Meet And Greet On The Potomac August 24Th And 25Th

[Nitrofreak]

OK... I can see this is going to be a "Fun Filled" weekend.  Can we fish, too?

 

 

NO !!!

 

You get to stay and help your wife LOL !!

 

We look forward to meeting each and every one of you, this year is going to be a big turn out it seems, but we need all who are making plans to attend this event to please make sure they put the vote in for either a boater or a non boater, it's very important that we have this info so that we can make plans for everything, without knowing the maximum number of people who wish to attend it's hard to make the right arrangements, so if you are even thinking about it, even if there is only an outside chance, place your boating status so that we can be as prepared as we can possibly be.

 

[quanjig]

Yes and yes. I have connections!

[SPEEDBEAD.]

If you see or know of any 9.9 or 15-20hp motors that have not been in saltwater and are in good shape, let me know.

 

Buddy of mine sold his that I used to borrow, been looking for one that's not brand new but not beat up either.

[soccplayer07]

they are all over craigslist. That's where I got mine. 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I'll have to check out your area then.

 

Next to nothing up here.

[quanjig]

I will, guys I know have been finding them on Craig's list from time to time. Try looking for John boats as well as just the motors. Sometimes people will sell them seperatly.

[endless]

 

 

 

 

NO !!!

 

You get to stay and help your wife LOL !!

Same can be said for you too Nitro lol, I think I'll leave my at home now hahaha

[soccplayer07]

I ran a bunch of searches to find mine. I actually got mine near you. 

 

Here is how I searched:

9.9hp

9.9 hp

9.9 outboard

 

Do those 3 for 15, 18 and 20. 

[Nitrofreak]

Ok, I wanted to set the record straight here as far as the Northern Snake Head fish is concerned, we seem to have some conflicting information about the subject, I am going to use Charlies post here and clear up some of these questions for us,  the notes I am about to post are studies from the VDGIF , MDDGIF, Va. Tech Research for the 2012 and 2013 updates.

 

 

 

 

 

Contrary to previously published messages, Northern Snakeheads do NOT have to be killed in Virginia waters. Since all of Pohick Bay is located in Virginia, you may keep ( a snakehead fish as long as it has been killed, if it is within the gunnals of your boat it must be dead), kill or release snakeheads caught there. However, anyone releasing them when they could be eating them is suspect. ( Take note this is for the Va. side, if you catch one on the MD. side it must be killed and thrown on the bank, or killed and kept,  no parts of the snakehead can be put back into the water once caught, alive or dead.   Also take note that if you were to catch a Snakehead in Md waters and transport it to the Va side or vice versa while the fish was still alive you are in direct violation of intrastate or interstate transport of an invasive species and can be fined !! )

Our local VDGIF fisheries biologist is the regional coordinator of the snakehead team and offers the following information:
1. Northern Snakeheads live in very shallow water.
2. They live in shallow water as they are air breathers.(They do not have gills and therefore, must come to the surface every 3-4 minutes to gulp air.) This part of the statement is false, research from the VDGIF and VaTech supports the following information:

 

Northern snakeheads do breathe air.  Unlike many other air-breathing fishes, they have a series of spaces in the rear portion of their head called the suprabranchial chamber.  These spaces are filled with folded tissues that have a high surface area, and allow oxygen exchange to occur directly between air and their blood.  Unlike humans, they lack a diaphragm, and use water to exchange old air with fresh air each time they take a breath.  Thus, their ability to breathe air when out of the water is limited.  Northern snakeheads could survive out of the water for several days if they are kept moist, but would desiccate and perish in minutes if placed on dry land in direct sunlight.  Northern snakeheads also have gills, and breathe water like any other fish.  They breathe air to supplement their demand for oxygen, and appear to breathe air far more frequently when they are actively swimming, much like a runner gasps for breath compared to someone who is sitting and reading.

 

 

 

3. Their primary food source is the killifish, a very small minnow that lives in less than six inches of water.
 

4. Bass normally do not target killifish. Therefore, the two fish do not share the same water nor the same food source. Not totally true, studies reveal differently from the VDGIF:Over 20 prey items (mostly fishes) were detected, with banded killifish as the most common prey item by number, and bluegill as the most important prey item by weight. Diet was most similar to largemouth bass; however, bass had a wider diet breadth and a much stronger preference for cray fish

5. In all their studies, they have not found any bass in the stomachs of snakeheads.
6. However, the reverse is not true. Bass eat snakeheads.
7. VDGIF does not require the killing of snakeheads( Unless you decide to keep them ) because there is no way to get them out of the resource. Since they do not compete with nor affect bass (The above research shows they are very much in compitition for the same food source) or the other gamefish in the Potomac River, they are just another gamefish to the Department.  (The VDGIF does not recognise them as a gamefish, they are noted to be an invasive species, again if you catch one you may return it to the water in Va. however if it is in between the gunnals it must be killed if you are planning on keeping it, if you are on the Md. side and you catch one it must be killed regardless and either kept or thrown upon the bank in its entirety )

8. Pohick Bay is a hot spot for snakeheads. White spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, chatterbaits and topwater frogs are all subject to being taken by snakeheads on any cast. As someone else mentioned, they hit like a ton of bricks and accelerate from there. Braided line in the 20-65# class is a necessity for the thick grass and lily pads that these fish love.
9. On two different occasions last year, I caught five or more snakeheads from the grass and lily pads on frogs and spinnerbaits. Personal best snakehead in Pohick Bay was 14.3 pounds. Unfortunately, the Tournament Director would not weigh them in for credit.

 

Charlie,  

 

I do not mean to single you out, I found your post to be very interesting and informative, but at the same time we need to be accurate when we speak of laws and such which promted me to do a lot of homework and make sure we all understand clearly the rules and regs with the most up to date info possible, my posts as well were not entirely truthful and since yours had the most information for all of us to learn from I decided to use your post and insert the most updated corrections straight from VDGIF and other resources from 2012/2013.

 

I am going to delete the postings in the first page of this thread and put in the updated version of this discussion for all to remember and have as a reference,  There will be mappings of Va./ Md. boarder lines posted as we get closer to the meet and greet. 
 

[Traveler2586]

While we're on the subject let me offer this from VA Tech.edu, and two links on consumption advisories for Potomac River fish.

 

VA Tech - "Snakeheads are a popular food fish in Asia, and are regularly raised in aquaculture settings and sold in fish markets. Most North Americans seem to agree, despite disagreeing with Asians about the palatability of carps. Anglers should be warned that there are consumption advisories for most Potomac River species (e.g. no more than two meals per month, no consumption by pregnant women) because of contaminant levels, though to my knowledge tests have not been done for contaminant levels in snakehead muscle tissue. It may be possible to refer to consumption advisories for largemouth bass, though snakeheads are on average a larger fish, and larger individuals have the highest contaminant levels. It is common to find large curled red parasite worms in the flesh of northern snakeheads from the Potomac River, and though unappetizing they are not harmful to humans if they are cooked or cut out of the flesh prior to cooking."

 

VA DGIF - http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/DEE/PublicHealthToxicology/Advisories/index.htm

 

MD DNR - http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Water/FishandShellfish/Documents/www.mde.state.md.us/assets/document/Maryland%20Fish%20Advisories%202011.pdf

[mudkart]

If you see or know of any 9.9 or 15-20hp motors that have not been in saltwater and are in good shape, let me know.

 

Buddy of mine sold his that I used to borrow, been looking for one that's not brand new but not beat up either.

PM'd

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Back at ya man. Thanks.

[Bigbarge50]

SproPro sorry for the delay.....

 

I have been looking at 9.9 hp outboards for a long time, or something smaller but have yet to pull the trigger.  I live in a city area and drive a honda civic and my apartment does not have storage, so the inflatable is the way for me.  I look constantly at kayaks and other small craft..... mainly because the inflatables are so expensive but I would love to get a larger vehicle (like a CRV or outback) and get a bigger, better inflatable, and have an outboard so I could tackle the main river.... till then I hit the creeks and branches (though I am sure further up by the city I could handle it)

 

I have noticed fishing in Pohic I do better when the trolling motor has not been on for a while.  I think it can spook this fish some, and I am not a guy who thinks a trolling motor spooks fish that much (pros seem to live with em on and have fish hit right next to them) but for some reason I just seem to do better when I anchor up in a good spot and let the current and wind move me around and do my thing.   

[quanjig]

Traveler, I've heard that because of the growth rate of the snakehead that toxins are less likely to be stored in the fish. Could be wrong but it makes sense.

[Traveler2586]

Traveler, I've heard that because of the growth rate of the snakehead that toxins are less likely to be stored in the fish. Could be wrong but it makes sense.

At the level of my understanding, IMHO, you have that backward; it's a long lived fish of size that feeds on other fish so it takes in their PCB's into it's fatty tissue.  I don't have the ref link for that just off hand but if I find it again I'll post it.

 

EDIT: I cane accross a entry in a report at :  http://www.mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/tmdl/integrated303dreports/documents/integrated_report_section_pdfs/ir_2012/md_final_2012_ir_part_f3.pdf

 

MD-POTTF-02140201

Potomac River Upper tidal PG, CH

Fishing Tidal subsegment

 Mercury in Fish Tissue

Data collected on snakehead

show potential for high

mercury levels. More data are

needed to determine if an

impairment exists.

 

Direct Measurement

 

[Traveler2586]

While looking for another subject I ran accross this:

 

 

Commission Orders and Policies April 1,         2012

        FISHING
        O R D E R #2010 – 06
        POSSESSION OF SNAKEHEADS

THE POTOMAC RIVER FISHERIES COMMISSION, having considered the
protection, promotion, growth and conservation of the indigenous seafood
resources, and pursuant to its authority under Regulation I, Section 7(a) (1) and
Section 8 (a), HEREBY DECLARES AND ORDERS:
 

 
        a. It shall be unlawful to release, to return, or otherwise discard any living
        snakehead or member of the Channidae family to the Potomac River.
        b.  It shall be lawful to possess a live snakehead fish (of the family
        Channidae) only so long as necessary to kill the fish as specified in
        paragraph ©.
        c. A person may possess a dead snakehead fish only with (i) the head
        removed, or (ii) the fish is gutted, or (iii) both gill arches of the         fish
        removed and the person notifies, as soon as practicable, one of the
        following agencies:

 

 
        i)Maryland Department of Natural Resources 410-260-8287,
        ii) Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries 800-770-4951,
        iii) DC Fisheries and Wildlife Division 202-535-2260, or
        iv) US Fish and Wildlife Service 703-358-1932.

AND IT IS FURTHER DECLARED AND ORDERED: this Order 2010-06
shall become effective June 20, 2010 and remain in effect until further notice.

 

http://www.prfc.state.va.us/sports/snakehead.html

 

http://www.prfc.state.va.us/commission/the_commission.html

 

[spropro]

Big barge, the inflatable certainly makes sense in your situation. Much to my wife's dismay I have an assortment of boats. I started out with a kayak and eventually moved up to an 18 ft center console to chase stripers in the Chesapeake. Storage has always been a problem for me also and the boat is stored remotely I fish less. I'm in the process of selling the bay boat and have purchased a 14 ft Jon with 15 hp that I keep in the garage and in process of modifying. And I still enjoy fishing out of the 22 yr old kayak. It's a different experience from other boats being able to access waters others cannot. To enjoy the bigger waters I joined a local fishing club as a non-boater. I fish out of the backseat on the big rigs and split the gas at the end of the day. I've met a lot of really skilled anglers who have been more than willing to share their knowledge. It has improved my skills.

I agree about the noise factor. I've noticed that when fishing shallow or very clear water some of the club members will turn off the fish finders while fishing because o the clicking noise they make.

[Sam]

Nitro, That takes years of practice.

 

 

Charlie, Posted Today,02:05 AM???  Looks like you can't sleep either

              do you have a link to the VDGIF fisheries biologist data?

 

I find it a little suspicious that we did not get any pics of you, even the ones I took with my cell did not turn out for some reason, they were all blurry when you were in the photo LOL !!!

 

HE IS A VAMPIRE.

[Traveler2586]

I find it a little suspicious that we did not get any pics of you, even the ones I took with my cell did not turn out for some reason, they were all blurry when you were in the photo LOL !!!

 

HE IS A VAMPIRE.

I have (in my youth) been known to leave red spots on young girls necks

[Traveler2586]

Just as an FYI, I posted this on another thread and thought you guys here might be interested as well......

 

-------------------------------------

 

There are some other sites that have some very good info on the Potomac River, I.E. http://www.potomacbass.com/

 

Look for articles such as "Gunston Cove, Pohick Bay, Accotink Bay" by Andy Andrzejewski. In a series of articles Andy has done an excellent job of providing a written tour of the Potomac.

 

You can also Bing "Potomac Bass Fishing Articles"

 

--------------------------------------

 

[Nitrofreak]

Great stuff Traveler and thanx a bunch !!!!!

[Teal]

Is it August yet. I feel like a little kid in back seat of my dads old Cutluss "Are we therrrre yet?"

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Hell, I just wish it was April at this point.

 

Just got done snowing here. Again.

[Teal]

I gotta pick my boat up from shop today. To the tune of 768.00. I missed my weekend fishin too. Im going through fishing DTs.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I hit the WAAAY upper Potomac this weekend looking for musky.

 

Nothing.