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Personally, I have recently become addicted for fishing for snakeheads. Since these fish have spread so rapidly across the United States, anglers everywhere are starting to pursue these invasive fish in order to defend their local waterways. Many anglers have found out that these fish are a difficult to catch for a variety of reasons. In my experiences fishing for them, I have found they can be incredibly illusive and it seems they have a million ways of getting off a hook. I have fished for them all over the Maryland Eastern shore as well as various spots surrounding the Potomac River in Virginia. Currently these fish can be found in Maryland, Virginia, California, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Georgia. I wanted to create a platform for anglers to discuss some of their favorite tackle, techniques, pictures, etc. when fishing for these fish all over the United States. I am looking forward to hearing what everyone has to say about these impressive fish.

Hello -- Can anyone recommend a good place to catch snakeheads in the Potomac or Maryland. My young sons who love fishing want to catch one -- it's our summer goal! We don't need big fish -- just want to land one. Many thanks.

Over the last three years, I have noticed the wildlife diminishing in and on our small lake here in Sunrise. And I noticed the Snakehead fish population has increased. We normally have many families of water birds raise their families on the water, but not last year and none so far this year. Normally the mullets are jumping out of the water, and you can see the assorted bass and other small species through the clear fresh water. Now I only see snakehead fish. I believe they have eaten the fish and eat the baby widelife....ducklings, soft shell turtles, young iguanas, and anything that may fall in the water. When Irma left, the water level rose by 8 feet on to the grass. The Snakehead came upto the edge eating the insects in the fresh grass. The weird thing was as we looked at them, they stared at us, making eye contact, and followed our movement. As the water resided, they wriggled around the edges. Unfortunately, we do not have enough people fishing our lake. Anybody interested in fishing snakehead? Signed, Missing the wildlife

Just rec'd this in my inbox from the VGDIF. https://blog.wildlife.virginia.gov/2017/05/snakes-in-the-grass/ Quite interesting, this quote: We don't have these down here in the Tidewater area, and am curious my NOVA and MD brethren's thoughts on the report. Of course further in the article damage snakeheads do in smaller bodies is yet to be determined.

Due to some interested people I have created a little something for people that want to find some snakeheads in VA. This is the information I have gathered from my personal experience. Keep in mind I am no subject matter expert, just a fishermen just like you. Snakeheads are found all over the Potomac River from Washington to the Bay so anywhere in between is a good place. First you have to understand the kind of areas they like. Then you have to look at what they like to eat. Research has shown them to like blue gill/sunfish and killifish (look kind of like minnows). They love to spawn in grass or some sort of aquatic vegetation. Okay, now for the fun part. You have to find a creek or area on the river that does not have a lot of current. So next time you are fishing look for a area that is somewhat protected from current. The next step is to look for an area in very shallow water with a lot of grass growing along the bank/shore. Once you have found all of this put on your polarized sun glass and start looking. Keep in mind that snakeheads will take off fast if they see you near them. So walk slowly along the bank. I have seen 13 pound snakeheads in 3-4inches of water. What I would recommend is using a chatterbait. They will murder a chatterbait color is not important as long as they can see it. They also hate topwater baits like poppers or frogs but only early in the morning or late in the evening. I am talking about after the sun goes down or before it comes up. As far as the tides look for a high tide going out. So if high tide is at 4pm go fishing for snakehead at 4:30pm. When the high tide is going out the snakeheads are most active. They can be caught all day long though. If during high tide the shore vegetation is submerged the snakehead will actually get all up in it. You will notice the grass moving be patient they will go in and out several times. Snakeheads breath air so keep your eyes peeled when they are in deeper water (normally 3-7 feet is where I see them) and they will give up their location. If they slowly sink straight back down you can catch them with a rattling black blue jig w/ trailers. Just toss it just past where they surfaced and try to keep your bait moving in that general area( kind of like you would with a shakyhead. The bite on a jig is no joke they pound it hard). If they come up for air and don't go straight back down but swim back down your best bet is fan casting the chatterbait or use a rattletrap (I think its the tight vibration these baits let off). They are also found underneath heavy aquatic vegetation as all the bass anglers know, because they have all been catching them by accident. As I mentioned before that’s where they do their spawning. Sometimes snakeheads can be kind of moody and when your bait goes by, they fly in the opposite direction. Just like bass this is the time for a more finesse approach. After you have noticed this behavior switch to a senko type bait or a fluke. Remember match the hatch (blue gill, sunfish, killifish). REMEMBER DEAD water protected with little or no current, shallow flats are awesome too. MAY/June are the best months for wall hangers! Keep me posted on your catches and let me know if this was useful for you. Jay

I've been bass fishing for years, and this is the first snakehead I've caught, a two footer more or less, with a very dramatic tail spot. This was done bank fishing today at a local canal (the El Rio canal in Boca Raton) that was packed with dense matted hyacinths, by punching through with a plastic craw and a 1.5 oz weight, hoping (without success) to catch a bass or two. For about a 1/4 mile length of the canal, the water surface was not visible, just the top of the green stuff. The photo illustrates how dense the hyacinth mats can get in Florida.

Surely you've seen River Monsters. Who hasn't? He goes all over the world, 6 continents to catch crazy fish. Well, Thailand has got all of those fish he's caught - spread out in one lake (well actually multiple lakes). On top of that, it's incredibly cheap to fish there, and there is relatively open water, meaning little to no snags, meaning lighter tackle meaning a harder fight. It truly is an amazing place to fish. So I started thinking - why aren't there places like this in the states? There are more people than you'd think that keep alligator gar (a native fish in the first place), arapaima, and especially red tail catfish, tiger shovelnose catfish, and other large cats among others. Getting the fish would be kind of expensive, but you could buy bulk farm raised fish and probably save some money with it. So here's a question for you - what species would you like to be able to fish for in your home state? Disregarding things like the lake freezing over and such.

Im down here in Broward County and the Bullseye Snakeheads have been biting like crazy. I catch most of them on spinnerbaits with a trailer hook but I have managed to catch a few on senko worms. I was just wondering if they have been biting for anyone else and if they are what bait you are using.

Hey all, I was wondering I anybody could recommend gear to stock a Plano six-tray tackle box. Man, those things are huge! I already have some stuff in there, like: Catfish hooks and bottom rigs and floats 4 and 10 inch Powerbait Worms, Creme pre-rigged worms, Zoom lizards, Zoom Craws, and Powerbait Rib Snakes Livetarget and SPRO Frogs Livetarget mice Storm Arashi squarebills, Livetarget squarebills, Bass Pro Shops squarebills, Chatterbaits, bitsy bugs, A.T. Tackle jigs, 4x4 T-Roy swim jigs, Heddon torpedos, Rebel Pop-rs, Spooks, Lucky Craft Sammys, Livetarget poppers Bass Pro Shops panfish baits and beetle spins Worm hooks and weights and other carolina rig gear Storm swimbaits Spare trebles.split rings Fish grip, pliers, knife, hemos Booyah Pond Magic spinnerbaits, Cavitron buzzbaits Panfish flies Spare line for my panfish rod, medium rod, and froggin' rod So, I was wondering if you guys could suggest some other baits and terminal and stuff to throw in there. I have the opportunity to fish for bass, panfish, catfish, and pickerel every day. I also get the chance to fish for snakehead, trout, stripers, and the occasional smallie/walleye whenever I go up to Maryland. Please don't just say to stock it with only one bait. Thanks!

Last week I came across a dried up stream that was just a few big puddles and in them I saw long slim figures swimming and jumping into the water so I thought they were newts. Then I found a dead one and found out it was a fish. I thought it might be a snakehead because it was out of water. I was in central mass and the pictures below are taken 5 days after it died and I kept it in a plastic bag in 30-40 degree outside for 5 days. It is about 6 inches long. Please look at the pictures and tell me if it is a snakehead or some other type of fish. Thanks

I know they are environmentally destructive and admittedly destructive, but I find it hard to believe all the hype about their destructive prowess when they swim with larger muskies and alligator gar. WHats your experiance with them, do they they have predators here in the states, and whats your opinion of them.

Hello Bass Resource, We are a group of high school students at Mastery Charter Thomas Campus in Philadelphia. We are in a special ecology class and looking for some fishermen to interview. We are researching on the Snakehead Fish, and trying to figure out how many have spread across the Philadelphia region. so if you've caught any please try to contact us. We will either conduct the interview over the phone or in person, whichever you may prefer. Try to message us as soon as possble, thank you.

This article came across my daily read today and I thought that since it covers both the NE and SE forums I would post it here for general interest. Win prizes for catching Snakeheads Sunday - 4/1/2012, 10:40am ET [WTOP.COM] The Northern Snakehead is a non-native, invasive species, according to [MD] DNR. (Courtesy of KYschools.us) WASHINGTON - If the delicious meat and dangerous souvenirs weren't enough incentive to catch Snakehead fish, how about up to $200 in prizes? The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering prizes to anglers who can land the destructive, invasive species that has many experts worried. This follows a two-day tournament the [MD] DNR hosted last September aimed at stopping the species from expanding beyond its already surprising reach. "We do not want Snakeheads in our waters," said DNR Inland Fisheries Director Don Cosden. "This initiative is a way to remind anglers that it is important to catch and remove this invasive species of fish." [good luck with that] Here are the prizes being offered: $200 gift card from Bass Pro Shops A Maryland State Passport which provides unlimited day-use entry for up to 10 passengers in a vehicle, unlimited boat launching at State Park facilities and a 10 percent discount on state-operated concessions and boat rentals [cost 75.00] Potomac River Fisheries Commission fishing license [??? maybe this is for 2013] Winners must have caught the fish from the Chesapeake Bay's watershed. [ which covers MD, VA, DC, PA, WV, DL] Three winners will be randomly be drawn on Nov. 30, 2012. It's unclear how the species first entered the area, though it's believed Snakeheads were first introduced to a pond in Crofton, Md. The fish are able to breathe air and crawl across land for short distances, and are now rife in the Potomac River. [in the beginning] Scientists believed the freshwater species would not be able to survive any water more salty than brackish tributaries like the Potomac, though some were sighted in other parts of the region, like Annapolis [MD]. They would only have been able to access these areas by swimming through salt water. Learn more about registering for the contest at the DNR website. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/ Ref: WTOP News at http://www.wtop.com/...=46&sid=2808491