josh.schreiber
Well-known member
I don't know if this has been discussed here before, but I was wondering how many of you have had experiences w/ the snakehead.
Also, if anyone does not know what they are, I'd like to just increase knowledge.
Basically, this fish is an EXTREMELY predatory invasive fish from Asia. They can (and do) take over the native fish populations in bodies of water, sometimes in a matter of a few years. To complicate things, they can cross land to spread from one lake to the next. I don't mean flop a few feet, gasping, to the next lake. They crawl on their fins for miles. Really. They have been known to survive on dry land for up to four days.
While bass fishing w/ a crankbait last december, I caught a small one (16" or so). I had read something about these fish years ago, but just vaguely remembered the article, and it saying something about these invasive fish. Just to play it safe, I threw the fish in some thick brush about 30 feet from the pond I was fishing. After I lef tthe lake I called the state biology office and explained what I caught. They were very interested in where I caught it, and told me to make sure I killed it. I went back to the pond, looked for 20 minutes or so, and it was not there. I had taken awhile getting that crankbait out of its mouth (it had really eaten it, and I wasn't carrying pliers), and I had to hold it down w/ my foot to get it out. Even w/ all that, and it being in the brush, it crawled right back out into the water.
If you see catch one, kill it. In addition to destroying native fish populations (bass, catfish, trout, etc.), they have been known to attack and eat small pets. Seriously. At least one attack on a human has been reported (in China).
State biologists are serious about these fish. In Maryland, one Bass Pro Shops was giving gift cards up to $100 for the carcasses of snakeheads.
I'm not sure how to post links, but there is plenty of information out there. Just google snakehead, northern snakehead, or giant snakehead. You will be amazed.
I didn't even think to take a picture when I caught that one, but there are plenty of google images. They are pretty nasty fish.
tight lines
-josh
Also, if anyone does not know what they are, I'd like to just increase knowledge.
Basically, this fish is an EXTREMELY predatory invasive fish from Asia. They can (and do) take over the native fish populations in bodies of water, sometimes in a matter of a few years. To complicate things, they can cross land to spread from one lake to the next. I don't mean flop a few feet, gasping, to the next lake. They crawl on their fins for miles. Really. They have been known to survive on dry land for up to four days.
While bass fishing w/ a crankbait last december, I caught a small one (16" or so). I had read something about these fish years ago, but just vaguely remembered the article, and it saying something about these invasive fish. Just to play it safe, I threw the fish in some thick brush about 30 feet from the pond I was fishing. After I lef tthe lake I called the state biology office and explained what I caught. They were very interested in where I caught it, and told me to make sure I killed it. I went back to the pond, looked for 20 minutes or so, and it was not there. I had taken awhile getting that crankbait out of its mouth (it had really eaten it, and I wasn't carrying pliers), and I had to hold it down w/ my foot to get it out. Even w/ all that, and it being in the brush, it crawled right back out into the water.
If you see catch one, kill it. In addition to destroying native fish populations (bass, catfish, trout, etc.), they have been known to attack and eat small pets. Seriously. At least one attack on a human has been reported (in China).
State biologists are serious about these fish. In Maryland, one Bass Pro Shops was giving gift cards up to $100 for the carcasses of snakeheads.
I'm not sure how to post links, but there is plenty of information out there. Just google snakehead, northern snakehead, or giant snakehead. You will be amazed.
I didn't even think to take a picture when I caught that one, but there are plenty of google images. They are pretty nasty fish.
tight lines
-josh
