How bad is the snakehead problem?

[ShoreBound]

...A year or two ago, he caught a snakehead and alerted the press to "disspell" some myths about the fish being able to "walk" on land and breathe air. I was at the boat ramp with him when this was on display...he took the snakehead out of the livewell and placed it in the grass. It flopped....like a fish. A news reporter said it's because the grass was slick, so it was placed on the pavement. It flopped.....like a fish. No walking, no backflips, no traveling... As for it breathing air, after 45 minutes outside the water, the snakehead was dead. Longer then most fish? Probably so. But the potential to hitchhike down 95? Nope...

Are these the same fish or are related to the mudfish? My aunt once had two mudfish in a pail. One of them escaped and we found it still alive at the other side of their house as if it was looking for water. It traveled about 30 meters. Not long distance but still, other fish would have not have been able to do that.

[senkoman85]

Shore,
I am by no means a biologist so I may very well be completely wrong on the following, but this is what I believe.

The snakehead and mudfish are similar, but the mudfish CAN breathe air and CAN walk on land. Maybe different species of snakeheads can do the same...but the ones in the Potomac seem to not be able to do so.

Just a "small" example of what the media can do!

As for eating snakeheads, they are considered an asian delicacy, and are raised in farms for sale. I have never had one, nor have I met anyone who has.

[Stan Wright]

Excelent eating, that's why we hardly see them around much any more.
We saw one today, but it wouldn
t bite.
Oh, just in case you do want to get rid of them.... just remind everyone they are good to eat, and the season is closed.

Alohs,
Stan

[Bass Asassin]

Yes I dont like them in our lake but im really mad that the goverment now doesnt let pet stores sell them as they are amazing fish to keep.

[banhock]

Hi Guys

I'm really surprise to find that snakehead is considered a pest in the US. They taste great. Maybe your largemouth bass taste better.

Over here in Singapore and Malaysia, we find the amazon Peacock Bass a real pest. It was introduced to our waters couple years back by our government and my god they really clean out the other species good. These Peacock Bass has a really bad mud taste. Most of the anglers here don't wanna take back the fish they just let it go. WHich is why its population is getting out of hand.

Anyway to catch a snakehead you can give the following lures a try.
1. Spinners & Spinner baits
2. Berkley Gulp
3. Poppers
4. Buzzbaits

Good Luck guys

Ban

[wahoo]

in addition to banhock's comments, the snakehead was known to have medicinal values for quick healing of internal injuries. Post natal women recover much faster if they consume the fish.

[Snidley]

looks like a Bowfin for sure. I guess they taste good too. Snidley

[Stan Wright]

Banhock,

Tell me more about the peacock bass. I saw them in China last year. It looks like you're fishing in the "pay to fish" ponds like they do there.

I could see visiting Indo and doing some fishing.
My son goes there every year to surf and fish for GT.

Here in Hawaii the peacock bass are the dominate freshwater fish and the punji are now few and far between.

Aloha,
Stan

[67er]

Guys, there is always the other side of the story. While some of us are against the introduction of so-called invasive species, others like NZer, made big bucks out of the introduced Trout and Salmon fisheries. Apparently these salmonoids are responsible for decimating the indigenous fishes but hey, try telling the Kiwis to cull the salmonoids . The bottom line; it depends what the majority wants and who has the loudest voice. Even among us anglers, some may prefer the good old large mouth bass than the introduced Pbass of Florida. Nevermind if the Pbass pull harder.

Back to enviromental issues, not all introduced species are as bad as what the media made us believe. How do you quantify or take stock of damage to prove a point? Who to believe? Case in point; prior to the introduction of Pbass in Singapore's reservoirs, some of the Tiger Barbs were already wiped out by some unknown factor (could be the chemical used to rid the Hydrilla). Some locals blamed it on Pbass, but they weren't even introduced prior to T Barbs extinction (which btw, were also introduced). And to make things more interesting, historically there were no big lakes in this region, this means the indigenous species that thrive in forest streams and rivers will have to adjust to the new dammed up lacustrine enviroment.

Quite predictably, more than 90% of the indigenous didn't make it. damming the rivers and streams destroyed and killed these fish. The truth is, these reservoirs were already barren, save some introduced exotic species. It is only a matter of time when a species such as Pbass were able to adapt to such enviroment better than those riverine/streams evolved species. Can we blame the Pbass? Especially so when this species is responsible for the growing population of fly and lure anglers? The Pbass did what none of our indigenous species is capable to achieve, and in an enviroment that is unprecedented to the indigenous' native/preferred habitat. I think the important issue here is to build a fishery that contains a range of species that thrive in these open waters, and by doing so form a sustainable foodweb. This is far more logical and productive than forcing the indigenous riverine/streams species to live in the reservoir.

Go figure

[banhock]

Banhock,

Tell me more about the peacock bass. I saw them in China last year. It looks like you're fishing in the "pay to fish" ponds like they do there.

I could see visiting Indo and doing some fishing.
My son goes there every year to surf and fish for GT.

Here in Hawaii the peacock bass are the dominate freshwater fish and the punji are now few and far between.

Aloha,
Stan

Hi Stan
That photo of me and the snakehead was taken last year when I visited an organic eco farm resort up in Kahang, Johor, Malaysia. Its got quite 2 ponds. The small one is filled with snakeheads and tilapias. The big pond is stockup with Catfish, grasscarp @ bighead carp. If you stay there, you get to fish for free.http://kahang-ecorganics.com/. To drive up there from Singapore takes 3hrs.

As for the peacock bass in Singapore. Here's a pic of the fish. It can be found in our local reservior. Especially at the lower Seletar reservior.
http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_tra ... el=3?4,353.

Ban

[NJ Jigman]

my brother and i caught a few on a trip to virginia a few years ago, we cut their heads off and threw them on shore for the raccoons

[nsfisher]

Snakeheads look like a Bowfin with some different colour markings. Their behavior seems very similar as well. Bowfin are GREAT sportfish far superior to LMB or even Smallies. Only problem with bowfin is their rarity. Snidley

I live on Wixom Lake in Michigan and the bowfin are getting to be pretty thick. There are days where we will catch 5 of them. It is legal to shoot them with bow and arrow or spear them, and when they come in to spawn you can get 10+ if you are in the right spot.

[mmasturgeon]

I live in Cali and I see snakeheads being sold in the Asian market dead one of course. I guess those things are good eating people I talk to that buys them say they are good. I am wondering though if snakeheads have already reached our waters here. I mean I do see some in tropical fish store and have known people that keep them in their homes. It’s just sad that because of zebra mussels most lakes in my hometown are close to boat traffic even to float tubes…

[PhilPar]

Please don't let them show up in Florida. We have enough crazy stuff down here.

[mmasturgeon]

Please don't let them show up in Florida. We have enough crazy stuff down here.

Its Crazy how Florida has become the mecca of exotic evasive species.