Snakeheads

What do snakeheads (aka dragons) eat?

They eat small baitfish like banded killifish, bluegill, perch and the occasional amphibian. They don’t eat babies, small dogs, or scores of largemouth bass.

What do you catch snakeheads on?

Hollow body frogs like a popping frog, walking frog or sprinker frog are all great choices because snakeheads have heart-pounding blow ups on topwater, and you’ll be casting around hydrilla mats, grass or Lilly pads, so you need a weedless bait. A chatter bait is also a great lure for fishing weed edges.

Are snakeheads invasive?

The northern snakehead is a non-native species to North America. They landed here far from their home waters in Asia, and have since thrived in lakes, ponds, marshes, swamps and creeks. From a small population in a Maryland pond, they spread to the Potomac, Rappahannock, Deleware and more. Some of this migration is through their own effort, and humans aided some of the spread.

An invasive species is one that is not native and harmful to the ecosystem. A non-native fish is one that doesn’t originate from the water where it lives. An example of an invasive species is the Asian carp. An example of a common non-native is a rainbow trout. Both live outside their historical range, but one has a measurable negative impact, and the other is a welcomed fishing opportunity.

The snakehead is classified as a non-native. After 20 years in the Potomac river system, there is no data to support these fish have a negative impact on the ecosystem. Long term impact is still unknown, but as it stands, it appears they are no different than the non-native largemouth or bluegill that call the same waters home. It’s also important to note that the invasive blue catfish is far more destructive than other non-native fish, but has avoided the negative press.

Should you kill snakeheads?

Despite science being on their side, the reputation of a snakehead is as muddy as the creeks they swim in. If you post a snakehead photo in any of the Facebook fishing groups, you’ll inevitably have someone say, “Kill them all!”

I should mention that the folks who make these comments usually misspell words and seem to have missed school when they taught basic grammar. I don’t mean to disparage anyone. I only mean to point out the irony that someone who wants to kill a fish for being foreign has such a loose grasp on their native tongue.

*There is no law in Virginia that says you must kill a snakehead. 

I’m not opposed to killing snakeheads, but I am reluctant to wipe out a species without data to suggest they are harmful. Right now, I say harvest smaller fish for the table and let the bigger ones go. If the data continues to show that snakeheads have no negative impact, then I suggest they be a regulated game fish. If protected, they can be an economic boon and provide both meat and sport fishermen with a sustainable warm water fishery.

The future is murky, but I’m hopeful for attitudes to shift on this fantastic species.

If you’re interested in learning more about snakeheads, their impact and their biology, I highly recommend watching the videos from the 2019 snakehead symposium. These talks cover the latest studies on these fish and dispel many of the misconceptions.