, Do kill it, though, do not release it back into the water.Snakeheads are just one example of the kinds of fish that cause problems. Carp are one of the worst of the imports.Snakeheads are not considered game fish so there are no limits or seasons on them. They should hit live bait or artificials that look like little minnows since that is their major food.If you catch a strange looking fish, contact your local Game and Fish Department and have them identify it. Help keep your fishing waters clear of snakeheads and other problem fish.Thanks for watching.

So, back to killing fish if your not eating it. This article kind of puts Carp and Snakeheads in the same category.
I also came to find out that in the south they are somewhat common.

So anyone want to further explain the snakehead for me?
Do you catch them?
What do you do, release or kill?
Do you consider it a trash fish?
Are they a problem in your area?
Does it make you happy or mad when you catch one?

Do you lip them? That one's a joke, the rest I'm sincere about!

Used to catch em every now and then in Florida. I'd never let em go, don't remember if we ate em or now though, nothing's a trash fish to me if it pulls! They wern't a real big problem in my area of Florida, but some places they sure are.

I remember the first time I caught and almost lipped one! Stuck my thumb in his mouth and pulled it out as soon I sat the chompers! lol

We'd also catch wolf fish now and then, and those things are just as bad...

[WTL]

Bowfin are also a culinary delight.

[joedog]

Just saw a show on national geographic channel called 'Hooked' about the invasion of snakeheads.
Bassbogie is right about the Vietnamese guy. He actually turned himself in when he realize what he had done. It's some religous thing or something to let it live. One little shop in NYC sold like $25000 worth of smuggled in snakeheads per month!
The fish can actually breath air, due to where they are from, there are droughts frequently, and they have adapted. These are droughts, not dry spells. So I don't know if leavihg them on the bank really accomplishes as much as you would think.
They can't actually walk but they sort of contort their body back and forth, kind of like a floppy snake kind of thing.
They spawn 3 times a year. And the parent sticks around for a day or so after hatch and AGRESSIVELY protects fry.
Crazy fish! If it wasn't shuch a problem fish, you may even admire it's survival skills.

[the pyromaniac]

There are some snakehead species, most notably the giant snakehead (occasionally caught in the southeast) and northern snakehead (established from Virginia to New York), that the parents actually protect the fry for quite a long while, until they're a couple inches long.

I don't know if the bullseye snakehead (Florida) and chevron snakehead (Hawai'i) do the same, but I would imagine probably so. The walking on land thing is a myth, as is the claim that they have a poisonous bite. They're just a fish, but one with amazing survival-related adaptations.

In their native range, they're revered as a game/food fish. I have a few friends in DC who love to catch and eat the northern species. The bullseye species (also known as cobra or greater snakehead) are known to be amazing when fried as well!

[joedog]

Gotta watch the show. They actually showed live ones 'walking'. Like I said, it's not actually walking. It's National Geographic, thier pretty reliable and through. You are correct, it was the the 'giant snakehead' they showed teaching and protecting. They may also be the only ones that could breath air? They were fishing for them and to find ACTIVE fish they looked for red schools of fry. The parant pushes fry to surface teaching them how to breath air. The show was pretty through. Remember, they can breath air, the show explained and showed how and why, they don't HAVE to breath air.

[wallywallace]

great show, and alot of people are gonna hate on me, but that thing has more survival traits than anything, lol God made that thing for somthing and well, i caught its cousin the bowfin and they are like reeling in a catfish and bass melted into one. so ya may hate but they are a good fish too me, Now i am not a big time tourney or florida fisherman but from what i've head people say, that the are not "that" bad, i really havn't seen anytinh to show the are destroying bass population

[the pyromaniac]

As I understand it, they haven't done near the damage they were predicted to in Virginia and Florida, but I doubt they'll be legally introduced elsewhere. As for the walking, I know the giant snakehead can propel itself a little on land, but I've also seen that northerns and bullseyes have trouble doing so because their pectoral fins aren't strong enough.

They all breathe air and they eat literally just about anything, including fish almost their own size. I'm actually intrigued and really want to catch one!

[joedog]

wally, glad you caught it. It really is an amazing creature.
The show kind of said, because the fish are spawning 3 times a year and no real natural predators in American and huge appetites. Once in a body of water here, it's almost inevitable not to wipe out the whole ecosystem. They've been radio tagging them to see how thier migration is proceeding. They were surprised how slow it really is happening.They like certain areas on the Potomic better, for now. But they are moving.

[wallywallace]

now i do know that river monaster was putting it through the ringer, saying it could attack people on land and eat pets, after seeing about 4 snakehead shows i am convenced they dont have power to attack and kill animals on land.

[wallywallace]

well like dogs and cats, let alone kids, maybe try to bite a small child messing with it, but not like ambush them

[Captmikestarrett]

It will be our next most popular gamefish. To date none have been found with LGMouth inside them. They like killie minnows, mice, frogs and baby bluegill and live in water less than a foot deep. They love thick matted grass and will build tunnels and nests in it.

They taste great.. sweet flounder like. Less than 50% make it to the boat after hooked.
I have several years guiding for them and the bass population is booming from eating the snakehead fry.

Capt Mike

[wallywallace]

Capt, you speak so sweet, i was just talking my gf about, saying i see the snakehead classic, lol

[the pyromaniac]

Mike, what's your biggest snakehead?

[Captmikestarrett]

My biggest is 31 inches and was 17 lbs.


Just met an old fishing buddy today who claims a 32 incher at 18 lbs. It had a baby duck in his.

Capt Mike

[the pyromaniac]

The next IGFA World Record northern snakehead will come from the Potomac. The current record weight is 17-4.

[kennethdaysale]

Would make a Helluvagood pair-o-boots.

[Scott the fishman]

Originally Posted by the pyromaniac

Scott, they'll eventually get to you. They're established in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York, and gaining a foothold in Delaware. Unless my geography is way off, that's every state that borders New Jersey.

Yup those border NJ and i guess i will just start sharping my knifes haha These guys will really mess up NJ.