Funnnn stuff.......

Caught it on an Xcalibur zell pop

Did you keep it?  I hear they are delicious.

Nah i didn't, but my friend kept one that he caught and he said it was good.

It is illegal not to kill it.  

Uhm....I did kill it. And plus I'm pretty sure there is no stopping them now so it hardly matters.

Actually I'm reasonably certain its ONLY illegal to not kill it if you keep it in your boat but your not legally required to kill it when caught from what I understand. However that being said, kill the scoundrels they are multiplying faster then termites.  

Oh right from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland fisheries

"What should someone do if they think they've found a snakehead fish?....

We have established an in-state toll-free hotline (1-800-770-4951) that anglers can use to report snakehead fish. This number is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Out-of-state callers should telephone (804) 367-1258. If you think you've caught a snakehead fish, please do not release it. Kill the fish by:

  1. removing the head,

  2. separating the gill arches from the body, or

  3. removing the internal organs and put it on ice as quickly as possible.

Call the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' hotline."

Trust me its dead, and I will always kill them when i catch them..but I think its too far gone now.

I agree Bassin, now all we can do is try to keep them from getting everywhere by catching as many as we can .

I never doubted you on if it was dead, I was just trying to figure out the actual legality of it.

What did you catch him on?

I had one follow my Spro frog in Mattawoman creek last night. So close!

Doesn't VA pay a reward for them?

They did, then people started pulling them out by the dozen and it got too expensive. They ended the program.

Haha yeah I caught this one in Mattawoman on an Xcalibur zell pop.  

how do you catch these fish?

what do you do with the corpse after you kill one?

why are they so bad for fisheries?

They're mean. They tear up anything they can get their mouths around. They lack a predator in these waters and they're an invasive species.

I believe they'll hit on anything another "game fish" will.

Best,

Paul

how do you catch these fish?

what do you do with the corpse after you kill one?

why are they so bad for fisheries?

1)they can be caught on quite a few lures but the most success that I've read about have been topwaters.

2)whatever you want to do with it. throw it on the bank, in a trash can...but I would eat it. They are supposedly very much like tilapia.

3)they are invasive so there is always a concern about what they might do to a fishery. They were introduced illegally to the Potomac years ago and everyone got really scared and thought all the bass would die. It hasn't happened. They haven't had much of an affect at all on the Potomac. They have never found a bass in the belly of a snakehead.

This is a bit over done they cannot really walk on land. They really don't attack humans for the species we have. But its an interesting watch.

All you ever wanted to know about snakeheads

pretty vicious. i wouldnt mind catching one of those f-ers.

Well from everything ive read and found out from other fishermen, 1/4 oz white spin baits with white skirts and frogs are very effective. They stay in brush just like bass so if you start fishing the lillypads in the Potomac you should find some.

They hit on everything a bass does though.

They will stay in less oxygenated water than bass. That means you can find them in algae choked areas and shallower areas where bass are less likely to be.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries released excerpts from their study on them.  Among the interesting observations were:

1)  They have not affected the bass population.

2)  The prefer very shallow, very weedy, less oxygenated water.

3)  Their primary prey is killifish, a small soft rayed fish.

4)  Most of the largest fish captured bore wounds from osprey attacks.

5)  A sport fishery has grown around them with some guides offering snakehead excursions.  

I wish they weren't there.  But it could be worse.  In fact, they seem to have made things a little more interesting.  

well not hurtin the bass population is a good thing

well not hurtin the bass population is a good thing

they might actually be good for the bass population since they spawn 5 times a year with each spawn having close to thousands of fry and with their fast growth they and make great snacks for the greenies!

I caught a big one in the Mattawoman creek flipping the pads. Best flipping fish ever. It came flying out of the pads at least two feet airborne.

Yeah gotta love it when they jump like that, it's amazing how powerful they are

While an introduced predator surely can have an effect on a fishery, and I totally understand concern over an invasive species....

There is probably some overreaction to this fish.

Reminds me of the misinformation about Musky, and how some folks think all they do is eat walleye and other game fish.