Mattawoman Snakehead Questions. . .

[Shawn L]

I took my nephew to Mattawoman and fished until dark. He managed to get his first snakehead on a frog. I'm no expert but the trick for us seemed to be standing off a bit and casting right up against the grass. Hits seemed to happen within seconds which leads me to believe that the strikes were largely impulse strikes. Nothing seemed to follow the lure so we just worked the grass every few feet then moved on.

[whenican]

You are doing the correct thing, however, the sh doesn't show themselves as
much due to plenty of dissolved oxygen in the water, stained water due to mucho rainfall
& cooler temps. Everything is off by a few weeks this year, plus the pressure is high for sh.
Like others have said they spook easily & are being targeted day & night. This weekend's 2
Sh Tournys will eliminate a lot more. I catch em to eat & won't be in either tourny. Keep up
What you sre doing, you will catch some.

[VuDism]

You are doing the correct thing, however, the sh doesn't show themselves as
much due to plenty of dissolved oxygen in the water, stained water due to mucho rainfall
& cooler temps. Everything is off by a few weeks this year, plus the pressure is high for sh.
Like others have said they spook easily & are being targeted day & night. This weekend's 2
Sh Tournys will eliminate a lot more. I catch em to eat & won't be in either tourny. Keep up
What you sre doing, you will catch some.

Cool. Thanks for the useful information. I figured the weather and the fact that they are constantly hunted are effecting their habits.



On another note: I've seen reports from MD DNR LOGs of Snakehead being caught consistently out of Indian Creek in PG County right next to Lake Artemesia... which makes me wonder... what is in Lake Artemesia especially since im sure the creek floods over from time to time. . .

[fishingboy]

Anyone try out of Mallows bay for snakehead. My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to the Potomac camp and fish a few days hope to hook up with one of these fish. Hope to have some sweet pics of these fish soon.

[clm]

Anyone try out of Mallows bay for snakehead. My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to the Potomac camp and fish a few days hope to hook up with one of these fish. Hope to have some sweet pics of these fish soon.

Another member had great success the week before last (6). I was there last Sunday and only caught one bass and a cat. Fish are finicky. I threw two different types of topwater frogs and a white swim tail minnow. The water was pretty dirty.

[Memory Maker]

Good thing I put my inflatable in my 30+ mpg scion FRS. Saves me on some of that Gas.

Well ........ First , if you only have an inflatable then you probably don't have the range to reach the best grounds and second, I have a 34 + mpg Camry Hybrid that I used to fish with a guide .......... I did a couple of walk ons for $125 or '$150 and learned a ton of stuff that would have taken a bunch of trips to figure out.

It's your time and money ........ Just trying to be helpful ........ You can get all the tips in the world but it won't do any good until it all comes together ....... 1 trip w/a guide does that

Good luck

[VuDism]

Well ........ First , if you only have an inflatable then you probably don't have the range to reach the best grounds and second, I have a 34 + mpg Camry Hybrid that I used to fish with a guide .......... I did a couple of walk ons for $125 or '$150 and learned a ton of stuff that would have taken a bunch of trips to figure out.

It's your time and money ........ Just trying to be helpful ........ You can get all the tips in the world but it won't do any good until it all comes together ....... 1 trip w/a guide does that

Good luck

That's cool.

My inflatable is actually pretty solid and can go anywhere a hard shell can. It may not be as fast but it is fast enough with a 7psi drop stitch floor.

I know there is a lot if trial and error with what I'm doing but if I spending extra money doing trial and error on my own time I'm fine because I actually have a great time being out on the water even if I don't catch fish.

[Snakehead Hunter]

I don't think you really need a guide. Most of the time I fish at places that boat can't get to. I think from June-Sept, SH stay very shallow. I usually catch them in couple feet of water or less. In the spring & fall, they tend to stay near the mouth of the creek where it is deeper.

[bruce19365]

I have yet to catch a snakehead in open water. Once the pads clear the surface I usually find them right it front or just a foot or two inside the edge of those pads, back in shallow pockets and in the gap behind the pads and shoreline if you can access it. Frogs (hollow body and buzz frogs) work along the front edges and back in the pockets. Senko style and beaver style plastics do well pitched a foot or two or more back in the pads and twitched out. Both bass and snakehead will usually hit this presentation on the initial entry into the water or the first twitch, once you've retrieved the bait out a foot of so from the leading edge crank it in and pitch again. Another plastic I like and works well is a hollow bodied swim bait (flukes for some reason just don't work as well) - pitched back in the pads and twitched out - snakeheads and bass both like to eat them. Later in summer when the grass mats are thick a snakehead will explode through them to take a hollow body frog worked across the top. They won't always hit it, but it's exciting even when they miss.

[VuDism]

I don't think you really need a guide. Most of the time I fish at places that boat can't get to. I think from June-Sept, SH stay very shallow. I usually catch them in couple feet of water or less. In the spring & fall, they tend to stay near the mouth of the creek where it is deeper.

Yea, I definitely get way in there in my kayak. The water can't be more than 1 foot where I get into... no boat can get in there... or even the narrow sections along the creeks.

[VuDism]

I have yet to catch a snakehead in open water. Once the pads clear the surface I usually find them right it front or just a foot or two inside the edge of those pads, back in shallow pockets and in the gap behind the pads and shoreline if you can access it. Frogs (hollow body and buzz frogs) work along the front edges and back in the pockets. Senko style and beaver style plastics do well pitched a foot or two or more back in the pads and twitched out. Both bass and snakehead will usually hit this presentation on the initial entry into the water or the first twitch, once you've retrieved the bait out a foot of so from the leading edge crank it in and pitch again. Another plastic I like and works well is a hollow bodied swim bait (flukes for some reason just don't work as well) - pitched back in the pads and twitched out - snakeheads and bass both like to eat them. Later in summer when the grass mats are thick a snakehead will explode through them to take a hollow body frog worked across the top. They won't always hit it, but it's exciting even when they miss.

Thanks for the useful information.
I'll def keep at it and try these things. I have all the lures yo speak of.

[fishingboy]

Another member had great success the week before last (6). I was there last Sunday and only caught one bass and a cat. Fish are finicky. I threw two different types of topwater frogs and a white swim tail minnow. The water was pretty dirty.

Thanks my girl now is more worried about safety. I guess there are sunken ships there and we just started fishing from the kayak good in the canoe but how safe is that area. And thanks.

[VuDism]

I READ THAT OVER 1500 LBS OF SNAKEHEAD REMOVED FROM THE POTOMAC DURING THIS PAST WEEKENDS TOURNAMENT

im not sure what that compares to precious years... but if avg. weight is 5lbs that is 300 snakeheads.

[VuDism]

I READ THAT OVER 1500 LBS OF SNAKEHEAD REMOVED FROM THE POTOMAC DURING THIS PAST WEEKENDS TOURNAMENT

im not sure what that compares to precious years... but if avg. weight is 5lbs that is 300 snakeheads.

I hope these people are satiated with Snakeheads and are done hoarding them in their freezers. Hopefully I can catch 1 or 2 this year.

I think for comparison... 2012 tournament yield was 1000 lbs compared to 1500 lbs 2014... couldnt locate 2013 #s

[jsnyd86]

They're all over the place in all the fishing spots around Middle Potomac. MD and VA side. I've never landed one though. I always get broke off right as I set the hook. I've used different knots, but their teeth always end up winning. So after loosing a good $40 in hard baits I try not to target them much. It really is a lot of fun watching them attack a bait though. Best place to fish for them is around 1' of water or less. That's where I've noticed the SH and Bass tend to separate. Other than that you can catch a bass one cast and SH the next. Once the grass beds thicken up a bit and they create a canopy of shade in the summer, use a frog. My favorite are the Rage Toads on a 5/0 EWG. Until then any ambush spot that is in a foot or less is bound to have one there. I've seen them mostly active at the middle to almost end of a low tide and dropping pressure. It makes it a little easier around that time since you dont have to drudge through heavy spadder dock to find them.
Hope this helps! and good luck!