How bad is the snakehead problem?

[tywithay]

Just read news article north east they r paying 200 bucks a head. If I lived there I quit my job and go fishing


I wish they had them here in Cali, I love the fight. Peacock bass too.....

Invasive species can have its benefits.

Only bad invasive species is the Asian carp.

They should just net them for fertilizer

We haven't had any snakehead make their way to Kansas yet, though they do look like fun to catch. We've had a ton of asian carp make their way here though, they actually just drained two city lakes to prevent them from spreading to our resevoirs. The other big invasive species in our area is the white perch. They were stocked on accident during a striper stocking and almost ran over a few of our bigger lakes. They spawn like crazy and take over the crappie, bluegills, and even bass because they outcompete. It ruined some of our fisheries in a way, but....they stocked a whole bunch of wipers to help get rid of the white perch so now I get to go out and catch some mega wipers, plus the walleye are nice and fat from eating white perch all day. Sucks that all those other fish are almost nonexistant now, but I suppose it worked out if you don't want to fish for those other species.

[LilMofo]

See its not bad thing Its food for wipers!


In california the stripes were not nutural. It was planted in the 1800 and not have a good population.... I didnt want to save thriving as every year it gets worse and worse

When I first fish the sacrmento area.... in 2004 fish boiling left and right fish finder goes black from too much shad.

Now its much tougher, the occasional boils here and there. Nothing like it was when I first moved out to sacramento.

same thing with gobes is great lakes.... not its food for smallies with fat smallies appearing regularly.

THey need to catch the asian carp and turn it into fertilizer and or cat food start a business

[LilMofo]

In florida with all those pythons... turn em into belts and shoes

[robxc80]

almost every area of the country has water that holds invasive species. We like to think that "Native" fish are actually natural in our bodies of water since they originate in N. America but most have been stocked and distributed outside of their natural range for recreation or food. Its a rare body of water where the only fish in it are truly endemic to it. The Largemouth bass in California is just as invasive as the snakehead in MD. Matter of fact, the only native sunfish to CA is the Sacramento Perch up in N. Cal yet you can catch all kinds of sunfish in the state with talk of the next record LM Bass coming from there.

Second, Peacock Bass are in fact Cichlids and are one of many species of cichlids that now call Florida home. The Fish Farms spread throughout Florida for the ornamental aquarium trade have created issues were fish would escape and actually thrive in the warm waters down there. In fact, any body of water in S. Florida is like a trip around the worlds tropics with fish from Africa, SE Asia, South and Central America, and India being common in most bodies of water. The same holds true for Hawaii. The Mayan Cichlid, the Oscar, Peacock Bass, Various Tilapia (Ornamental Species since the Term Tilapia actually describes a lineage of closely related species), and Red Devils are common catches in those two states.

The only issues are when a species actually creates tons of damage to the natural ecosystem. Most bodies of water in the SW and South are mad made resorviors so there is no "Natural" Ecosystem other than the river that was destroyed to create the resorviours in the first place which would make the point moot.

[dragon1]

almost every area of the country has water that holds invasive species. We like to think that "Native" fish are actually natural in our bodies of water since they originate in N. America but most have been stocked and distributed outside of their natural range for recreation or food. Its a rare body of water where the only fish in it are truly endemic to it. The Largemouth bass in California is just as invasive as the snakehead in MD. Matter of fact, the only native sunfish to CA is the Sacramento Perch up in N. Cal yet you can catch all kinds of sunfish in the state with talk of the next record LM Bass coming from there.

Second, Peacock Bass are in fact Cichlids and are one of many species of cichlids that now call Florida home. The Fish Farms spread throughout Florida for the ornamental aquarium trade have created issues were fish would escape and actually thrive in the warm waters down there. In fact, any body of water in S. Florida is like a trip around the worlds tropics with fish from Africa, SE Asia, South and Central America, and India being common in most bodies of water. The same holds true for Hawaii. The Mayan Cichlid, the Oscar, Peacock Bass, Various Tilapia (Ornamental Species since the Term Tilapia actually describes a lineage of closely related species), and Red Devils are common catches in those two states.

The only issues are when a species actually creates tons of damage to the natural ecosystem. Most bodies of water in the SW and South are mad made resorviors so there is no "Natural" Ecosystem other than the river that was destroyed to create the resorviours in the first place which would make the point moot.

Founding "civilizations" and "idigenous" have been mutually exclusive througout mankind's timeframe on this vessel.

[hmnginmn]

Just curious here but do snakeheads feed more aggressively than Pikes or Muskie? I've heard Canada has a huge Pike problem.

[BenWIlks]

Snakeheads can survive on land for an amount of time and can also get across land to another water location. They can live in water without barely any oxygen (stagnant) and are air breathers (they come up for air, easy to locate and cast to).

In Thailand I've seen one hit a baitfish, throw itself clear to the air into reeds on dry land and just go mental thrashing until it made it back into the water (which wasn't that easy as the reeds were dry and THICK). It was amazing, never seen anything like it - it just jumped constantly and knew where the water was without being able to see it. They also love rice paddys and can bury themselves in mud and survive for periods of time in dry season.

They are super aggressive and the strikes are awesome. Big ones are very powerful and when they run, THEY RUN HARD. Surface action is just too much fun. Taste ok, not amazing unless marinated but still very edible. If they had them in Australia I'd be all over them as I think they are one of the best angling species available. Their teeth and red angry eyes are demonic (their eyes actually turn red when they are about to attack). Awesome predator.

This year I'm going to West Malaysia to hunt some in their true wilderness and I can't wait!

[billheng]

sad to hear that they are becoming a pest to all of you in Fl.

Over here in Singapore, our native species of forest snakeheads and giant snakeheads are dwindlling due to over-fishing (no regulations here as compared to the States and Down under) and peacock bass. Gone were the days where you will hear people landing fishes over 20lbs.

on a side note. snakeheads are dirty and powerful fighters. they love to dash for weeds and structures which explains why people in japan uses line rated up to PE8 (80lbs equiv) or stronger.

[mcha16]

i read a few scientific papers and saw videos,
most of the guys who talk about it say its kind of overrated,
BUT however, they still need to be controlled.
and they definitely taste good

[Nest]

if you have feel the sensation from fighting decent or maybe big size giant snakehead
you'll never look back for bass fishing anymore

[takrat 67]

It's a massive gamble putting non native fish in and body of water ouside of its normal range. Many of these fish are very adaptable and will often take over from the local fish. In Australia our biggest concerns are European Carp and Tilapia. If you catch one of these it is illegal to put it back in the water or to eat it, (as if anyone would want to eat carp) Euro Carp are revered in England as a great sport fish, and yest thay pull reasonably hard but they are destructive and cause turbidity in our rivers. The good news is that our native freshwater fish; Murray Cod, Australian Bass and Yellowbelly, will happily snack on Carp. In Fact on one river I fish the Cod pretty much cleaned out the Carp. Before that, one of the farmers along the river reckoned that "you could walk across the river on the backs of the carp.
JD

[BucketHunter]

Maybe specifically targeting them would help minimize their impact.

In our side of the world, we use frogs to catch them. They particularly love Spro's Bronzeye Jr in Putty Black, Midnight walker, and Green Tree. We also use smaller dark bodied spinners with dual Colorado blades. If you want to target them, try the water's edge where they usually hang out. We normally cast parallel to the banks. They don't usually stay in middle of ponds or lakes.

Here's a preview on how fun it is to catch them specially on Top Water.
The real action is in the latter part of the video.

[youtube]KLzo29icL7Q[/youtube]

After watching this I now know what it is I saw in a conservation area 2 years ago in Ontario Canada. That torpedo strike is unmistakable. It struck something in the shallow pad bed I was working with a frog for largemouth. There have been romours that there used to be pike in it bit Ive fished it itall my life and never caught or seen one. Also may explain the mysterious breakoffs I had last year fishing jerkbaits on braid and 14lb flouro leaders.
From what I understand is a custom in some Asian cultures to release live Snakeheads into waters? Plenty of Asian tourists there too. There is no continuous tributary in or out of this place that I think could support large fish but who knows.
Nothing like some Kenny G and Snakeheads lol.

[GARRIGA]

Humans are an invasive species. North American Indians are not indigenous. They just got here first. You can't play mother nature and you can't control survival of the fittest. If its here now than everything else needs to figure out how to cope with it. Evolution will take care of that.

[Silas]

Snakeheads look like a Bowfin with some different colour markings. Their behavior seems very similar as well. Bowfin are GREAT sportfish far superior to LMB or even Smallies. Only problem with bowfin is their rarity. Snidley

Down here in South Louisiana we have LOTS of Bowfin.....the Cajuns call them "Choupique." Or they are sometimes referred to as "Cypress Trout." They love shallow water and put up a terrific fight!

Most don't fish FOR the Choupique but some do and make "Choupique Boulet" similar to "Garfish Boulet." They scrape the meat off with a spoon, mix it with lots of spices and filling, roll it up into a ball, fry it and put it in a gravy to spoon over rice.
Some like the taste. Others refer to it as a "trash fish."

When I was little, my uncle was teaching me how to "lip" a bass. I caught a Choupique, and, thinking it was a bass, stuck my thumb in its mouth. That's when I learned to tell the difference!

I'm sure the Snakehead has got to taste better than the Bowfin!

[dragon1]

Humans are an invasive species. North American Indians are not indigenous. They just got here first. You can't play mother nature and you can't control survival of the fittest. If its here now than everything else needs to figure out how to cope with it. Evolution will take care of that.

FWIW....lots of "indigenous folks" got there first...long after (read tens and even hundreds of millions of years) that land mass had been there. Aside Africa, what have we for "indigenous people" then? Just sayin'.