They Found Snakehead

[bassguytom]

So the local lake I fish here in PA has been confirmed to hold snakehead. Is really bad news for the bass fishing in this lake. From what I have read they soon take over a lake and push out all the native fish. I'm thinking this is really bad for this fishery. Can these things be controlled?

[flyfisher]

All the places I know that hold snakehead have shown that they can live with the bass. I would also guess that being up in bucks county (I grew up there myself) that there are only certain species of snakehead that can handle the cold weather.

I wouldn't worry to much and just fish....I know people who have caught largemouth and a snakehead off the same downed tree.

[Hyrule Bass]

apparently they havent affected the bass fishing in the potomac river. them in a lake might be an entirely different thing though, i have no idea the effect in that case...

[Snakehead Whisperer]

I'm assuming that they're northern snakehead (channa argus) if in PA. 

 

Snakehead and bass can coexist with little negative impact on either species. They both eat each others young, and have similar diets as adults. It's not good that the snakeheads are proliferating like they are, but much of the media hype is just that (hype.) They are only fish and far less destructive than grass carp, for instance. They make great table fare too. 

 

Here on the Potomac we are more negatively impacted by the presence of the blue and flathead catfish than we are the snakehead. There are numerous factors that come into play (like water quality, etc.) but the bass fishing has been better here on the Potomac than it has in many years... and this is after the introduction of the northern snakehead. 

 

Bottom line is that it would be better if they weren't here, but they are. The fish have found an ecological niche and they have filled it without destroying everything (or eating anybody's babies for that matter  )

[tomustang]

Snakehead have been proficient in southeast pa since 2004. I've even found dead ones up in the lower lehigh river. From what I've seen the overabundance chain pickerel help keep the the 'heads at bay

[Sam]

Tom, according to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries guys that  I have spoken about the snakeheads they told me that the snakeheads in the Potomac have not had an adverse impact on the bass population.

 

For you guys in NOVA and Maryland that fish the Potomac please let us know what you have heard.

 

At this time I believe we are allowed to release the snakeheads alive. It sure beats killing them and throwing the body in the water.

 

How about an update from some of you guys who have spokein with the Maryland or Virginia conservation departments?

[Sam]

"Spokein"  That should drive Long Mike up a wall!!!!!!!!

[DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only]

Hopefully there is enough food in that lake to sustain largemouth bass and snakeheads. Some lakes don’t have enough food for bass alone, that’s something that the local biologist will have to investigate. As Snakehead Whisper mentioned they are truly amazing to eat. One of the best if not the best freshwater fish, and a lot of fun to catch as well.

 

 

Jay

[thehooligan]

We've had them for awhile up here in jersey on the deleware river and all the tributaries running off it. I dont think they've done any harm on the local waters, but im not a biologist so who knows.... they are fun to fish for though.

[neutral]

So the local lake I fish here in PA has been confirmed to hold snakehead. Is really bad news for the bass fishing in this lake. From what I have read they soon take over a lake and push out all the native fish. I'm thinking this is really bad for this fishery. Can these things be controlled?

 

I fish in Bucks County, PA too.  Which lake are you referring to?

[Snakehead Whisperer]

Releasing snakeheads is legal AFAIK in Virginia only (and possibly DC.) In Maryland you must dispatch the fish immediately, however. 

 

Transporting live snakeheads over state lines is a violation of federal law. This includes fish caught and kept in a livewell or bait bucket.

 

@BassguyTom... What are you waiting for? Go get 'em 

[mg4u2nv]

We've had them in a concentrated area here in florida for roughly a decade. I dont see devastation that a lot of ppl would expect. Sure they will eat bass and bass forage. Bass also eat the young snakeheads as well. When i do target the snakeheads i always catch bass too, so it is possible for them to coincide with one another, in the sme waters.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

I too am curious as to where you guys have seen/caught snakeheads in PA.

 

If they are in any type of concentration, I'll get in the car this summer and meet you. LOL

[LVLDVL]

So they are like bass adn they fight as hard. But they grow faster and bigger. They strike with ferocity like bass. It can be argued that they are less shy and more aggressive therefore, they are more catchable throughout the day and throughout the season. Also, it is said that their meat is like that of a perch.

 

[excited] So when are they coming to Minnesota?!

[Trailer]

When I hear "snakehead" panic comes to mind, but think about all the species that co-exist with bass. Stripers, alligator gar, muskie & catfish all come to mind. I'm sure that the snakehead isn't the first fish to grab a baby bass for dinner, or even larger.

[Quillback]

If I ever catch one (and I sincerely hope they never show up in the lakes I fish), they're not going back in the water alive.  I don't want any obnoxious critters messing with my bass fishing.  It's great that they are at least good to eat, but there's already plenty of 'good to eat" fish in the lakes around here.

[flyfisher]

If I ever catch one (and I sincerely hope they never show up in the lakes I fish), they're not going back in the water alive.  I don't want any obnoxious critters messing with my bass fishing.  It's great that they are at least good to eat, but there's already plenty of 'good to eat" fish in the lakes around here.

 

Good thing people didn't think that way when bass were introduced to pretty much every waterway..........

[Quillback]

Good thing people didn't think that way when bass were introduced to pretty much every waterway..........

Well neither one of us was around then to "think that way".

 

For the record, there is still a continuing problem with bass being introduced into trout lakes in Washington state (where I used to live), the state DFG has to continuously rotenone the lakes to get rid of the bass.  I was always in favor of it.  There are places in this country where bass do not belong and should be kept out.  Same goes for snakeheads.  And I doubt you'll find a fisheries biologist in the US that is in favor of introducing snakeheads. 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Sometimes it can be a good thing. I know my trout fishing would have never been the same experience without the brown trout.

 

Of course, I also don't mind the thought of feral pigs running around a-plenty and letting me shoot them as much as I want. Different strokes....

[Traveler2586]

Tom, according to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries guys that  I have spoken about the Snakeheads they told me that the Snakeheads in the Potomac have not had an adverse impact on the bass population.

 

For you guys in NOVA and Maryland that fish the Potomac please let us know what you have heard.

 

At this time I believe we are allowed to release the Snakeheads alive. It sure beats killing them and throwing the body in the water.

 

How about an update from some of you guys who have spoken with the Maryland or Virginia conservation departments?

 

Negative Sam, all three jurisdictions on the Potomac (MD, VA, & PRFC) have ordered the fish dispatched on capture.  Unfortunately, VA has confusing directions when they say it may be released, but then in the next sentence they say to dispatch the fish.  I have talked to VA DG&IF about this -

 

".......................We are confused and perplexed by the amount of misinformation on our forum concerning the Northern Snakehead fish, and your own web page “Northern Snakehead - Frequently Asked Questions” that was last updated July 1, 2010 is confusing to many.

Your page states: “Anglers are not required to report Snakeheads nor are they required to kill them if caught, but the Department asks that the fish be reported and killed if possible. However, if an angler wishes to keep a legally caught northern Snakehead, the fish must be killed to be in possession, and the angler must call the hotline and report the angler's last name, date of catch, location of catch and size.”

[ The first sentence is the source of much confusion ]...................."

 

The reply was "...........Of course we wish to contain the fish, but there is really no way that I know of (through regulation or code) to force anybody to kill something that was caught from public waters…(it was there, you caught it, how can we force you to kill it?).  Where we can exert that effect is to mandate that if you keep it; it must be dead.  (No live Snakeheads in possession). ...................."

 

I have talked with two MD DNR Police officers separately that told me "if it's inside the gunnel's of your boat, you are in position"......"you catch it - you kill it"....

 

If we don't work to control their numbers, they'll spread throughout the Bay and it's tribs (in truth, it's only a matter of time regardless of what is done).  And truth be told, no one really knows the full extent of the impact the fish will have on the systems in the long term.  The feedings studies reported failed to address the SH forage percentage by time of year, therefore all we can say is they (SH & LMB) feed on each others young.  If anyone knows of any data (raw or otherwise) on feeding studies of the SH that gives forage percentages by time of year, please let me know; I keep looking but have failed to find anything.

[flyfisher]

Sometimes it can be a good thing. I know my trout fishing would have never been the same experience without the brown trout.

 

Of course, I also don't mind the thought of feral pigs running around a-plenty and letting me shoot them as much as I want. Different strokes....

Isn't that the truth.  Other than Brookies there aren't to many native trout (they are char actually but we won't get into that) on the east coast.

 

I learned to fish for trout chasing browns on a local spring creek that was considered "wild" fish but they all started as stocked fingerlings and brookies in the mountain creeks.

 

Man, all this talk about trout fishing might just make me go do that this weekend instead of chasing bass....

[LVLDVL]

I want to tell you a story. This is a story about a little snakehead walking home from the grocery store one sunny afternoon. Suddenly a truck races up. Two men jump out and grab it. They drag it into a nearby field and they tie it up and they rip its fins from its body. 

...

 

Can you see it? Its raped, beaten, broken body soaked in their urine, soaked in their semen, soaked in its own blood, left to die. Can you see it? I want you to picture that little snakehead. Now imagine it's a bass.

 

[Traveler2586]

I want to tell you a story. This is a story about a little snakehead walking home from the grocery store one sunny afternoon. Suddenly a truck races up. Two men jump out and grab it. They drag it into a nearby field and they tie it up and they rip its fins from its body. 

...

 

Can you see it? Its raped, beaten, broken body soaked in their urine, soaked in their semen, soaked in its own blood, left to die. Can you see it? I want you to picture that little snakehead. Now imagine it's a bass.

 

????

[flyfisher]

I want to tell you a story. This is a story about a little snakehead walking home from the grocery store one sunny afternoon. Suddenly a truck races up. Two men jump out and grab it. They drag it into a nearby field and they tie it up and they rip its fins from its body. 

...

 

Can you see it? Its raped, beaten, broken body soaked in their urine, soaked in their semen, soaked in its own blood, left to die. Can you see it? I want you to picture that little snakehead. Now imagine it's a bass.

 

I guess sarcasm/humor is different in minnesota....

[B@ssCrzy]

I want to tell you a story. This is a story about a little snakehead walking home from the grocery store one sunny afternoon. Suddenly a truck races up. Two men jump out and grab it. They drag it into a nearby field and they tie it up and they rip its fins from its body. 

...

 

Can you see it? Its raped, beaten, broken body soaked in their urine, soaked in their semen, soaked in its own blood, left to die. Can you see it? I want you to picture that little snakehead. Now imagine it's a bass.

 

Do you work for PETA?