Snakehead behavior

[Coyoteslayer]

Starting this thread as the snakehead is not going anywhere anytime soon. Relatively new fish to me so I'm always Learning and studying behavior. So far what I've seen doesn't match what I've been told IE they eat everything snd kill all the bass. Feel free to add to this if u have knowledge or witness new behavior. Love to see what and how others are encountering them.  Killing them after catching isn't affecting the population at all I can tell u that for sure lol. 

 

1. As for they eat everything? They come from the river up the tributaries in the summer to spawn. So all southern NJ spillways that lead to the river could have them. Below alcyon lake and below blackwood lake are 2 places I know that I've caught them. Both places are loaded with fish still. What opened my eyes to this possibly being false is while casting at the snakehead below with the jig in mouth I shorted the cast by 6 inches to a foot twice both casts a bass hit the jig. 2 bass less than a foot from this "killer that eats everything?"

2. They do this weird thing where they sit in the current in real shallow water like an inch or 2 with 3/4 of their body out of the water. No clue why but its weird. 

3. They smarten up quick. Places where people fish them alot they are hard to catch by lure. Livelining small sunnies is the best method. Certain jigs and frogs get it done but alot of times they follow it get your hopes up and not bite. 

4. I don't know where they go after spawning but I see them June July and at some point in August they bounce and don't come back til next year.

5. Definitely aggressive once hooked. They fight hard. 

6. Every group I see seems to have an alpha. They get big!! I'm talking 3 to 4 feet long. 

7. Always been told they are super protective of the Frye but I see the Frye balls swimming around and I don't see mama circling it like on river monsters lol. Nor do they swipe at lures casted into the fry ball. 

[Coyoteslayer]

Curious how prevalent they are in the northern stretches of the state in the Delaware and tributaries.

[Bucksnbows]

25 minutes ago, Coyoteslayer said:

Curious how prevalent they are in the northern stretches of the state in the Delaware and tributaries.

Most seem to still be south. Most. I haven’t seen them in our trout waters, for example. 

[Coyoteslayer]

Just now, Bucksnbows said:

Most seem to still be south. Most. I haven’t seen them in our trout waters, for example. 

I wonder if expanding the Muskie stocking was a move to combat them? Seems they would be prey for a adult Muskie.

[Bucksnbows]

1 minute ago, Coyoteslayer said:

I wonder if expanding the Muskie stocking was a move to combat them? Seems they would be prey for a adult Muskie.

Why introduce a worse predator to “control” another predator?  Unfortunately, like with much of the nation’s freshwater fisheries, it’s all  one big hot mess. Two thirds of the fish we pursue don’t belong where they have been stocked, legally or otherwise. 

[Buckeyes11]

We fish the same waters Coyoteslayer   They are my white whale. I’ve seen some absolute monsters but I agree 100% once they get pressure it’s almost impossible to get em to bite a lure. Tried for carp at Swedesboro today with my son. Didn’t work but a snapper loved my cornmeal bait 

Edited July 11, 2022 by Buckeyes11
Granmar

[hemlock]

I did work on a lake in orange county ny that someone released them into illegally and they took over the lake in a short time and DEC came in and killed them off. While i was there the tiny creek leading out of the lake was just choked with them. So the DEC had their hands full beyond just the lake. They were all sizes from like 12 -32 inches that i saw and lots of them. I was not a member of the lake community so i was not allowed to fish and kill any prior to the DEC taking care of that mess. 

[jumpthestring]

There nasty looking , kill every one you catch.

[Coyoteslayer]

56 minutes ago, Bucksnbows said:

Why introduce a worse predator to “control” another predator?  Unfortunately, like with much of the nation’s freshwater fisheries, it’s all  one big hot mess. Two thirds of the fish we pursue don’t belong where they have been stocked, legally or otherwise. 

That may not be why they increased muskie stocking but going by trout stock south jersey doesn't usually get new water added all th3 sudden they stock the Cooper River with muskie lol!! 

[Coyoteslayer]

I also think the largemouth bass is being underrated a bit here as If it is a helpless victim. There is a reason 2 bass were in the same pocket as that snakehead with no fear. 

[Coyoteslayer]

1 hour ago, Buckeyes11 said:

We fish the same waters Coyoteslayer   They are my white whale. I’ve seen some absolute monsters but I agree 100% once they get pressure it’s almost impossible to get em to bite a lure. Tried for carp at Swedesboro today with my son. Didn’t work but a snapper loved my cornmeal bait 

2 weeks ago rigjt at the bank a giant attacked my spinner bait thought I had a 10 pound largemouth for a second. It was a monster snapper. 6 inches from my feet never knew he was there lol. He broke me off. 

[CJ3a]

Good listen 

[Michael Britt]

I used to have a Red Snakehead, 20 or so years ago before they were banned. It got 20 inches in a 30 inch long tank. A guy with a huge tank came over with a cooler and took it off my hands. That species is from Southeast Asia and gets 5ft!

[ModernOutdoorsMan]

Meateater had a fishing episode (on their youtube series, not the main show) about snakeheads on the Potomac and their guide made a big stink when he said all the data suggests snakehead don’t affect Bass populations like people think

*just noticed a post above has the video*

Edited July 12, 2022 by ModernOutdoorsMan

[nb6624]

Nobody said how they taste. My favorite fish to eat!