DelfiBoyz_One_and_Only

LOL...>>AWESOME<<

I am going to have to say that Rat-L-Traps and chatterbait have a tight underwater vibration that drives the snakeheads mad. There is nothing better than watching the water boil as the snakehead explodes on your bait. I seen one come up yesterday while fishing at lunch so its about to be on like donkey kong! I fish for bass when they are spawning then I go str8 to snakeheads for the rest of the summer during my lunch break. I don't eat them often but they are amazingly good, I get more joy out of giving them to the people I work with they love them soo much. They even try to pay me for them, I always refuse the money and give them away. It went from 1-2 people that eat them to over 30 now. It's getting hard to keep up with supply and demand. Jay

LOL Awesome. I am going to have to make a little duckling lure...... Jay

They will eat a blue gill as big as your hand. So as long as its not bigger than that I will assume they can handle it. The florida bulls eye is smaller than our northern snakehead and they found a 8 inch rat in it's stomach. I wouldn't be suprised if the northern snakehead wouldn't eat a baby duck or goose swimming by. Jay-

I did mention off shore stuff really because I was kind of targeting shore fishermen, but you are spot on Snakehead Whisperer. I am glad that you agree. I am sure you have received a lot of request for snakehead information as well. I thought I would share some of what I know and get more people involved in the hunt! Did not mention this on this thread but SNAKEHEAD TASTE DELICOUS! Jay-

Bass lures work well for snakeheads this is true. I named the main lures that worked the best in my opinion. Normally from my experiences I have noticed that they like cover right on the bank. Normally shallower than bass would hang out. I have seen them under drift wood in a little swamp pocket in 5inches or less or even next to lay downs in 3-4 inches of water. When they are in deeper water they relate more to vegetation either to spawn or for protection from the sun. Oh and not sure I mentioned it but they are capable of spawning several times a year. It has not been proven as far as I know yet on the river, but I do know that I have seen them spawning in August. Jay-

Due to some interested people I have created a little something for people that want to find some snakeheads in VA. This is the information I have gathered from my personal experience. Keep in mind I am no subject matter expert, just a fishermen just like you. Snakeheads are found all over the Potomac River from Washington to the Bay so anywhere in between is a good place. First you have to understand the kind of areas they like. Then you have to look at what they like to eat. Research has shown them to like blue gill/sunfish and killifish (look kind of like minnows). They love to spawn in grass or some sort of aquatic vegetation. Okay, now for the fun part. You have to find a creek or area on the river that does not have a lot of current. So next time you are fishing look for a area that is somewhat protected from current. The next step is to look for an area in very shallow water with a lot of grass growing along the bank/shore. Once you have found all of this put on your polarized sun glass and start looking. Keep in mind that snakeheads will take off fast if they see you near them. So walk slowly along the bank. I have seen 13 pound snakeheads in 3-4inches of water. What I would recommend is using a chatterbait. They will murder a chatterbait color is not important as long as they can see it. They also hate topwater baits like poppers or frogs but only early in the morning or late in the evening. I am talking about after the sun goes down or before it comes up. As far as the tides look for a high tide going out. So if high tide is at 4pm go fishing for snakehead at 4:30pm. When the high tide is going out the snakeheads are most active. They can be caught all day long though. If during high tide the shore vegetation is submerged the snakehead will actually get all up in it. You will notice the grass moving be patient they will go in and out several times. Snakeheads breath air so keep your eyes peeled when they are in deeper water (normally 3-7 feet is where I see them) and they will give up their location. If they slowly sink straight back down you can catch them with a rattling black blue jig w/ trailers. Just toss it just past where they surfaced and try to keep your bait moving in that general area( kind of like you would with a shakyhead. The bite on a jig is no joke they pound it hard). If they come up for air and don't go straight back down but swim back down your best bet is fan casting the chatterbait or use a rattletrap (I think its the tight vibration these baits let off). They are also found underneath heavy aquatic vegetation as all the bass anglers know, because they have all been catching them by accident. As I mentioned before that’s where they do their spawning. Sometimes snakeheads can be kind of moody and when your bait goes by, they fly in the opposite direction. Just like bass this is the time for a more finesse approach. After you have noticed this behavior switch to a senko type bait or a fluke. Remember match the hatch (blue gill, sunfish, killifish). REMEMBER DEAD water protected with little or no current, shallow flats are awesome too. MAY/June are the best months for wall hangers! Keep me posted on your catches and let me know if this was useful for you. Jay

I was curious and a little ignorant. Why would the fish taste different in different seasons? I have never caught seen in real life or tried eating a bowfin before. I know catfish like to hang out in mud and when fried up correctly are quite tasteful. The snakeheads up here in Va hang out in some muck too and I have never eaten a better fresh water fish. Jay-

I think some people are looking at this all wrong. Its one thing to catch some fish and eat it. It is a entirely different thing to abuse the resource. I have seen some people (no offense, but mostly south Americans) fill their buckets with everything and anything that will bite a hook. It's not that they don't know the rules it's that they don't care. I speak Spanish and have tried to educate them in their own language. They don't understand fishing for sport, preserving the resource. If the bass is 3inches and they can get one bite of meat out of it they are eating it. Game Wardens in these parts are few and far between and focus more on public parks than small ponds and lakes. These people around here know this. They will even pull out casting nets, no fish is safe they all go in the bucket. Just try to imagine going to your "secret" spot and fishing next to the guy casting a net. I am not saying in no way that it is all south Americans because it is NOT! It just takes a few though to give others a bad name. Jay-

That's kind of funny but I can see the resemblance. I am 99% sure you had a snakehead though. I am no expert but I can see from google pics that there are spots like your fish has. They are down the side of the fish, it looks black with a little white around the sides. I believe they always have 3 or 4 of them down the side. If it was a trash fish I think you would have been able to taste it when you ate it. At least you enjoyed it. As for the snakeheads they are very delicious. Google the Northern Snakehead and you will be amazed how much there skin pattern looks like a snake. Jay-

You can pm me and I will tell you all you need to know. Anyone can pm me for the same info. Also a FYI bank fishing is a awesome way to catch them you don t need a boat! Jay

Here in Va where I lived there was a little river fed lake. Some people (believe they were South American) started coming down to fish. They started with their deep see rods catching and eating everything they caught. Before you know it they were swimming and using casting nets. I would tick them off when I would catch and release. It got so aggravating trying to cast my bait and dodge the guy chest deep in the water with his casting net. They were pretty aggressive when confronted about the laws and I was always outnumbered at least 4 to one and they always had machete. Game Wardens were notified but they would have to walk 25 minutes through the woods to get to this spot since they can’t get there from the water. Needless to say it took less than a year to destroy this spot, you would need literally 50 trash bags to pick up all the trash. Jay-

If you have ever been tazered you know that you lose control of your muscles, you lock up in a since. I can see this story being true. When I was in the academy I went for the full ride and WOW let me too it’s no fun, but when it is over its over. I agree with some of the others on here that would rather be tazered than OC sprayed. That FOX OC spray is no joke and the effects will last at minimum 30 minutes, and after you bath another at least 15. Not to mention the snotty mess! Jay

Try the old drop shot or shaky head. Cast past the fish and keep bumping them with your bait. Try not to let them see you if you can help it, just keep the bait in there face. Eventually they will get ticked off and hit it. Try brighter colored baits so that you can see when the bass picks it up. The color isnt going to matter to the fish its just going to get ticked off and bite it. Jay-

Wow Great job. They look delicous. I have eaten the Northern Snakehead and let me tell you it was the best tasting fish I have ever eaten. Try this next time fillet them and cut them into sandwich size pieces then bread them and fry them. It makes the best fish sandwich ever. If you want the best snakehead fishing come up to Virginia and try our northern snakeheads out. The average one seems to be about 6-8lbs, but it's not uncommon for you to catch on 10-14lbs. I am sure that the world record is snakehead is going to come out of our Potomac River. Jay

I love them cut into fish nuggets breaded and deep fried. Or filleted and fried fish subs. Best fresh water fish ever. Jay-

Agreed with the exception of rivers with warm water discharges. My lake/ reservoir turns on later than everything else around here! But boy-o-boy when she turns on you better make sure your drag is set! Jay

Priceless sweetness very nice wicked pissa! Jay

You will throw away all the other fish once you taste northern snakehead! Jay

Welcome to the best most informative site on the web. It's a pleasure to have another Virginian on here. Help us look good and shine, and as always tight lines. Jay

This time of year it is not uncommon to catch 4,5,6,7, and even 8lbs bass in aquia without going out to the main river especially if you have a smaller boat. Jay-

The marina is in Aquia Creek. Just past the train bridge! Jay-

WOW, Sam and I thought I was the only one that knew all that stuff. Aquia has everything you will ever need in it, minus bluff walls. Everything else is in there though if you know where to look. I have done very well there fishing in the spring, summer, and fall. Love it there! Couple of things I will add Rat-L-Trap and chatterbaits should be all you need for this weekend (tomorrow). If that doesn't work Senko, plain and simple. If they are not being aggresive dead stick the senko, but I am pretty sure they are going to be aggresive. If you are fishing out of a small boat stay off the main river. One more spot worth checking is going left out of the marina and hitting the main feed creek point( its a couple 100 yards to the left cant miss it. Jay-

That was well put senile. For your bait selection it all depends on where the bass are in the water column. If they are near the bottom you can use deep diving crankbaits if the fish are less than 20ft deep and suspended. You can also use other types of crankbaits if suspended higher in the water column. If the fish are relating to the bottom try Carolina rigs, football jigs, drop shots, and even spoons. If bait fish are jumping out of the water try a baby minus, spinnerbait, or even a topwater bait. If all else fails you can throw a rat-L-trap or a-rig which can be fished in all water columns. That should get you started. It would take 5 books worth of info for all the possibility. Learn your electronics, that's the first step. Jay-

removed!