Broward County Snake Head 9-5-10 Could be your lake next.

[Shane Procell]

Got the call from Dan and Jason from JD'sCustomBaits that the snakehead bite was hot. I was a back seater on Garrys cool lil skiff for most of the morning fishing somewhere in western broward county...I was lost most of the day. Jason and Dan had 3-4 fish in the cooler before I got my first fish. It hit like a snook and fought like a mudfish. Tipped the scales over 5#'s. Later in the day I picked up another one that was 4.5#'s with a couple of 4# bass to sweeten the deal. Jason and Dan boated 6-8 and a couple of good ones as well.

As fun as these fish were to catch, this was a very alarming day for me. I strongly believe that our fresh water fishery is in trouble and something must be done to kill all non native species of fish. This fish is coming to your favorite body of water in the near future.

[Dan:]

So....how are ya gonna kill them?

[Shane Procell]

Shock treat the waterways on a mammoth scale and throw all the foreigners in farm pastures.

[Dan:]

Ok, but what about the fish that are below the effective shocking range? Are they negatively impacting the fisheries?

[Catching]

Are they negatively impacting the fisheries?

Yes, and YES, where went today after fishing the C-14 canal by boat used to be hog Heaven and the avg bass was 8-10 pounds. Now there are still bass there but only around 2-4 pounds on avg we just have too many exotic species living in our canal and not enough forage fish to support another top predator

[Bassn Blvd]

It's illegal to throw them back and NOT kill them.

[SirSnookalot]

Have yet to see a snakehead in my part of Palm Beach County and I hope I don't.  I do know in Coral Springs they catch a lot of them.

Average bass 8-10lbs?, Hmmmmmmmmm !

[Catching]

Yes 8-10 pounds, there are lakes and canals surrounded by retirement communities in Tamarac that just held large numbers of huge bass about 15 years ago, these lakes were loaded with large wild shiners and shad, we would catch the shiners and just slam the big bass, it was amazing fishing that the kids today doing the catch and release of exotics will never see again if they insist of releasing these trashfish back into the system.

[evrgladesbasser]

Yes 8-10 pounds, there are lakes and canals surrounded by retirement communities in Tamarac that just held large numbers of huge bass about 15 years ago, these lakes were loaded with large wild shiners and shad, we would catch the shiners and just slam the big bass, it was amazing fishing that the kids today doing the catch and release of exotics will never see again if they insist of releasing these trashfish back into the system.

Many kids today (and adult anglers as well) would not recognize the snakehead as an exotic fish. These and other exotics have been in the canal system for thier entire life (or at least as long as they've been fishing), so how would they know any different? Honestly I have not seen these snakeheads yet, and would not know to kill them if not for reading up on this website.

How do we educate new anglers about this? I don't know the answer to that. Perhaps a mandatory fishing seminar when you receive your first fishing license? Anybody can get a license for $17 at BPS and think that's all they need to do, they still have no concept of native vs non-native, catch limits, etc.

Shock treating the canal system may work, but it would never fly... Some group proclaiming rights for the canal fish of Florida would come out of the woodworks. Just like everything else there will be no action taken to prevent the spread, only a haphazard and halfassed reaction.

I commend you guys for your efforts, but feel ultimately you are fighting a losing battle. Unless you get support from state agencies (and not just a line on their website saying to kill snakeheads) you will have a very tough time containing/ eliminating the problem.

[Catching]

We will never be able to get rid of them but we can put a hurting on the spread of the population if we can keep killing off the breading stock.

I am in contact about once a week with FWC, telling them where, catch sizes, and stomach contents. The have been super cool and I am hoping they will be at the Round Up collecting data.

[Shane Procell]

Many kids today (and adult anglers as well) would not recognize the snakehead as an exotic fish. These and other exotics have been in the canal system for thier entire life (or at least as long as they've been fishing), so how would they know any different? Honestly I have not seen these snakeheads yet, and would not know to kill them if not for reading up on this website.

How do we educate new anglers about this? I don't know the answer to that. Perhaps a mandatory fishing seminar when you receive your first fishing license? Anybody can get a license for $17 at BPS and think that's all they need to do, they still have no concept of native vs non-native, catch limits, etc.

Shock treating the canal system may work, but it would never fly... Some group proclaiming rights for the canal fish of Florida would come out of the woodworks. Just like everything else there will be no action taken to prevent the spread, only a haphazard and halfassed reaction.

I commend you guys for your efforts, but feel ultimately you are fighting a losing battle. Unless you get support from state agencies (and not just a line on their website saying to kill snakeheads) you will have a very tough time containing/ eliminating the problem.

I feel that the invasion of all non native fish is counter productive to acheiving and maintaining and healthy bass fishery. If the FWC is serious in making Florida the "Bass Capital of the World" again if they will have to address and take steps to eliminate the non native species....Kill em all!