Potomac River Snakehead Fishing

[DeltaVictor01]

Thanks for a great writeup Homemadebaits.  As sequestration is settling in, I'll be having every Friday off and had decided to fish for food!    j/k!

 

Actually, I haven't fish for years and  get back into the sport again, and fishing for Snakehead is going to be my new passion!

 

So any tips on where to fish from shore for snakehead in the DC/MD/VA area? 

[PoorBoyBassin]

No tips about shore fishing for them as I've only been in a boat when catching them. I fished a tournament outa Leesylvania state park last year. and our first stop was at the mouth Quantico Creek. There's a nice flat just inside the left side of the creek full of coontail grass I believe it was. FIshing for large mouths at the time. with a senko rigged texas style/ weightless. We caught some nice bass but had to weed through the snake heads to catchum though. Conditions were rainy an a bit chilly with the wind blowing a steady 10mil an hour outa the norht/east. Was making long cast's and basicaly fishing it like you would a fluke. Biggest snakehead of the day was 3.5 pounds an a fun right for sure! I know there's some sort of park right there on that point, as there were several people shore fishing an were within easy casting of the flat I was fishing... Might be a spot for you to check out.

[DeltaVictor01]

No tips about shore fishing for them as I've only been in a boat when catching them. I fished a tournament outa Leesylvania state park last year. and our first stop was at the mouth Quantico Creek. There's a nice flat just inside the left side of the creek full of coontail grass I believe it was. FIshing for large mouths at the time. with a senko rigged texas style/ weightless. We caught some nice bass but had to weed through the snake heads to catchum though. Conditions were rainy an a bit chilly with the wind blowing a steady 10mil an hour outa the norht/east. Was making long cast's and basicaly fishing it like you would a fluke. Biggest snakehead of the day was 3.5 pounds an a fun right for sure! I know there's some sort of park right there on that point, as there were several people shore fishing an were within easy casting of the flat I was fishing... Might be a spot for you to check out.

Great!

Thanks for the tip.

I think that point is part of the MCB Quantico.

The base MWR boat slip is near by also.  Hopefully they have rental boats there.

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

Delta I can't give up any of my spots but I can say this. All the creeks, coves, and marshes that feed down into the river are good. All the public fishing areas in Fort Belvoir are good too. Just try to use the info I provided. It will get a snakehead on your hook.

Tight lines..

Jay

[Sam]

First one I caught was in the back of Potomac Creek on a falling tide.

 

Great fight.

 

Have seen only one since then. A small one on the main river.

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

I am curious to know if anyone has read this thread and used what I have writen to catch some of these amazing fish.  Post your snakehead experience please!  Maybe someone will tell there story and make something click for those people who have not yet caughten a snakehead!

 

Jay

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

Thanks all who have posted!

[MDBowHunter]

A budy and I went last weekend, we had some hits but couldn't get one hooked up. We'll be back though!!!

[biscaynenative]

I know I'm posting on this thread after the fact, but I thought I should chime in.

 

I worked in China for a few years, and did a lot of fishing over there.  I was almost always targeting Northern Snakehead.  Over there, I found that the ideal bait was a blue/white spinner bait with silver blades, or a chartreuse/ black with black and gold blades.  I’d run them right along grassy edges or around downed trees (or trash, most places were essentially dumps), and they’d come out of cover and slam the baits.  Topwater frogs worked as well, but these were really better on the southern varieties, down in Thailand.  Buzzbaits, especially black and red, worked well at night. 

 

I don’t know why I never had as much success on topwater, because it’s not as if there weren’t frogs.  Moreover, I was without a doubt the only person to target them the way we do.  I never once saw someone fish with anything other than a bamboo pole or net, so my lures were the first they’d ever seen.  Granted, I was only one data set, so my results are probably very skewed.  I did have a lot of tackle (and still do!), but I found that most of my bass kit wasn’t as effective as I’d imagined.

 

The only other thing I’ll mention is that in China (at least in my part of Fujian Province), the fish were really, really sluggish.  When they hit, they hit hard.  But more often than not, I could bonk them on the head and they’d hardly flinch.  Maybe it was because there was no bass equivalent, so there is less competition for food.  Regardless, however, their aggressiveness is definitely an American thing, as their overseas cousins are lazy more than anything.

 

Just my thoughts.  

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

I know I'm posting on this thread after the fact, but I thought I should chime in.

 

I worked in China for a few years, and did a lot of fishing over there.  I was almost always targeting Northern Snakehead.  Over there, I found that the ideal bait was a blue/white spinner bait with silver blades, or a chartreuse/ black with black and gold blades.  I’d run them right along grassy edges or around downed trees (or trash, most places were essentially dumps), and they’d come out of cover and slam the baits.  Topwater frogs worked as well, but these were really better on the southern varieties, down in Thailand.  Buzzbaits, especially black and red, worked well at night. 

 

I don’t know why I never had as much success on topwater, because it’s not as if there weren’t frogs.  Moreover, I was without a doubt the only person to target them the way we do.  I never once saw someone fish with anything other than a bamboo pole or net, so my lures were the first they’d ever seen.  Granted, I was only one data set, so my results are probably very skewed.  I did have a lot of tackle (and still do!), but I found that most of my bass kit wasn’t as effective as I’d imagined.

 

The only other thing I’ll mention is that in China (at least in my part of Fujian Province), the fish were really, really sluggish.  When they hit, they hit hard.  But more often than not, I could bonk them on the head and they’d hardly flinch.  Maybe it was because there was no bass equivalent, so there is less competition for food.  Regardless, however, their aggressiveness is definitely an American thing, as their overseas cousins are lazy more than anything.

 

Just my thoughts.

I like what you added to this thread. The blue & white spinner is very interesting. I have notice how ever something with a tight vibration like a rattle trap or chatterbait gets them to come from a few yards away. That said I have not tried a blue and white chattrbait and will definitely have to give that a try.

The snakeheads here can be extremely moody at times also. Its almost hit or miss with their aggression. I have seen them may of times swim away from a bait no matter how slow of a presentation. Other times I have had them crush a frog or chatterbait with ill intentions and even fly a few feet out of water. There is still tons to learn about these fish but two things are certain 1) They are fun to catch. 2) "They taste grrrrreat" (Tony the Tiger)!

Jay-

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

Oh yeah and IMHO the best way to catch them at night is with a arrow.

Thanks for sharing Biscayne!

Jay

[Traveler2586]

Thanks for a great writeup Homemadebaits.  As sequestration is settling in, I'll be having every Friday off and had decided to fish for food!    j/k!

 

Actually, I haven't fish for years and  get back into the sport again, and fishing for Snakehead is going to be my new passion!

 

So any tips on where to fish from shore for snakehead in the DC/MD/VA area? 

 

Look for Riverside Park along the GW Parkway at Fort Hunt, VA 22308 .  Work the shoreline in both directions from the parking lot; also work all sides of the Little Hunting Creek bridge.  Keep your catch and enjoy the food.

 

Tight Lines‎

[Greeneye8181]

I saw one in the Potomac earlier this season that dwarfed a 8-pounder I caught yesterday.

It surfaced about 5 feet from the boat, seemed to look at me, then slowly and quietly submerged. My jaw almost hit the water. I don't even want to know how big it was.

 

I tried to post a pic of the 8-pounder but it's on my Android phone and my Apple computer is having none of it.

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

I saw one in the Potomac earlier this season that dwarfed a 8-pounder I caught yesterday.

It surfaced about 5 feet from the boat, seemed to look at me, then slowly and quietly submerged. My jaw almost hit the water. I don't even want to know how big it was.

 

I tried to post a pic of the 8-pounder but it's on my Android phone and my Apple computer is having none of it.

I hooked one that I swear was over 20lbs, hooked not landed. In my experience when they slowly go back down that means they didn't see you and can be caught. Usually when I see them sink straight back down, almost tail first they will surface again in the same spot about 15 minutes later. A black and blue jig worked like a shakyhead or buzzing a rattle trap near the bottom will get you hooked up.

Jay

[bigbill]

Ok they taste great but there really ugly. Will we ever have a snakehead tornie? Could this be bigger than bass tornies someday?

How many states have snakeheads in there waters?

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

Ok they taste great but there really ugly. Will we ever have a snakehead tornie? Could this be bigger than bass tornies someday?

How many states have snakeheads in there waters?

Bigbill,

There already is a bunch of snakehead tournaments out there in a lot of different states, dont quote me but I think its like 10 states and counting . IMHO yes I do believe that snakeheads will take over any given body of water given enough time. I do believe 30 years from now they will be in direct competition with bass tournaments.

It's going to suck!  But only time will tell.

 

 

jay

[NHBA Charlie]

Over the past two weeks, I have been fishing club tournaments out of Leesylvania State Park. Each day, we ran to Chickamuxen Creek and fished topwater and Senkos for bass.  Each day, we caught at least two Snakeheads in the 6-8 pound class on topwater frogs. On sunny days, we fished frogs with white bellies and on overcast days we used black frogs. In all cases, after we set the hook, the fish launched themselves out of the water at least one foot and in one cast over two feet, STRAIGHT UP. Heavy braided line and long casts are a must, but the fish are there.  You can generally tell a snakehead from a bass, as a snakehead will come up and "nose" the bait where a bass will annihilate it. In addition to catching the fish daily, we also had many snakehead come up and nudge the baits without taking them. We could see these fish on the surface as they came up behind the baits.

[CountBassula]

Over the past two weeks, I have been fishing club tournaments out of Leesylvania State Park. Each day, we ran to Chickamuxen Creek and fished topwater and Senkos for bass.  Each day, we caught at least two Snakeheads in the 6-8 pound class on topwater frogs. On sunny days, we fished frogs with white bellies and on overcast days we used black frogs. In all cases, after we set the hook, the fish launched themselves out of the water at least one foot and in one cast over two feet, STRAIGHT UP. Heavy braided line and long casts are a must, but the fish are there.  You can generally tell a snakehead from a bass, as a snakehead will come up and "nose" the bait where a bass will annihilate it. In addition to catching the fish daily, we also had many snakehead come up and nudge the baits without taking them. We could see these fish on the surface as they came up behind the baits.

 

interesting... i can tell i have a snakehead on the line because 1) very distinct sound and feel when they hit top water lure and 2) they NEVER jump but instead always dive down. i am yet to see or catch one (and I've gotten 20+ maybe more, i've lost count) what will NOT dive down and deep; never jump.

[NHBA Charlie]

It is kind of difficult for a Snakehead to dive down when he hits in 6" of water.  I see that you are from Florida. Perhaps the snakeheads

that you fish for in Florida live in deeper water than those on the Potomac River.  Here, we find these fish in less than two feet of water as

they have no gills and must come to the surface to breathe every 3-4 minutes. We are fishing THICK grassbeds in very shallow water. As a

matter of fact, if you stay too long on the outgoing tide, you may be there for another 3-4 hours waiting for the incoming tide to refloat the boat.

 

NHBA Charlie.......

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

You all have to keep in mind that you are both talking about 2 different types of snakeheads.  They are similra but also very different!

 

 

Jay

 

It is kind of difficult for a Snakehead to dive down when he hits in 6" of water.  I see that you are from Florida. Perhaps the snakeheads

that you fish for in Florida live in deeper water than those on the Potomac River.  Here, we find these fish in less than two feet of water as

they have no gills and must come to the surface to breathe every 3-4 minutes. We are fishing THICK grassbeds in very shallow water. As a

matter of fact, if you stay too long on the outgoing tide, you may be there for another 3-4 hours waiting for the incoming tide to refloat the boat.

 

NHBA Charlie.......

 

interesting... i can tell i have a snakehead on the line because 1) very distinct sound and feel when they hit top water lure and 2) they NEVER jump but instead always dive down. i am yet to see or catch one (and I've gotten 20+ maybe more, i've lost count) what will NOT dive down and deep; never jump.

[CountBassula]

It is kind of difficult for a Snakehead to dive down when he hits in 6" of water.  I see that you are from Florida. Perhaps the snakeheads

that you fish for in Florida live in deeper water than those on the Potomac River.  Here, we find these fish in less than two feet of water as

they have no gills and must come to the surface to breathe every 3-4 minutes. We are fishing THICK grassbeds in very shallow water. As a

matter of fact, if you stay too long on the outgoing tide, you may be there for another 3-4 hours waiting for the incoming tide to refloat the boat.

 

NHBA Charlie.......

 

Norther Snakeheads you're catching up north HAVE GILLS sir FL ones do too, and they also hang out in shallow water, but when I hook one they dive.

[Traveler2586]

Norther Snakeheads you're catching up north HAVE GILLS sir FL ones do too, and they also hang out in shallow water, but when I hook one they dive.

 

The ones I've hooked dive as well, until they get close to the boat, then they'll jump a bit or do a tail walk.

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

Just simply stating that different fish sometimes have different characteristics.  I have seen one of our northern snakeheads not on a hook jump 3 feet out of the water and once I set the hook on one that jumped about 2 feet out of the water.  Our northern snakeheads give themselves away kind of by big head turns but catfish here are also known to do that.

 

J-

[Greeneye8181]

I've been meaning to ask. Has anyone notice the possibility of two different types of Northern Snakehead in the Potomac? I caught one a couple years back that had different pelvic and anal fins. Lighter color too.

 

[Greeneye8181]

Now look at this one